Ormiston Bushfield Academy proudly celebrated its students’ achievements at a special Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) presentation evening, attended by the Mayor, Cllr Judy Fox, who presented certificates to the participants.

A total of 59 students completed their Bronze Award, the largest Bronze cohort the academy has ever seen. Their expedition took place in Leicestershire over two days, where they demonstrated outstanding teamwork and perseverance.

Alongside this success, the academy also celebrated its first ever Gold team, made up of four students. Their expedition took place in Exmoor, where the group walked over 96 km, including a night of wild camping on the moors.

Gold participant Keira Hall reflected: “DofE has been an incredible experience for all of us. We’ve learned skills most people never do, become self-sufficient, and discovered just how capable we really are.”

placeholder image — Students success at Bushfield

All expeditions were completed during the summer, with students showing remarkable determination as they worked through challenging conditions in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees.

The DofE programme has been growing rapidly within the academy, offering students more opportunities each year. For the first time, Silver Award is being launched this year, building on the success of the existing Bronze and Gold levels.

The evening saw students deliver engaging presentations on their DofE journeys, highlighting the resilience, teamwork and independence developed through the award.

Principal Dennis Kirwin said: “We are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements through the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Their commitment, resilience and teamwork are an inspiration to us all, and we are delighted to see the programme growing stronger each year.”