St Mary’s students heading to Buckingham Palace for DofE Awards celebration

St Mary’s is celebrating the success of students and staff in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) scheme, following the exciting news that eight pupils have been invited to Buckingham Palace to receive their coveted Gold DofE awards. A teacher at the school will also receive a long-service award for her dedication to the scheme.

Across St Mary’s, the last academic year saw an impressive 87 awards completed by students working at all levels of the scheme (43 x Bronze, 35 x Silver and 9 x Gold). Following this fantastic year of achievements, two alumnae and six current St Mary’s students will attend a Gold Award celebration event at Buckingham Palace in May. Mrs Shercliff, who teaches science at St Mary’s, has also been invited to attend in recognition of her long-service to the awards in her role as Silver Award Leader. On the day, the students and Mrs Shercliff will ascend to the palace gardens to receive their awards and be greeted by a member of The Royal Family.

Founded in 1956 by HRH, the late Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme has grown exponentially and is now recognised as the world’s leading youth achievement programme. In March 2023, it was announced that HRH Prince Edward would become the next Duke of Edinburgh and take on the patronages previously held by his father – including the DofE scheme.

The DofE Award provides a fantastic opportunity for young people to challenge themselves and develop new skills. A highly regarded, voluntary programme aimed at 14-24 year olds, it offers young people the opportunity to develop skills for life and work - such as teamwork, communication, problem solving and planning. The award operates at three levels (Bronze, Silver and Gold) and tests across four disciplines (Physical, Skill, Volunteering and Expedition).

St Mary's is proud of our students' achievements and indebted to the staff, parents and volunteers who come together to make our DofE provision such a rich, successful and rewarding experience.

Learn more about The Duke of Edinburgh's Award at St Mary’s