Parent & Carer Updates

Good afternoon 

As we approach the expedition I just wanted to send through a few important updates and reminders. 

Expedition Timeline including Drop-off and Pick-up

I have updated the Expedition page of our DofE website with a brief timeline of the two days, including the map/postcode reference for the drop-off and pick-up. Click here to view. This page also includes a video with advice and guidance for students on packing their bag. I encourage all students to watch it. I will also post this to their student notices upon their return.

Payment Reminder

Today is the deadline for the 4th and final instalment. If you are yet to make this payment, please do so as soon as you can. This payment forms part of the expedition costs and final assessment.

Contact Whilst on Expedition

I will be at both the drop off and pick up checking students in and out, along with the accompanying Warden Park staff. I will be available via email throughout the expedition weekend should you need to contact me in case of any emergencies. I will be checking my emails regularly. 

Expedition Medical Updates

If any medical issues or other aspects have arisen since completing the training day student information, please let me know via reply to this email and I will update the student profile accordingly.

Questions

I am at the gate most mornings, so if students have any questions, they can check in with me at that time.

As always, thank you for your continued support of students throughout this process. Please let me know if you have any questions at all.

Kind regards,

Ms. Kristy Fitzgerald

Deputy Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

This update serves primarily as a follow up to the Parents' Briefing with E3 Adventures and contains some important reminders ahead of the upcoming training day, including the medical/health declaration needed in order to participate. 

Session information & programme

Group 1 have now had both their expedition food planning session and their practice cooking session. Many lessons learned, including abandoning some recipes and not to forget the condiments! The winning this week was a carbonara pasta...a cool calm and collected group of students who will definitely be well fed on expedition. Some lovely displays of teamwork all around which was great to see. 

Group 2 will have their planning session upon our return, with the subsequent two weeks in their practice session. (Group 2 is the larger of the groups and may need splitting over two practical cooking sessions). With the exception of  a countryside code of conduct and a first aid online refresher, students have now completed their DofE formal curriculum. I will be setting this as a homework task upon our return from the Easter holidays for completion just prior to the training day. This will be shared with students via the student notices. 

Payment

Thank you to those who have made the payments thus far. This is a gentle reminder of the third instalment which will shortly be due. The upcoming payments must be made in order to enable students to participate in the training day and expedition. 

Instalment 3: Friday, 5th April 2024, £50 (Towards the cost of the training day and expedition). 

Instalment 4: Friday, 24th May 2024, £45 (Final instalment towards the cost of the expedition and final assessment).

Please refer to the information regarding the code of conduct for refunds in the event of a student's withdrawal from the program or, in the rare case, their removal from the program. Refunds depend on the stage at which the student's place is withdrawn. If you have any payment queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch for a confidential conversation.

Parents & carers expedition meeting

Thank you to those who attended, Andy, our group expedition leader wrote shortly after and asked me to pass on the following comments:

"It was great to see you and meet some of your team last night, I just wanted to add what a lovely reception the students and parents gave me, it sometimes seems that young people are very reluctant to smile these days, because perhaps it’s not seen to be cool! But you’re lot were beaming! Which was really refreshing, and it reminded me that your assessment weekend last year was our favourite of the season. Fingers crossed for the same this year, But already a great start". 

The handouts which were available on the evening are included below:

• Parents Evening briefing presentation (This includes the links below also)

  • Training day booklet

  • Expedition booklet

Those at the meeting may recall I spoke briefly of some advice and guidance for female students with regards to girls who may have their period whilst on expedition. I have added the resource to our website and this is available under 'Useful resources: expedition'. I will be sending this separately to the students for them to review. 

Training Day

Our training day is fast approaching. Do ensure you have reviewed the information in the training day booklet to ensure students arrive adequately prepared. They should arrive on site with their packs by 9.30am and should use the entrance by the assembly hall. The training day will conclude at 4pm. 

Medical, health declaration and consent

Whilst much of the information required is held by the school, it is important to ensure that we have the most up to date information regarding the health of your child and your contact details for the specific training day dates and the expedition. If you could please complete the form for your child no later than Monday 15th April I would be most grateful. Click here to access. 

Thank you for taking the time to review this information, and please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions at all.

Kind regards,

Ms. Kristy Fitzgerald

Deputy Headteacher

Dear Parents and Carers,

I am writing to provide a brief update, primarily to serve as a reminder for our upcoming Parents' Briefing with E3 Adventures.

Session information & programme:

Students have been successfully progressing through their navigation curriculum with Mr. Graves. This will conclude just before the Year 10 mock examinations. After the mock examinations, we will resume with route card planning and cooking for expeditions. I will soon add these dates to the curriculum information page.

Payment

Thank you to those who have made payments thus far. This is a gentle reminder of the recent instalment due. The following are the payment details:

Instalment 2: Friday, 2nd February 2024, £50 (Required to secure a place for the training day).

Instalment 3: Friday, 5th April 2024, £50 (Towards the cost of the training day and expedition).

Instalment 4: Friday, 24th May 2024, £45 (Final instalment towards the cost of the expedition and final assessment).

Please refer to the information regarding the code of conduct for refunds in the event of a student's withdrawal from the program or, in the rare case, their removal from the program. Refunds depend on the stage at which the student's place is withdrawn. If you have any payment queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch for a confidential conversation.

Parents & carers expedition meeting

A friendly reminder that the Parents' Briefing is fast approaching. It will be held on Thursday, 22nd February at 6:00 pm in the Assembly Hall. It is crucial that at least one parent or carer is able to attend. If you have not yet confirmed your attendance, you can do so here. (A reminder of what this briefing will cover can be found in the previous parents'/carers' update).

Thank you for taking the time to review this information, and please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions at all.

Kind regards,

Ms. Kristy Fitzgerald

Deputy Headteacher

Dear parents and carers

I hope this update finds you well and that students are enjoying the DofE so far. Students should have now confirmed their activity plans and they should be submitted for approval on the eDofE platform. Where possible the volunteering, physical and skills sections should now be underway. The expectation is that students are uploading evidence each week for each of the activities. They have had an introductory session to support the use of the platform.  

I just wanted to take the opportunity to provide an update on the following: 

• Next term’s session information and programme details

• Payment reminders

• Parents & carers expedition meeting, confirming your attendance

Session information & programme

We have successfully completed the basic first aid training required, (though students will go over this on their training day with the expedition leaders) to the date of the practice walk). There were a few students who were absent due to illness. Whilst I am unable to replicate the practical session, students will be able to complete some online activities to ensure they receive some basic first aid training which is a prerequisite for the training day and of course the expedition. I will prepare some resources for them to complete upon our return and will write to those students directly. 

They have learned about the countryside code of conduct via a team building scavenger hunt. I think it’s safe to say that the moral of the scavenger hunt story was that most groups need to ensure they read instructions carefully. Hopefully they enjoyed the challenge and team building opportunity as well.

Next term we move on to the navigation and map skills section. These sessions have now been added to the curriculum information and calendar. This will finish just prior to the Year 10 mock examinations, and then we pick back up after the mock examinations as we move on to route card planning and cooking for expeditions. 

Payment

Thank you to those that have made payments. Just a reminder of the instalment details below. The next one is approaching at the beginning of February. 

• Instalment 1: £50, due by Friday, 22nd September (Non-refundable, as it covers the licence fee and reserves a qualified assessor).

• Instalment 2: Friday, 2nd February 2024, £50 (Required to secure a place for the training day).

• Instalment 3: Friday, 5th April 2024, £50 (Towards the cost of the training day and expedition).

• Instalment 4: Friday, 24th May 2024, £45 (Final instalment towards the cost of the expedition and final assessment).

Please refer to the information on the code of conduct with regards to refunds in the case of a student withdrawing from the programme or in the rare case they are removed from the programme. This is dependent upon the stage at which the students’ place is withdrawn. Should you have any payment queries please do not hesitate to get in touch for a confidential conversation. 

Parents & carers expedition meeting

The expedition is a key part of the assessment and the one which requires the most support from parents in terms of helping students be prepared with the appropriate equipment. This is also a chance for us to discuss how you can support students whilst they are navigating their expedition and a chance to ask any questions you have about both the practice walk and expedition directly to the staff who will be overseeing these aspects of the award. 

This will be held on Thursday 22nd February at 6.00pm in the Assembly Hall. It is important that at least one parent or carer is able to attend. If you can please confirm your attendance here,  I would be most grateful. I would ask that students sit with their parents/carers in the hall at this presentation. 

Thank you for taking the time to review this information and please do get in touch if you have any questions at all. 

Have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to seeing you at the  parent and carer expedition meeting in the New Year. 

Kind regards,

Ms. Kristy Fitzgerald

Deputy Headteacher

Dear parents and carers

I want to provide you with some important updates regarding students' participation in the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award programme. Your support and involvement are crucial for the success of this part of our curriculum, so please take a moment to review the following information:  

Our first session: 

As you will be aware, students have had their first session for the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. At the session we discussed the following:  

• The requirements for the volunteering, physical and skills sections in order to qualify for the award.  

• Curriculum groups; students should now also have submitted preferences for the arrangements of the curriculum groups. These groups are then used to decide expedition  teams later in the year. 

• Code of conduct

The resources for this session for students to refer back to are now available on the curriculum section of this website. 

Code of Conduct and Character for Learning:

Each student has received a hard copy of the Code of Conduct, which must be signed by both the student and a parent or carer. Please ensure that your child brings this signed copy to their next session. If needed, you can access the Code of Conduct here. 

Session Information & Programme Details:

Please note that our programme sessions are not held weekly, and it is the responsibility of each student to know the session dates and which ones they need to attend. I will soon organise the curriculum groups and publish the session schedule later this week. Students can find a dedicated calendar on our website, accessible via their Warden Park login only. It is crucial for students to organize themselves and keep track of session dates. I will also send out reminders through student notices, which are published every Monday. Attendance at all sessions is mandatory, and the importance of this has been emphasised to the students during their first session. Protocols regarding attendance are outlined in the Code of Conduct.

Payment Information: 

As the program has commenced, it's time to finalise payment details. The participation fee for the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award is £195. This fee covers all course materials, access to their account on the EDofE online platform, and costs associated with both the practice walk and expedition, led by E3 Adventures and supported by our staff at Warden Park. Please be aware that there may be additional items to purchase, such as backpacks, sleeping bags, walking boots, as well as food and snacks required for the walks. We have divided the payments into four instalments, now available on ParentPay, with the following due dates:

Instalment 1: £50, due by Friday, 22nd September (Non-refundable, as it covers the licence fee and reserves a qualified assessor).

Instalment 2: Friday, 2nd February 2024, £50 (Required to secure a place for the training day, once students are confirmed for the expedition).

Instalment 3: Friday, 5th April 2024, £50 (Towards the cost of the training day and expedition).

Instalment 4: Friday, 24th May 2024, £45 (Final instalment towards the cost of the expedition and final assessment).

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any concerns or questions regarding payments. For more information on refunds, please refer to the Code of Conduct, which outlines the refund process in case a student withdraws from the program or is removed.

Parents & Carers Expedition Meeting:

The expedition is a significant part of the assessment and requires substantial support from parents in terms of preparing students with the necessary equipment. It is also an opportunity for us to discuss how you can support students during their expedition and to address any questions you may have about both the practice walk and expedition. We are in the process of scheduling this meeting with the expedition company and will confirm the date shortly. The meeting is planned for mid-January.

Student Communication:

The Duke of Edinburgh programme encourages students to take charge of their award, including initiating contact if they have questions. Students should also use our website and student notices to access information and resources. They have already bookmarked the site on their iPads during their first session. Additionally, students will receive a Character for Learning grade for the DofE, and their responsiveness to communications and meeting deadlines will be a crucial component of this grade. For quick questions, students are encouraged to see me in person at the main gate in the mornings or during tutor time in my office. We encourage students to take the initiative in reaching out for any queries.

This also applies to arranging their volunteering, physical, and skill sections. Please encourage them to initiate and maintain contact throughout the award's duration. I have already seen many students actively engaging, and their enthusiasm is encouraging! 

Use of Go 4 Schools to Record Progress:

We utilise Go 4 Schools to record student progress, and this will also apply to the DofE Award. Students must make good progress in the three sections (physical, skill, and volunteering) to participate in the expedition. Progress will be recorded through Go 4 Schools. Students will receive Character for Learning grades for the DofE every half term. These grades will be based on the following key areas:

• Attendance to curriculum-based sessions

• Engagement and character displayed in curriculum sessions

• Completion of evidence-based tasks, such as the program planner (due at the next session)

• Regular submission of evidence to the EDofE platform

• Progress in the award areas

Detailed procedures for managing student conduct are provided in the Code of Conduct mentioned earlier.

Thank you for taking the time to review this information and please do get in touch if you have any questions at all, or encourage the students to come and speak with me. I am looking forward to working with the students throughout this award and will be in touch again shortly to confirm the date of the parent and carer expedition meeting. I will be writing all parent updates here, so that should you need you can reference previous communications easily. I hope this will be helpful. 

Kind regards,

Ms. Kristy Fitzgerald

Deputy Headteacher

Dear parents and carers

I want to provide you with some important updates regarding students' completion of the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award programme. 

With the mock examinations now behind us, I encourage students to take some time to upload any remaining pieces of evidence required and ensure that their assessor reports are uploaded with all the necessary information. Please refer to this link for guidance on assessor reports.

I am currently in the process of providing final progress updates to students, and parents are being copied in as I send them. Please bear with me as I complete my final reviews in the coming days. The progress summary will include comments on any evidence that might still be missing from the eDofE Platform. The assessor reports from the expedition have been uploaded to the platform, allowing students to log in and view their reports. 

I want to emphasise once again the exceptional performance of our students during the expedition. Assessors highlighted the students' support for each other, noting that they were truly an outstanding group of young individuals who made both themselves and Warden Park proud. 

To bring this program to a conclusion for this cohort, I have established the following deadlines, enabling us to host our annual DofE celebration breakfast. To be invited to the breakfast, all evidence must be submitted by Monday, February 5th. This will allow me sufficient time to review and submit to the awarding body. Upon approval, students will receive an invitation to the celebration breakfast.

The celebration breakfast is scheduled for Wednesday, February 28th, at 8:50 am in the Dining Hall. Certificates of completion will be awarded to students during the event.

It's important to note that if a student hasn't managed to submit or gain approval by this deadline, it does not mean they will not achieve the award. Students can submit evidence at any time, and completion will be reviewed, with the certificate issued shortly after. However, there will not be any further events to commemorate completion after the celebration breakfast.

I am available for assistance during break and lunch most days, and I am generally in my office during tutor time. I encourage students to reach out in person during these times if they need any assistance in finalising their evidence.

I am looking forward to celebrating with students in the new year, and please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Kind regards,

Ms. Kristy Fitzgerald

Deputy Headteacher