Celebrating Bronze Success: A Year of DofE Achievements

A REPORT BY MRS CAUCHI | HUMANITIES TEACHER & DofE LEAD

This year marks a proud milestone in our Duke of Edinburgh journey. Since stepping into the role of DofE Lead, I’ve had the privilege of guiding my second cohort of pupils through the Bronze Award — and what a cohort they’ve been!

From the very beginning, our pupils have shown incredible commitment. Week after week, they stayed after school for training sessions, learning everything from map reading to tent pitching, all in preparation for their expedition. Their dedication didn’t stop there — they embraced the three core areas of the DofE Award with enthusiasm.

Volunteering: Pupils gave back to their communities in meaningful ways — dog walking, litter picking, supporting youth groups, and more. Some were so inspired by their experiences that they’ve chosen to continue volunteering beyond the programme.

Skills: From learning new languages to mastering the art of cooking and even knitting, our pupils have broadened their horizons and picked up talents that will stay with them for life.

Physical: Whether it was football, netball, or yoga, pupils pushed themselves to improve their fitness and wellbeing — and had fun doing it!

The expeditions, which took place around Rivington throughout June, were a  testament to the pupils’ resilience, teamwork, and spirit. They navigated unfamiliar terrain, carried their own gear, and cooked their own meals (with varying degrees of success!). Some discovered that pasta takes a lot longer to cook than expected, while others impressed us with full-blown meals.

One of the most refreshing aspects of the expeditions was the absence of mobile phones. Instead of scrolling, pupils played manhunt under the stars, chatted in their pyjamas, and bonded in ways we rarely get to see. Their only lifeline to the outside world? A trusty brick phone. Watching them try to turn it on — and send a text — was comedy gold.

Every single pupil worked incredibly hard to earn their Bronze Award, and we couldn’t be prouder. To celebrate their achievements, we’ll be hosting a special celebration evening on Thursday, 6 November — a chance to reflect, applaud, and maybe even relive a few of those expedition stories.

Congratulations to all our Bronze Award achievers - you’ve done yourselves, and your school, proud.

From “Never Again” to Making History: Pupils Take on Silver DofE 

At the end of their Bronze expedition in 2024, many pupils swore they’d never do DofE again. Fast forward a year, and not only did they return, they made history. For the first time at Priory, we had a cohort of pupils take on the challenge of the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.

A determined group of Year 10 pupils (now in Year 11) chose to continue their journey, pushing themselves further and embracing everything Silver had to offer. 

Over the past year, we’ve shared unforgettable experiences — from scaling the crags of the Lake District during a rock climbing day, to enjoying free chips from a generous local pub on a practice walk. There’s been crate stacking, manhunt during the practice expedition, ice cream and paddling at Bolton Abbey, and of course, the final expedition itself in the stunning Lake District.

The Silver Award is no easy feat. It demands more time, more commitment, and more resilience — and our pupils rose to the challenge. Whether it was navigating tough terrain, cooking meals in the wild, or simply keeping spirits high when the walks became tough, they showed grit, teamwork, and a brilliant sense of humour throughout.

All that remains now is their final presentation to their assessors — the last step before officially receiving their Silver Award. To mark their achievement, we’ll be celebrating with a well-earned meal out and a special rewards celebration event.

And who knows? Once they’ve recovered from the blisters, maybe one or two will be brave enough to take on Gold in the years to come!

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