BRONZE and SILVER Duke of Edinburgh Award programmes – FINAL CALL!

The deadline for applications for the Bronze and Silver DofE Programmes of 2024-2025 is at the end of the day on Monday 8th July.

All information regarding the programme requirements and on how to apply has been sent out to parents and participants via email but is also available on students’ Edulink.

I’m writing this message from the Brecon Beacons where 35 yr11 and 12 students are currently completing their Gold Expedition. We are on day 4 of 5 and it has certainly been challenging but has shown the students just how resilient they are. These girls have done their Bronze, their Silver and are just 1 day away from completing their Gold. Yesterday, they completed a 26km route and some groups were out on the hills for over 10 hours. Despite the blisters and the aching shoulders and hips, they’re back out there today and are gunning towards the final campsite. Their strength and determination, their teamwork and ability to solve problems even when half-way up a mountain is genuinely inspiring and just goes to show how much these students have developed and matured through completing their DofE.

Before the end of the year, I will be holding an award ceremony for the 144 Yr9 Bronze participants who have achieved their Bronze Awards this year at Presdales. We are also looking forward to celebrating the 111 Silver participants who are on track to complete and receive their awards in the Autumn term. We were blown away by the attitude and determination of all of these students throughout the year and are so proud of their achievements.

Presdales has the largest and most successful DofE Programme in the whole of Hertfordshire which we are incredibly proud of. Over the years of developing this fantastic programme at the school, we have witnessed first hand how the DofE provides students with valuable, lifelong skills and memories and an impressive accolade for their CVs. We cannot recommend the programme enough and feel strongly that every student should be given the opportunity to participate at some point during their academic career. Please do consider applying if you have not already done so and get your applications through by Monday next week. We are more than happy to answer any questions that you might have and will support you with your application should you need it.

We are looking forward to supporting Bronze and Silver Cohorts of 2024-2025 which we hope will be the biggest year yet.

Miss Haywood