Norwich High DofE students share memories in tribute to Prince Philip.

The sad death of the Duke of Edinburgh earlier this month left us all reflecting on his life and many achievements, not least the legacy of the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) awards scheme.

The Duke of Edinburgh scheme is undoubtedly a huge part of our school, having been described as “a jewel in the Norwich High crown” on several occasions. Our two Gold DoE boards are testament to this; the list of names of those attaining Gold is so impressive and places us as the most successful DofE centre for achieving Gold in this region.

The journey for many begins in Year 9, when the Bronze programme is offered and we typically have 90% of the year group opting into the scheme. There is no doubt that every level of the programme goes a long way to shaping the students as they pass through the school. Clearly, the expedition is often seen as the crux of the scheme, as shown by the quotes given below by girls nearing completion of their Gold Award, but the volunteering, residential and skills sections have also seen our students step up to new challenges and give back to the community in a myriad of ways.

A common strand running through this DoE school success has been the devotion shown by the staff coordinating the scheme; Mrs Lemon, Mrs Dent, Ms Bushel and presently Mrs Thorp, have all made their positive impact on our girls and the school.

This week, Norwich High DofE students have been reflecting on what the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme means to them:

“DofE encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone by literally throwing myself into rivers and taking part in the National Citizenship Service (NCS) as part of my Gold residential, as well as becoming a DofE ambassador to help encourage others to take part in DofE.”

Jenna

“The Duke of Edinburgh’s award has taught me resilience and allowed me to get to know myself better. It encouraged me to push myself out of my comfort zone and find new friends along the way. Even though I fell into puddles and tripped over rocks, I am able to say that DofE has given me some of my fondest memories that I can look back on today and laugh.”

Rosa

“DofE has taught me not to give up even when I seriously want to and to know that the end achievement is worth it.”

Ellie

“Although DofE was extremely challenging I will never regret the experience.”

Rosie