Snowdonia DofE Expedition
This year the Skills Hub DofE Bronze students had an opportunity to visit Snowdonia in North Wales a mountainous National Park. They climbed Mount Snowdon which is England and Wales’ highest peak standing at 1085 meters. The students stayed for a total of three days and had a 6 hour minibus drive to get there!
Students completed their expedition routes alongside some amazing OAA activities such as XL Paddleboarding in LLanberis and they visited the famous Black Rock Sands mountain beach for a quick dip and a game of beach football.
The Duke of Edinburgh expedition is arguably one of the most challenging parts of the Award and really tested the students. From Bronze through to Silver, they are faced with rocky mountains and babbling brooks, all topped off by the weight of their rucksack. The expedition teaches students something that academic learning cannot, because of all the challenges they face.
DofE is one of the things that the school offers that really develops all other skills as well. Not just the challenges of the expedition like working with others and pushing yourself, but also being able to organise yourself when completing the skill section or what you gain from working in the wider community through volunteering. The extent of the organisation and commitment that comes hand in hand with the Award is something that will push every student, but the lessons and connections that students make will shape how they develop and face other challenges in the future.
Not only does DofE prepare pupils for college, it helps to develop communication skills and the ability to work under pressure which are lifelong skills that can be taken with them through every challenge they face in life. The reality is that most students living in Greater London are not familiar with the mountainous areas, so taking them into a different environment to push and them themselves is a really valuable experience. Our Year10 students are looking forward to what next year will bring as they embark on their Silver Award.
