Thursday 26th June – Saturday 28th June 2025 Practice Silver Expedition

Last Thursday, we took 29 Year 10 students to Matlock in the White Peaks to complete their three-day training for their Silver DofE.

Day One: The students set up their tents in Birchover and then hiked for approximately six hours. The weather was on their side, and the views were beautiful. In the evening, the students were assessed on their cooking skills and, after the assessments, enjoyed a game of cricket on the field.

Day Two: The students packed up their tents and hiked to their second campsite near Youlgrave. The terrain was more challenging, and the hot weather tested some of the students’ resilience. Once we made camp, the students set up their tents again. It was great to hear from other schools how impressed they were with our students’ politeness and manners.

Day Three: The students walked back to our first campsite and made us all very proud. The instructors from Sam Sykes were extremely impressed with each group’s teamwork, resilience, and navigation skills.

Bring on the assessment weekend next Sunday—I’m confident all students will pass their Silver DofE!

Miss Baker and the DofE Team