Ratcliffian 2016 (LOWRES)

EXTRA-CURRICULAR
THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH’S AWARD
This year has been as busy as ever for the Duke of Edinburgh’s
Award participants and there have been seven expeditions,
as well as three training days.
VOLUNTARY
SERVICE
UNIT (VSU)
EXTRA-CURRICULAR
Our Year 9 participants have made a good start to their
Bronze Awards with students choosing a variety of activities
for their different sections: designing and flying model
aeroplanes, animal
welfare, climbing, CCF
and playing an instrument
(to name but a few). They
will begin their expedition
training in Year 10.
Each Thursday evening,
a group of Sixth Form
students visit the Syston
Community Centre, where
the Syston Friendship
Group meet.
Our Year 10 participants
have continued to work
on their Bronze Level
Awards and have been
on a training day and two
expeditions, in very different conditions.
On the practice they suffered a mini heat wave
(the brief British summer) and staff were rushing
around resupplying them with plenty of water –
I have never seen participants drink so much!
On the assessed expedition they found it
much easier in the kinder weather and they
all finished successfully.
Our Silver participants have completed their
practice expedition in the Peak District and
we were very proud of the progress they made
in their navigation and camp-craft. They are
all ready for the challenges of the assessed
expedition in the Shropshire Hills in September.
Editor’s Note: This year, Mrs Catherine Cole,
our D of E Co-ordinator, was personally
thanked by the Duke of Edinburgh at
St James’ Palace for her fifteen years of
service to the Scheme. Thank you Mrs Cole!
Our Gold participants
faced a steep learning
curve as they learnt
how to navigate in
‘Wild Country’. There were highs
and lows, especially when some
of them spent time going deeper
into bogs and marshes than they
had planned (muddy and wet but
unharmed), but they
all got there
in the end.
We were fortunate
in our training
conditions when
we got to work
in very reduced
visibility on the
training weekend in the Peak District last October. The
participants had to use every skill they had learnt on Day 2
of their assessed expedition on Dartmoor as they navigated
their way over the somewhat featureless North Moor in pretty
unrelenting dense fog (it lifted just briefly around lunchtime
then closed back in again). Despite taking longer, due to the
difficult conditions, they navigated surprisingly accurately. The
groups all finished their expedition successfully and enjoyed
better weather for the rest of the time.
Mrs C Cole
D of E Co-ordinator
The group consists of
adults, some with learning
disabilities, who are
supervised by a number of
professional carers. The
students, accompanied
by Mr Walsh, spend time
talking to the adults and
are involved in activities
such as playing board games and bingo
as well as drawing. Members of the Friendship
group also attended the Community Carol
Service before Christmas.
During activities
week in July, 15
members of the
Syston friendship
group visited
Ratcliffe as part
of the School’s
community
day. They
were greeted
by 5 Year
12 students, as well as Mr Walsh, Mrs Helen
Smith, Mr Spencer and Mrs Spencer. The group
participated in a variety of activities in the Sixth
Form Centre, including playing pool as well as
colouring and Lego building. The Friendship
Group and students then shared a picnic lunch.
After lunch, the group were given a tour around
the school grounds. We also enjoyed a friendly
game of cricket in which Mr Spencer showed off
his batting skills!
For many students, this is one of their most
fulfilling experiences as a member of the Sixth
Form. This is an excellent opportunity for
students to give their time and have a positive
impact on the lives of others.
Mr N Walsh
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