Sixth Form News Archives - Page 8 of 40

Woodbridge School is delighted to confirm our ranking in The Sunday Times Parent Power 2026 tables, contributing towards the biggest regional improvement being seen in East Anglia, as we moved up a stunning 43 places year-on-year rise in the national tables.

The survey provides a definitive resource for parents researching schools, by providing rankings based on their performance in A levels and GCSE; our students’ A* rate at A level confirms our position as the best performing school in Suffolk, as do our GCSE results, which, at 59.7% grades 9 to 7, also put us top of the tree in the region.

These results and this ranking is testament not only to the hard work and commitment of our students in their academic studies and examination performance, but to the support, dedication and encouragement provided by our teachers and parents. Academic results are tangible, and of course something we work towards, and this recognition reflects that success. However, we strive to provide students with an enriched and balanced education, through a range of co-curricular activities focusing on other aspects of life such as sport, leadership opportunities, clubs and societies as well as our Combined Cadet Force. Results are just one part of a student’s journey and personal development; we celebrate every aspect of their lives inside and outside of School, helping them on the pathway to becoming everything they are meant to be.

Shona Norman, Head of Woodbridge School, said:

“As Head of Woodbridge School, I am of course incredibly proud of our students and their achievements, and of them being recognised in this way by The Sunday Times. But again, this is pride that I share with our entire community, since it is a team effort involving our students, teachers and parents, in achieving consistent excellence in all areas of School life, not just academic.”

In terms of recognition for the School, the Parent Power survey is a useful tool for navigating the complex landscape of education in terms of making informed choices and selecting a suitable school for children. Woodbridge School is a key part of our town and region, and we are proud to be part of the reason East Anglia has seen the biggest regional improvement, with local schools leaping an average of 15 places. It feels wonderful to have contributed to this with a stunning 43 place year-on-year rise in these national tables.

11 A Level DT students took an exciting trip to the Design Museum and V&A Museum last week. The purpose of the trip was to give students an up close and personal experience of seeing first hand a variety of designs, from which they can collect research for their A level project work.

At the Design Museum students were lucky enough to be able to visit the Wes Anderson Exhibition. This provided insight into set design, storyboarding, concept design and puppetry; they also visited the permanent collection where they saw a variety of inspirational designs including technology through significant time periods and iconic products such as the Wiggle Chair by Frank Gehry.

Moving on and visiting the V&A, students were able to gather inspiration from the architecture, furniture, stain glass, ironwork displays as well as absorb other areas within art and design.

Our report from Lyra shares details of the day and what she thought of the experience.

Lyra, A Level Design Student

“At the Design Museum we managed to unexpectedly visit the Wes Anderson exhibition that was on at the time, seeing the costumes, props and puppets from his films such as Fantastic Mr Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel. There were models that had been made for film scenes, including the tree the foxes live in and the hotel itself, which were amazing to look at!

Afterwards, we went to the V&A where we had lunch, then were left to explore in groups for a couple of hours, going where we liked. The V&A was full of various exhibits, like the jewellery section which showcased jewellery from over the years to modern day, the stained-glass area, and the beautiful silver section.

At the end of the day, we visited Covent Garden and the stalls there, then enjoyed pizza together before getting the train back to Woodbridge. It was an amazing trip, and one we would all definitely want to go on again!”

Last Friday our A level Drama students travelled to London to see Punch, written by state-of-the-nation playwright James Graham (Dear England, This House, BBC’s Sherwood). Punch brings Jacob Dunne’s extraordinary true story to the stage in a gripping, high-energy and deeply moving production directed by Adam Penford.

Jacob Dunne, a teenager from Nottingham, spends his Saturday nights seeking thrills with his friends. One fateful evening, an impulsive punch leads to fatal consequences. After spending time in prison, Jacob finds himself lost and directionless. Searching for answers, Joan and David – the parents of his victim James – ask to meet, sparking a profound transformation in Jacob’s life. A powerful true story of hope, humanity, and the possibility of change.

Year 13’s Isaac shares his thoughts on the play below:

“Punch was a brilliant production that tackled so many pressing issues, from drug abuse, herd mentality, and a failed school system for those with learning difficulties.

The second act beautifully captured a reconciliation of the victim’s family and the perpetrator, bringing the difficult idea of forgiveness into the forefront.

Taking inspiration from Jacob Dunne’s memoir Right from Wrong it was incredibly interesting to see how two perspectives of James’ death dealt with the aftermath and the new process in place to restore some form of informal justice between the James’ family and Jacob.

The set and lights were exceptional; what seemed like a bare stage was used effectively to create a nightclub, a housing estate, a prison and a community centre seamlessly. They used the lights well to hide elements of the story such as excluding the physical punch through a blackout; I thought that was a brilliant idea and ensured that the focus was kept on the impact felt by all the characters after that event.”

On Tuesday evening, students came together to perform in our annual Michaelmas Concert. Thank you to everyone who came along and supported the students, and to all those involved in ensuring the concert could take place, in particular our Director of Music, Mr Woodley, and our Head of Singing, Miss Weston, who shares her report of the concert below.

What an incredible evening! The Woodbridge School Michaelmas Concert was a triumphant and ambitious musical showcase of the immense and diverse talent of our students at Woodbridge School.

The success of the evening was testament to the students’ hard work in preparation for the evening; the appreciative audience clearly showed their support enthusiastically for every performance and Seckford Theatre was buzzing.

The varied programme powerfully demonstrated the diversity of music and the spirit of inclusivity fostered here at Woodbridge School.

The Percussion Ensemble opened the show vibrantly with A Sky Full of Stars – what a great way to start! Solos from Year 9’s India B (Matilda) and Year 8’s Joseph (Jingle Bell Rock) were wonderful highlights met with a warm reception. The Big Band delivered a powerful, locked-in rendition of Under Pressure and Rock Band ‘If only’ injected raw energy with Seven Nation Army, promising a strong and exciting future for rock at the School.

After the interval, the Concert Band earned a worthy cheer by bravely tackling the complex jazz fusion piece Lingers under Mr Woodley’s baton. Vocalist, Year 11’s Amelia G, delivered an outstanding and mature display of elegance with her beautiful and emotional performance of Lost Without You.

The rock stage then lit up as ‘T.O.R.C.H’ channelled 90s angst with powerful Nirvana and The Cranberries covers, and Idyll followed with a solid, classic rock take on Come Together. Mr Shepherd led the Brass Ensemble with his usual style, Fitzroy Street Blues was a particular highlight.

The evening was flawlessly wrapped up by the Swing Band, their final, seasonal arrangement of All I Want For Christmas was the perfect way to end this menage of music.

I think it’s safe to say that the concert was a resounding success, affirming the vibrant, enthusiastic state of music and performance at Woodbridge School!

The ESAA Regionals Round of the Cup took place at Felsted School on Thursday 6 November, and as many will know, this is one of the most important races of the calendar for our cross-country runners as the teams all work hard to try and qualify for the Nationals’ Final in December. Our Junior Boys and Junior Girls teams competed, alongside our Inter Boys and Inter Girls. Our report from Elisa Bostock, our Endurance Running Coach, shares all the details below.

“All of our qualifying teams headed to the Regionals Round of the English Schools Cross Country Cup earlier this month. For the last nine years we have had at least one team qualify and this year we are proud to say two of our teams will race in the final in Rugby on the 6 December 2025.

Our Junior Girls kicked off the day and gave a sterling effort with Year 8’s Chloe coming second to the UK’s top ranked U13 girl Madison. Year 7’s Sofia was an impressive 8^th, a year young in this age group. The rest of the team worked hard and came in as shared below:

Year 8’s Chloe – 2^nd
Year 7’s Sofia – 8^th
Year 7’s Florence – 34th
Year 8’s Tati – 62nd
Year 7’s Sophia – 63^rd
Year 8’s Juno – 65th

Overall, the team finished in 7^th place which was incredible, well done girls.

Our Junior Boys then followed, chasing a fast pack of runners from the strong county of Essex. Year 8’s Ollie finished first for Woodbridge in 9th place, followed closely by his training partner Year 8’s Archie, who came in 11th. A top eleven finish for the two, also a great result. The rest also gave it their all for their team gaining another 7th place overall.

Year 8’s Ollie – 9^th
Year 8’s Archie – 11th
Year 7’s Kaydon – 44^th
Year 7’s Max – 50^th
Year 7’s Aiden – 56th
Year 8’s Miles – 59th

Our Inter Girls headed off in their usual Kenyan-style pack, again chasing the incredibly strong Essex teams. They chased and held on brilliantly coming home in 7th, 8th, 11th, 16th , 49th and 62^nd place. This result not only qualified them for the Nationals’ Final, but won the age category as the first school to have four athletes cross the line in the race.

Year 9’s Alexandra – 7^th
Year 9’s India J – 8^th
Year 9’s Ella – 11^th
Year 9’s India B – 16^th
Year 9’s Imogen M – 49^th
Year 10’s Grace – 62^nd

Final race of the day for Woodbridge School was the Inter Boys. Our boys lead this race the whole way alongside the Essex schools. Year 10’s Hamish bravely took the race on in the first of this three-lap course. Year 9’s Dex, a year young in this age category, chased our English Schools 800m finalist and moved into the lead and encroached, leaving just one runner to get in front. Year 10’s Digby paced his race superbly cruising up well to join his training trio. Dex moved into the lead towards the end of the second lap winning the whole race by a 17 second margin! Year 9’s Josh stormed in in 22nd place off the back of very limited training, while Year 10’s Oscar and Year 9’s Ollie R put in a superb effort, coming home in 31st and 34th. Another team win and well-deserved final around corner for our Inter Boys.

Year 9’s Dex – 1^st
Year 10’s Digby – 4^th
Year 10’s Hamish – 5th
Year 9’s Josh – 22nd
Year 10’s Oscar – 31^st
Year 9’s Ollie R – 34^th

Huge congratulations to these two teams for qualifying and a massive well done to all teams and athletes for putting in their maximum effort on the day.

The Sixth Form production of Steven Berkoff’s The Trial at Seckford Theatre this week, captured audiences from the very start with a striking opening scene to a well-known Faithless anthem. It was a sign of what was to come as our audience members were taken on a suffocating journey through the dark humour and absurdity of Kafka’s world.

As Joseph K’s (Year 13’s Fergus) day starts, one fine morning, he discovers that he is being arrested. But for what? For this respectable bank clerk, this is truly alarming and he immediately seeks to understand the reason for his arrest through interactions with numerous characters embroiled in an utterly incomprehensible legal system.

A minimalist but bold staging, dark and colourless, with simple door frames used to construct the changing scenes of the legal maze that Jospeh K moves through as his desperation to know the cause of his arrest mounts. Scenes of precise rhythmic and repetitious group movement create a claustrophobic atmosphere which heightened the increasing torment Joseph K was feeling.

From Huld (Year 12’s Edward) the sickly but overbearing lawyer, to Titorelli (Year 12’s Samuel) the effusive court painter, and the seductive Laundress (Year 13’s Georgia), no-one was making sense to him. Joseph K dies none the wiser.

In this highly physical, confident and focussed performance, by this wonderfully talented Sixth Form cast, the audience were certainly left with much to think about bureaucracy, power and justice.

Congratulations to cast and crew on a truly thought provoking performance, it was clear to see the hard work and dedication that had gone into every part of the performance, on and off the stage.

This week’s Hockey report holds details of matches for our U14A, 1st XI, 2nd XI, Junior 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as our U15A teams. With details of the games, players and their performance, our report from Mrs Rix, Head of Hockey, shares highlights and lessons learned.

Woodbridge U14A vs Gosfield

Last week started with a bang when our U14A team took on Gosfield, playing only the second ever Hockey matches between our two schools, so it is a bit of a discovery time. A big Year 9 squad created opportunities for plenty of players to gain experience and show off their skills.

Woodbridge started strong but was denied by the opposition goalkeeper in the opening minutes, however the floodgates did open up. Co-captain, India J opened the scoring, followed by a goal from Jemima P with almost her first touch of the game. Evie made it three to us before India J scored her second and Imogen M another before half time.

At the break Woodbridge set process targets for the second half and experimented with some things and players in different positions. It was exciting to see Alexandra in high positions and being rewarded with a goal . Imogen G was similarly rewarded for her discipline in the press and hard work in attack by getting on the scoreboard. A brace from Mariella completed the scoring.

Our team was dignified in their win and credit to the opposition for their resilience. Well done to Year 8, Najma, who made her debut for the U14s.

Woodbridge 1st XI vs Norwich School

Tuesday saw the senior teams take on the strong teams from Norwich School, a challenge we have not faced in the while but perfect prep for what lies ahead this term.

The 1st XI played an excellent first half to go into halftime 0-0. Year 12 GK, Freya was having an excellent game, as were pretty much everyone else, to go toe to toe with Norwich. Y12’s Lyrah and Millie and Year 13’s Eve again impressed with how they were combining at the back. The forwards worked tirelessly to press and lead to create chances, Year 11’s Amelie and Year 13’s Nancy particularly impressive.

Midway through the second half the opposition scored two goals in four minutes, which could have taken the wind out of our sails, but alas Woodbridge kept trusting their systems and kept pushing to get back in the game, moving the ball around and winning one-on-one battles. Two minutes from time Year 11’s Georgia drove through a couple of tackles, to get the ball to Year 11’s Eve for a nice lateral carry, moving the defenders. A powerful under the shoulder pass connected with Year 13’s Nancy in the D, who made no mistake to get our goal. Momentum had changed but not enough time left to potentially get the equaliser. Y

12’s Lyrah played a great game but the unquestionable Player-of-the-Match was our super GK, Freya.

Woodbridge 1st XI vs Norwich – U18 Regional Finals

The U18 Regional Finals later in the week would deliver more of the same; very good performances but luck not going our way. One goal defeats throughout the day means it is the end of the road for the England Hockey Competition for our first team, but by no means the end of their progress and very positive play.

Well done to Year 10’s Jemima B who made her 1st team debut at the finals and did so in style. Well done also to Year 12’s Charlie who was our excellent Player-of-the-Day.

Woodbridge 2nd XI vs Norwich – U18 Regional Finals

The 2nd XI also had a top performance against their counterparts from Norfolk. They took to the pitch in high spirits after a lively warmup, ready to face an unbeaten Norwich School side. Despite strong defending and composed build-up play, Norwich struck first and added a second before the break.

Undeterred, the girls battled tirelessly across the pitch, showing pace, passion, and determination. Year 13’s, captain Lily and Phoebe R delivered standout performances, driving the team forward and inspiring relentless effort. Even after conceding a third goal, the squad refused to let their heads drop, continuing to press with commitment and energy.

Their perseverance was rewarded in the final seconds. A swift counterattack saw Year 11’s Amelia break into space, drive into the circle, and smash the ball past the Norwich goalkeeper. The goal capped off a spirited display and gave the team a well-deserved moment of celebration.

This was a performance full of grit and pride—clear proof that the 2nd XI can rise to any challenge.

Woodbridge Junior 1 vs Finborough

Our Junior teams (Year 7 and 8 students) made it a clean sweep against Finborough, winning four out of four matches.

The Junior 1s made full use of their opportunities in the first half to take a two-goal lead. Year 7’s Issy scoring yet another goal before Year 7’s Darcey deflected in beautifully at the far post just before half time. Credit to Year 8’s Chloe and Martha for playing the perfect team patterns to set up this goal.

The team delivered a disciplined and controlled second half performance to deny Finborough any goals, also courtesy of a very mature and complete GK performance from Year 8’s Najma.

Another well-deserved win for the team in a near perfect team performance . Players-of-the-Match awards went to Year 8’s Juno and Year 7’s Issy.

Woodbridge Junior 2 vs Finborough

The Junior 2s enjoyed similar fortunes being technically and tactically superior to their opponents. This also ended in a two-goal victory with goals coming from Year 8’s Katherine and Year 7’s Coco and Florence. However it was not all plain sailing as Finborough came back strong in the second half and Year 8 GK, Nina, had to be alert, making a number of saves, including a great diving stop to her right. Year 8’s Grace was named Player-of-the-Match by her opponents.

Woodbridge Junior 3 vs Finborough

Finally getting to play on home astro, the Junior 3 team began brightly with a sharp warmup and immediate attacking intent. Woodbridge created multiple circle entries and tested the Finborough goalkeeper with several shots. Their pressure paid off when Year 8’s Daisy H struck cleanly from the top of the circle with an open-stick finish to give the hosts the lead.

Finborough responded with a rare chance of their own, converting to level the score. But Woodbridge kept pushing, and with just three minutes left, Yeat 8’s Isabella L – later named Player-of-the-Match; clinically converted to restore the advantage.

Year 8 Captain, Bella S, was outstanding in midfield, orchestrating play and driving forward phases that kept Woodbridge on the front foot.

A strong team performance, capped by determination and quality, secured a deserved victory for the Junior 3s.

Woodbridge Junior 4 vs Finborough

The Junior 4s put on their most impressive display yet with a dominating performance to win by some margin despite having their positions mixed up to avoid demoralising the opposition. It was as if they had not had a break over half-term and were playing fluid Hockey, putting into practice exactly the patterns of play from training sessions and being on the ball with rebounds off the keeper.

Finborough defended valiantly but the goals came from Year 8’s Emily W, Ellie D, Georgie M, Year 7’s Sophia P, Lola M, and two from Sophie M. A very good start to the second half of the season.

Woodbridge U15A vs Ipswich High School

To complete the week the U15A team travelled to Ipswich High School. This resulted in a satisfying win, with Year 10’s Eirran scoring twice. Captain, Annabelle was Player-of-the-Match, but well done to everyone, including Year 9’s India and Ella who made impressive and impactful debuts for the U15A team, playing up.

Woodbridge School athletes came away proud from RHS this season, after the first of the Suffolk Schools Cross Country Trials; all athletes putting in maximum effort across the age groups over this tough course. With almost twenty now in contention for Suffolk selection for the Anglian Schools Cross Country – ten of those could also be in contention for Suffolk Selection for English Schools – it’s been an incredible season so far, with much more to come. Our Endurance Running Coach Elisa Bostock, shares her full report below.

Special mention to our six medallists: Year 7’s Sofia, Year 8’s Chloe, Year 9’s Alexandra and Dex, Year 10’s Digby and Year 11’s Romilly. Everyone who competed should be extremely proud of their efforts, representing the School with great results and sportsmanship.

The next race to watch out for takes place on 15 on January 2026, where the top qualifying 50 athletes from RHS are invited to compete in each age category for a top 16 finish, in order to be considered for selection at the regionals event, the Anglian Schools Cross Country. Woodbridge School will be hosting this event so please do feel free to come along and support our runners on the day!

Results in full:

Minor Girls:

Year 7’s Sofia (2nd)
Year 6’s Ava (5th)
Year 7’s Florence (6th)
Year 7’s Sophia (20th)
Year 7’s Issy (23rd)
Year 7’s Vivienne (39th)
Year 6’s Ziyu (43rd)
Year 6’s Alice (54th)
Year 6’s Clara (56th)
Year 7’s Lily (84th)
Year 7’s Emilia (97th)
Year 7’s Brontë (108th)
Year 6’s Beatrice (122nd)
Year 6’s Sasha (160th)

Minor Boys:

Year 7’s Max (26th)
Year 6’s Charlie H (27th )
Year 7’s Aiden (31st)
Yer 7’s Kaydon (36th)
Year 7’s Millar (38th)
Year 6’s Archie (45th)
Year 6’s Sam ( 51st),
Year 7’s Fletcher (54th)
Year 6’s Charlie W (59th)
Year 6’s Jasper (149th)
Year 7’s Sam (195^th)

Junior Girls:

Year 8’s Chloe (2nd)
Year 9’s Alexandra (3rd)
Year 9’s India J (4th)
Year 9’s Ella K (5th)
Year 9’s India B (7th)
Year 9’s Imogen M (12th)
Year 8’s Juno (50th)
Year 9’s Honor (58th)
Year 9’s Evie (59th)
Year 8’s Tati (62nd)

Junior Boys:

Year 9’s Dex (1st)
Year 9’s Josh (4th)
Year 9’s Olly R (6th)
Year 8’s Ollie L (8th)
Year 8’s Archie (9th)
Year 9’s Alfie (18th)
Year 9’s Dylan (28th)
Year 9’s Theo (31st)
Year 8’s Miles (67th)
Year 8’s Harry (80th)
Year 8’s Jesse (81st)
Year 8’s James E (104th)
Year 8’s Charlie (108th)

Inter Girls:

Year 11’s Romilly (1st)
Year 10’s Grace (24th)
Year 10’s Millie (25th)
Year 10’s Marina (27th)

Inter Boys:

Year 10’s Digby (2nd)
Year 10’s Hamish (5th)
Year 11’s Jago (8th)
Year 10’s Oscar (19th)
Year 10’s Harry (31st)

Senior Boys:

Year 13’s Angus (11th)
Year 13’s Sam (27th)

Our U14A, U14B and Senior 1st Hockey teams have been in action, with plenty of learning and development opportunities throughout. With news of matches versus Finborough and New Hall, our reports below share details of players and performance.

Woodbridge U14A and U14B vs Finborough

Our Year 9 U14A and U14B teams produced two great performances against Finborough before half term. Our teams showed determination and professionalism from their warm-up and all throughout the game, being a true credit to our School.

The U14B match was somewhat chaotic in the opening quarter, with players from both teams excited to play, but not both teams as focused on the task at hand. Once over the initial exchanges Woodbridge found a good structure and started to move the ball around with more control. Player-of-the-Match, Mariella was influential in this, getting the ball in midfield and making good passes or runs to beat lines. Mariella scored the opening goal from the top of the D before setting up India B for the second.

Woodbridge consolidated at half time, focusing on what has been going well and wanting to build on the positive play from the first half, but aware of traps to avoid. Maizie to tackle continued to distribute well, doing so with growing composure and accuracy as the game progressed, and also moved into central midfield with success. Isabella L was rewarded for her industrious play with a goal before Cecily scored her second in as many matches to secure a very well-deserved win for the team.

The big squad must be commended for how they responded to everything asked of them and for the learning throughout the match.

The U14A followed suit in how they prepared for the match, managing their own warm-up and target setting. Following a quick reminder about how they would press and a focus for out letting, the team went on the pitch determined to deliver a clinical display. This they did!

The defence and midfield lines provided good structure from the start which allowed for excellent build-up play to get the ball in the attacking area. Here India J and Jasmine were threatening, being very well supported by Kirsty and Rebecca. As the game progressed the forwards started to lead purposefully to fill key spaces and made more complementary runs which made for exciting attacking play. Alexandra as right back proved pivotal in attacks in our own half and as a threat outside the attacking D. Ella was a revelation at centre back, managing proceedings like a veteran. India J scored the opening goal before Imogen M added a second before half time.

In the second half the team continued to improve their defensive press which made it difficult for Finborough to find a flowing rhythm. With the opposition relying on physical carries and hard, direct passing, our players were up to it to intercept and slow runners down whenever needed. This took immense concentration and work ethic to never let up, as any gaps or a moment of not working back could result in goals against. The second half remained goalless but not short of action.

India J was named Player-of-the-Match. Special mention to Imogen G, Bella, Issy and Sienna who played their best matches of the season so far.

We are very proud of both U14 teams who showed how much they have learned tactically and improved technically during the first half of the season. Well done also to players in the A and B teams, who had run brilliantly in the Cross Country race earlier in the day, before playing their hearts out on the Hockey pitch in the afternoon.

Woodbridge Senior 1st vs New Hall

The Senior 1st team went straight into a match after half-term, playing their postponed match against New Hall at Ipswich Hockey Club last Tuesday.

The team continued their positive momentum from the first whistle. Fast paced Hockey was played, showing structure and skill and it was not long before chances were created. Year 12’s Charlie put Woodbridge ahead halfway through the 1st half. Our team definitely had the upper hand, but New Hall threatened to break through courtesy of some very speedy ball carriers. Luckily this was matched and Year 12’s Lyrah and Millie dealt with attacks up the flank. Shortly before half time, New Hall scored a reverse stick goal into the roof of the net, which was awarded after the umpires conferred.

Frustrated to be all square at half time, Woodbridge consolidated what they were doing well and knew they just had to keep playing in the same way and more goals will come. Year 12’s Bea was again a powerhouse in attack, threatening whenever in possession and giving good passes, and never letting up when defending. After another threatening carry by her there was a deliberate foul in the D. Bea slotted the resulting penalty stroke with composure to take Woodbridge ahead again. Through Year 13’s Lara, Nancy and Georgia and Year 12’s Eve the team kept pushing forward and got their third goal, scored by Year 11 debutant, Frankie. Seconds from the end New Hall got a second but the team had done enough for another great win, playing great Hockey!

Well done to each player who contributed so well to a complete team performance. Player of the Match went to Millie, for an outstanding all-round performance!

The team continued to work hard at practices for the rest of the week, working on their skills and team play, preparing for their Regional Finals, and always trying to better themselves and having fun in the process. Well done to this group for all that are putting in.

22 students from Years 11 to 13 have been taking part in their Silver and Gold Practice DofE expeditions in the Peak District National Park, beginning by training with their group supervisor ahead of taking part in a three-day walking expedition.

Carrying all of their equipment and camping out overnight, it was an excellent opportunity to continue to develop learned skills and understand mistakes and how to correct them.

With rain and shine along the way, the students had an excellent few days, in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.

They will now plan to complete their assessed expeditions during the Easter holidays next year in the Lake District.