DofE with a Difference

This year’s Duke of Edinburgh participants have continued with great determination, despite the pandemic.

The perennially popular scheme at South Hampstead has been running for two decades; each year, the vast majority of girls in Year 9 embark on the Bronze Award, with dozens going on to complete their Silver and Gold Awards. However, this year’s activities were forced to adapt due to Covid-19, as skills sessions and sporting activities moved online and diverse volunteer initiatives got underway in enterprising new ways.

Although Covid regulations prevented the girls from camping overnight, the girls still embraced their postponed expeditions with great gusto. Within the first few days of term, 19 girls had completed their Silver practice expedition, while 84 pupils from Year 10 navigated the countryside and cooked their dinner outdoors before returning home, then back early the next day, for more walking, carrying their tents and supplies.  To date, over 70 girls have completed their Bronze Award this year. Silver Award participants embark on their assessed expedition over half term. One of our recent leavers, Rosie, has just completed her Gold Award and awaits her invitation to the palace!

“I’ve enjoyed the whole programme, especially the volunteering aspect, but the long-awaited expedition was a real highlight – as a group, we learnt a lot about each other as well as ourselves. It was really disappointing not to be able to camp out, but we had great fun being outdoors together, getting lost, finding our way, cooking on a stove and eating a lot of snacks.” Year 10 pupil (Bronze Award)