A Successful Weekend!

Mrs G. Elliott, DofE Co-ordinator, writes:

Y10 Bronze Award Walking Group – Training/Practice Expedition – 11^th and 12^th May.

Our Y10 Bronze Award participants took part in a two day training programme run by Wilderness Expertise, our Approved Activity Provider, to give them the necessary skills to cope with the expedition section, such as camp craft, navigation, and first aid.  This is the first year group who are taking part in our new programme where the Training and Practice Expedition has been replaced by a training weekend.

Charlotte Preston 10K and Dominique Clarke-Payton 10O wrote:

On the 11^th and 12^th of May, we went to school at 8.45am and started our training for our DofE expedition in July. On the first day, we learnt all the necessary skills we will need, such as First Aid skills, campcraft, navigation and map reading. We learnt to use a compass, read coordinates on a map and we started mapping our route for the Qualifying Expedition. We also looked at what kit we would need and the importance of it. After lunch, we went outside to put up tents, which was tough but fun; the instructors and teachers were really helpful. Then it was time for dinner and we prepared food on trangias. On the second day we used our map reading skills during a 4 ½ hour walk. During that time, we also practised emergency scenarios. We came back to school at 14.30 and were dismissed at 15.00. We then went home feeling excited and ready for the real expedition in July. Thank you to Mrs Elliott, Miss Bowen and Miss Bradbury for giving up their weekend.

Student comments:

‘I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend, I feel prepared for the real expedition after doing an 11km practice walk with an instructor on the second training day. The walk was very rewarding, despite the tiredness afterwards.’ Teya Kindred 10O

‘I really enjoyed the DofE training because it taught me skills to carry out the assessment to the best of my ability.’ Jensen Read 10S

 

‘I really enjoyed the DofE training as it has enabled me to go for camping in the future with the skills I learnt, for example putting up a tent correctly and using a Trangia to cook’. Josh (Year10)