The legacy that lives on at South Bromsgrove High A s the nation mourns the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, staff and students reflect on his impact within the community of South Bromsgrove High School.
In 1956, Prince Phillip introduced the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which is a voluntary non-competitive programme of activities, chosen by the participant, at one of three levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The award has been a central part of the extracurricular provision at South Bromsgrove High since the early 1990s. It grew substantially under the leadership of Paul Copeland, who went on to become the headteacher, and Will Thomas, who still volunteers as an expedition assessor, despite leaving the school in 2002. In a typical year, approximately 240 students from year 10 participate in the Bronze award. Around 140 enrol in Silver and around 90 in Gold. Completion rates are amongst the best in the region at around 75%, significantly higher than the national average of 50%. The expedition section alone requires the support of over 60 staff members who give their time and expertise voluntarily.
54 Completely Bromsgrove
DofE involves completing three sections independently, plus an Expedition. In the Volunteering section, participants spend at least one hour a week for three months (longer for Silver and Gold) making a difference within their communities. Popular activities are helping with Scouts or Guides, supporting the local Junior Parkrun in Sanders Park, sports coaching, working in a charity shop and litter picking. In the Skills section, participants spend at least an hour a week learning a new skill or developing an existing one. Cooking and photography are popular, along with coding and playing a musical instrument. At Gold, many participants use their driving lessons for their Skill activity. Within the Physical section, participants spend at least one hour a week doing something active, which could be a team or individual sport or fitness activity. At Gold, participants must also complete a residential activity of their choice, meeting new people on a collaborative project lasting five days.
