Beyond the exam halls, our pupils continue to impress with their achievements, with our Year 10 girls leading the way: Catherine has recently been crowned national doubles champion in table tennis, while Eesha has earned selection for the Midland Schools Golf Team. Meanwhile, Naya, Ava Mai, Bahara and Shreya have secured places in the national TeenTech finals in London later this month – an exceptional achievement. Congratulations to each of them.

Not every pupil will compete on a national stage, but all can rise to meaningful challenges. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a wonderful example: demanding yet accessible to all who are willing to commit. I am delighted that Ms Martin, our DofE Manager, has shared some insights in today’s update.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award continues to thrive at LGS. The vast majority of our pupils undertake the Bronze Award, and this year we have our largest cohort to date, with 123 Year 9 pupils taking part. A further 100 Year 10 pupils are currently preparing for their upcoming Bronze expeditions, planning routes and building the skills required for success.

It is at Gold level, however, that pupils truly distinguish themselves. The commitment required is considerable, and those who complete the award show exceptional resilience, independence and determination. For staff involved in the programme, it is a privilege to witness pupils meet challenges head-on, overcome setbacks, and take justified pride in what they achieve.

I am often reminded of A. A. Milne’s words: “You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” They perfectly capture the spirit of our Gold Award students.

My thanks go to Jai, Edward and Malitha, who reflect on their own experiences below:

The transition from Bronze to Gold DofE felt like a significant step up. As a smaller, more committed group, we quickly realised the level of determination the award demands, but the past year and a half has been truly memorable.

Preparation proved essential, with practice expeditions across different parts of England helping us develop both skills and confidence. By the time we undertook our final four-day expedition in the Lake District, we felt ready; not just prepared, but genuinely excited to take on the challenge together.

For many of us, the hiking itself was a highlight. However, the award involves much more than that. Completing the four sections: Physical, Skills, Volunteering, and the five-day Residential, requires over 150 hours of commitment across at least 18 months. Balancing this alongside A-level study has been demanding, but incredibly rewarding.

Perhaps most importantly, DofE has taught us to have the courage to adventure: to try new things, to make mistakes, to push beyond what we thought were our limits, and to develop the resilience to keep going. Getting lost along the way was part of the fun! We have built amazing friendships and created memories that will stay with us for many years to come. This is far more than something to add to a CV – it is an experience that genuinely changes you. We feel very lucky to have had this opportunity at LGS.

Thank you to these students, Ms Martin, and to all involved in DofE. It really is a special experience and something that I would urge every pupil to be part of.

With best wishes for the weekend,
Magnus Anderson
Headmaster