A GROUP of students from a Basingstoke-based Catholic school have completed the school’s first Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) expedition.

Seven Year 11 students from Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School completed the silver DofE award, the first from the school to have done so.

Throughout Year 10, the students worked towards their individual awards by committing an hour per week on three activities to complete the skill, volunteering and physical sections of the award.

The activities that the students completed included playing water polo, helping with faith groups, dog grooming, dancing, and football.

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Meanwhile, staff at the school worked to organise both of the required expeditions in the New Forest.

The expeditions both followed a structured training programme with training walks and a weekend where the students learnt first aid, camp craft and team working skills.

The expeditions were two days and three nights in duration, with the pupils walking 18km on average per day, following a route they had planned together.

The pupils demonstrated to their assessor that they met all 20 requirements while on expedition.

These included being self-sufficient, completing the full route using only their own physical effort without outside assistance, and planning an appropriate menu, including cooking and eating a substantial hot meal on each day.

Peter Robinson, who assessed the students, said: “The young people from Bishop Challoner showed great resilience to walk over three days and to work independently, navigating and camping in the New Forest.

“As assessors for The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme we look for expedition participants to meet 20 conditions including working as a team.

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“It was a pleasure to see them supporting each other and complete their Silver Expedition. I was impressed with their standard and hope they consider undertaking the Gold DofE Award.”

Bishop Challoner PE teacher and DofE manager Caroline Cooper said: “It was fantastic to reach this point as running the Silver Programme is something we had wanted to do for a while in school.

“The pupils were a credit to themselves and their families for their hard work and commitment to their awards”.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was started 66 years ago.

More than 20,000 participants in the UK achieved their full silver award in 2021-2022.