Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh Award at the Thomas Deacon Academy
The Duke of Edinburgh Award at the Academy has grown in popularity year on year; currently we have over 240 students involved across all three levels. We are the largest provider of the Award in Peterborough. The Award attracts students from year 10 at Bronze level, year 11 at Silver level and 6th form at Gold level. Current numbers are:
85 students on Bronze (Mr Tearle/Mr Spiess)
61 students on Silver Miss Reeve/Mr McCloskey)
68 students on Gold (Mr Coffey/Mr McCloskey)
On all three levels of the Award students are required to complete a Physical Recreation activity, volunteering their time to help other people in or outside the school community and learn/develop a new Skill. Students then complete an Expedition phase either on foot or on bike as follows;
2 days 1 night at Bronze
3 days 2 nights at Silver
4 days 3 nights at Gold
At Gold level students have to complete a Residential section, were they are required to stay away from home for 5 days 4 nights with a maximum of 2 people they know.
Students are encouraged to get involved with activities that take place during enrichment time at school or in their local community. Physical activates range from playing for school teams, attending the fitness gym to volunteering activities supporting teachers in their previous primary school, running after school reading/drama/sports clubs or working in a local charity shop on a Saturday morning.
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is highly recognised by employers, colleges and universities as the most enriching school activity students can be involved in. At TDA we recognise the important life and teamwork skills the Award provides for our students, making them young independent learners with initiative and willingness to have a ‘can do’ attitude in and out of the school environment.
Students get to see some of most beautiful parts of the English and Welsh countryside. At Bronze level, students trail the Lincolnshire countryside, walking routes around the Stamford and Castor Hanglands area. Silver expedition and training takes in the Peak District, walking routes around Castleton and Edale, with fantastic views from Mam Tor. At Gold level, students complete training routes in the Peak District and the Yorkshire Dales before completing their final expedition in Snowdonia National Park. At Gold level students have the opportunity to complete their qualifying expedition in a foreign country, previous expeditions have included trips to Nepal in 2009 and Morocco in 2010 with another trip to Nepal planned for 2012.
The Award at TDA would not take place without valued support of the staff involved, currently 45 TDA staff support the Award voluntarily. If you would like to support the Award in anyway at TDA, please contact Mr McCloskey or Mr Edwards at TDA. For further information, follow the below link. Please encourage your child to get involved the Award and be a part of the biggest youth Award in the world.
Colm McCloskey
Award Leader
Duke of Edinburgh Gold 2012 in Nepal: See our fantastic video.
http://www.thomasdeaconacademy.com/page/?title=Duke+of+Edinburgh&pid=124