Polly Oakman, leader of the award programme at Gordano School said: ‘We had 306 take part last year and we are delighted to have increased that to 195 Bronze, 91 Silver and 50 Gold award students. The Duke of Edinburgh Award inspires our young people to develop skills, resilience and self-belief that encourage them to pursue their own passions, overcome challenges and have a positive impact on their communities. These qualities form part of our ethos here at Gordano School.’

Each young person builds their own Duke of Edinburgh programme, picking their own activities and choosing which cause to volunteer for, in order to achieve their award. There are four main sections of a DofE Award: Physical, Skills, Volunteering and the Expedition, with the Gold Award including an additional ‘Residential’ section.

The aim of DofE is to celebrate and champion every young person, whatever their ability, interest or background, offering them the chance to strive for achievement, overcome obstacles, and set their minds to a personal challenge. As the DofE Founder HRH Prince Philip once said: “There is more in you than you might think.”

Potential employers and universities are frequently impressed with the internationally recognised DofE achievement, which operates in over 100 countries.

Participants have been busy working on their Physical, Skills and Volunteering activities and are gearing up for their first practice Expedition in the Spring.

One Year 9 Bronze Award student said: ‘I’ve loved it so far! Joining a netball team has been so much fun, I’ve learned to cook lots of new dishes for my family and I’m really enjoying my volunteer work at my local primary school Art Club. We’ve just found out our groups for the Expedition and I’m excited but hope my boots don’t rub too much! DofE has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone and has brought new opportunities that have raised my confidence.’