D of E

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme is particularly well supported at Queen's.

A great many staff are involved in D of E, in ways ranging from advice over pottery to help hiking across Dartmoor. The school has just had its 300th pupil receive the highest-level Gold Award, a record for centres in Somerset. In Year 10 every pupil is expected to be involved in D of E at bronze level, for older year groups it is optional.

Community service and charitable work comes about both under the formal D of E umbrella and via various activities specific to the school. Pupils organise their charitable activities on a house basis and there are numerous activities during the year, from Top of The Pops to a Car Wash business that raise a total of several thousand pounds each term.

www.dofe.org