St John’s Principal Mrs Nicky Edmondson met a group of students in Years 10-13 recently to present them with their Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Over 100 students at St John’s have completed their awards in the current academic year, at Bronze, Silver and Gold level.
“I am very proud of you all for achieving your DofE award, and I am sure that the skills you have gained will be of value in your future lives” Mrs Edmondson told the students.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is open to all St John’s students in Year 9 upwards, with the Gold Award offered to Sixth Form students. Over 160 of the current Year 9 students have recently signed up for the Bronze Award are heading off on practice expeditions over the May bank holiday weekend, some in the Pewsey Vale and others in Gloucestershire.

St John’s DofE Leader, Mr Richard Moore explained how St John’s is able to accommodate so many students. “We work closely with BXM, a DofE Expedition company that is able to accommodate larger expedition groups than we could manage ourselves, therefore allowing us to focus on supporting students in the other areas of the DofE without having to restrict the number of participants”.

In addition to an expedition, DofE participants are required to take part in volunteering, a physical activity and develop a skill. Many students volunteer in local charity shops, or assist with uniform groups and after-school clubs. Any voluntary organisation able to offer volunteering opportunities to students should contact Mrs Kate Hunter, DofE Administrator at St John’s (email [email protected]).