Silver Award Expedition to Dartmoor
Congratulations to the 21 dedicated Year 11s who returned from Dartmoor yesterday having passed their Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) silver award expedition. The group set off on the last day of term for a three-day final assessment designed to measure competency in the following areas:
• First aid and emergency procedures
• An awareness of risk and health and safety issues
• Navigation and route planning
• Preparatory map skills
• Practical map skills
• Compass skills
• Campcraft, equipment and hygiene
• Food and cooking
• Countryside, highway and water sports safety codes
• Teambuilding
• Optional additional skills linked to proficiency in the mode of travel: cycling; horse riding; expeditions on water; canoeing; rowing; sailing
The expedition began with torrential rain in the morning of day one, challenging the pupils’ resolve and their ability to waterproof the contents of their rucksacks. A break in the weather around lunchtime made for a pleasant afternoon, with sunshine and clear skies gracing the 368 square miles of National Park moorland for the remainder of the trip.
Eastbourne College pupils completed a superb 49 Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) awards this year, building on last year’s achievements with yet another record haul. Comprising 19 gold, 29 silver and one bronze, this year’s crop of awards demonstrates the College’s ongoing commitment to a wide-ranging curricular enrichment programme.
With current and former pupils currently enrolled in 42 gold awards and 57 silver awards, the College’s curricular enrichment offer is going from strength to strength.
