1 July 2024
Successful qualifying expedition for Year 9 Bronze DofE participants
Congratulations to our 57 Year 9 students, who successfully completed their two-day assessed Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition at the end of June. In groups of between five and seven, students navigated their way between school and a woodland location near Sevenoaks, Kent, walking for around six hours each day. Half of our expeditioners walked from Surrey to Kent, the others from Kent to Surrey, with all of them camping together near Westerham. Freya tells us more.
Freya S, Year 9
After meeting our assessors at school, we planned our route for the next two days and did an all-important check to make sure that everyone had the right kit. Full of energy and enthusiasm, my group (main photo) set off from school to walk through the Surrey Hills. After a long day, we made it to our camp, which was the midpoint of our expedition. We enjoyed pitching our tents and cooking food before retreating under canvas for some well-earned sleep. Up at 6am the next morning, after a hot drink and washing up, we set out again, excited to get underway. Although my group briefly got lost, we made it to the finish point, relieved and tired. It was a fantastic experience. One particularly memorable moment was walking through a field of cows. Having thought there were only a few, it turned out there was a whole herd. But we all made it through in one piece!