Duke of Edinburgh (DofE)

159 Bronze participants

78 Silver participants

74 Gold participants

This year recorded an increase in pupil numbers for Silver and Gold level. The small decrease in numbers at Bronze level reflects pupils now being required actively to sign up for the Award rather than being directed to do so. Pleasingly, this change of approach resulted in a significant increase in completion rate from 48% to 84%. Pupils completed Awards at various stages throughout the year thanks to additional expeditions being offered to offset those missed through Covid.

Oundle School continues to be the largest DofE Centre in the Central England Region, with 10 staff members now qualified Expedition Assessors and a further five affiliated Volunteer Assessors.

Charities

Appetite for collective fundraising continued wholeheartedly, with over £25,000 raised for various charities. Events included fashion shows, auction dinners, 24-hour aquathons and ergo-athons, bake sales, Santa fun runs, the OO charity challenge and more.

A highlight of the year was the uniting of Learning for Life topics and fundraising. After a lesson on period poverty, a group of Third Form pupils took the initiative to raise awareness and funds through a bake sale in Cloisters, donating £175 to Bloody Good Period.

Trips

The summer’s cricket tour to Barbados marked the restart of international trips and we were delighted to welcome a large contingent of parents who followed the tour. Other overseas trips included a History and Art trip to Berlin, a French trip to Nice, a Classics trip to Sicily and Duke of Edinburgh training expeditions.

278 trips took place this year, excluding sport fixtures.