On Saturday 5th May, Year 9 and 10 girls took to the hills and fields of Bedford and Buckinghamshire, participating in their Bronze Practice Expedition.

The expedition had been cancelled in March due to freezing temperatures and snow. However, there were no such worries during the re-scheduled event.

During the expedition, the girls practiced their map navigation and camp craft skills. Most importantly, the practice expedition gave our students the chance to build upon other elements such as teamwork, leadership, co-operation, resilience, planning and adaptability.

The Bronze participants embark on the next stage of their assessed expedition on Saturday 9th to Sunday 10th June. One of the most common questions I am asked is ‘What happens if we get lost on the assessed expedition?’ I will often answer that we learn more from our mistakes than we do from getting things right but not knowing how we got them right.

A big thank you the staff that volunteered to give up their bank holiday weekend. Without their commitment, it just would not be possible to run the many DofE expeditions.

I would also like to thank the participants parents who provide an invaluable service in both dropping off and collecting the girls during the weekend.

View photos from the expedition here.