Duke of Edinburgh Success

Last September a group of eleven students from Years 9 and 10 started working towards their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award - a very prestigious award which is recognised across the world. It builds confidence, resilience and independence in its participants and it fosters leadership, team work and communication skills.  This was the first cohort to ever complete the award at Bow School and we are incredibly proud of what they have achieved.

The award consists of a volunteer placement where students give up their free time to support projects in the local community, a skills section where students learn a new skill and a physical activity section where students improve their fitness by practicing a sport. These sections are completed over the course of 6 months, with students spending an hour a week on each section. Our students successfully completed all their sections, whilst remaining dedicated to their studies.  They learnt skills such as Arabic, chess and Blacksmithing, and volunteered by tutoring younger students in English and Maths, by working at Mudchute Farm and by teaching younger students how to use the gym equipment in the school’s Fitness Suite.  

The award concluded with two expeditions.  Each expedition required participants to spend two days in the countryside, exercising camp craft skills such as tent erection and cooking on a gas stove. Over the two days they travelled 20 miles, walking for 6 hours a day, carrying everything they needed in rucksacks on their backs. The groups independently navigated the planned route each day using a map and compass, and used their navigation skills to successfully and safely arrive at their final meeting point on time.

Following a final presentation where they were required to talk about their expedition aims and key learnings, these fantastic students are now Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award holders.

Congratulations to them all!

Ms Jenkins

Rising to the Challenge & Working Together – The Bow Way