Despite the lockdown, 44 year 10 students have been able to continue working on their Duke of Edinburgh’s Bronze Award programme at home, completing their Volunteering, Physical and Skill activities. DofE has been flexible in allowing students to adapt their activities where necessary, to meet the requirements of lockdown.
To complete their awards, the students need to undertake their two day walking expedition with overnight camp. Plans to do this during the summer term have been disrupted, but students and staff are determined to complete their expedition in September, so long as it can be done safely within the rules at the time. To prepare, most of our students have been in school for their expedition training day, working within their socially distanced bubbles (and where necessary with PPE protection) to train in cooking outdoors with camp stoves, putting up tents and in the clothing and equipment required for the expedition. Several students were shielding at home, but will complete the key parts of the training via a Google Meet video lesson. The students also have a training walk coming up to add to the one they did last November, to develop their outdoor skills in teamwork, route-finding, countryside safety and following the countryside code.
With some luck and lots of determination, our year 10 students will complete their expedition and have a great time doing it.
