Year 10 pupils put teamwork to the test on DofE expedition

More than 100 Year 10 pupils braved challenging autumn conditions at Chrishall Grange as they developed the skills needed to take on their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh qualifying expedition next year.

The 108 pupils set out on Sunday 2 November for their PES Peak Bronze Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) practice expedition, completing a 12km staff-led hike focused on navigation, teamwork and building confidence in the outdoors.

The expedition forms an important part of pupils’ preparation for their qualifying expedition in May 2027, when they will be expected to navigate independently, checking in with staff only at designated checkpoints.

During the practice hike, staff were on hand to support pupils with route planning, working effectively as a team and managing the challenges they encountered along the way. The experience gave pupils an opportunity to develop the patience, resilience and independence they will need when undertaking the expedition without direct staff guidance.

Despite cold wind and rain, the 18 teams made strong progress, with many completing their routes faster than expected and exceeding the timings they had planned beforehand. This provided valuable insight into how much ground they can realistically cover during their qualifying expedition.

PES Peak Coordinator Mr Robinson said: “The Bronze Duke of Edinburgh pupils did very well, enduring some cold wind and rain. What I am most proud of is how each of the 18 teams have come together closer as a team than before, realising how much they will need to depend on each other in their qualifying expedition.”

Preparation will continue through weekly sessions, with pupils developing their camping, cooking and packing skills ahead of May. With a strong foundation of teamwork already established, the groups can now build on what they learned at Chrishall Grange as they work towards completing their Bronze DofE expedition.