Celebrating DofE success at Beacon Academy

Eighty students in Years 10 and 11 had been invited to attend the awards ceremony in Beeches Main Hall, having successfully completed all sections of either the Bronze or Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award which they had enrolled in last academic year.

The students were presented with their certificate and badge in front of an audience of proud family members, staff and representatives of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and expedition provider, Outspark.

Headteacher, Mr Keith Slattery, welcomed the evening’s guests and congratulated all the students on their outstanding commitment, dedication and resilience. The Awards were presented by Crowborough Town Mayor and Chair of Beacon Academy’s Local Governing Committee, Cllr Matthew Street, who commended the students and encouraged them to continue to contribute to school life and the wider community through volunteer work.

Cllr Street commented, “It was wonderful to present the certificates to so many Beacon students who achieved Bronze and Silver DofE. Each has shown so much dedication and hard work through the various elements of the programme. It was great to hear some of their stories and see video highlights. I am confident that many will go on to volunteer in their communities now and in the future.”

To achieve their Award, participants spend an average of an hour each week taking part in volunteering and completing a physical activity, alongside learning a new skill. They also complete training and qualifying expeditions.

DofE Manager at Beacon Academy, Kyla Webb, said, “Our students have dedicated their time to a range of causes as well as developing their skills in a chosen area and we are very impressed with what they have achieved. Our Silver Award groups went out on their qualifying expedition on the South Downs during a heatwave in June last year. The heat made the expedition all the more challenging, but they did the school proud with their excellent navigation skills and ability to pull together as a team. Our Bronze Award groups completed their qualifying expedition in the Ashdown Forest. For some of our students, this was a huge personal challenge and while they experienced highs and lows, they all passed their expeditions with determination. This just highlights our students’ resilience, as well as their ability to support and encourage each other. We are incredibly proud of them all.”

Beacon Academy was accredited as a licensed organisation for the DofE Award in 2019, first offering the Bronze Award to participants in Year 9. Since then, the number of students enrolling in the Award each year has increased significantly, with the Silver Award now on offer for students in Year 10 and the Gold Award available for students in Year 12.