Serving

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme, with its emphasis on voluntary service and personal initiative, is a major part of life at Trent: more than 100 students are enrolled for awards at any one time.

Trent College runs D of E award groups at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels. Numbers have increased considerably in the past couple of years as students have come to realise the value of the scheme and have enjoyed the various sections.

Bronze - there are currently 84 pupils in Year 10 enrolled for the Award. They have a training session once a week covering the administration of getting started in their activities, before focusing particularly on expedition skills and first aid. Recently the training expedition has taken place in October and the two day qualifying expedition in the Easter holiday, both in the Peak District.

Silver - this group has 54 pupils from Year 11 who also have a weekly training session. It is a considerable commitment in the GCSE year. The pattern of expeditions in 2009-10 is for a training expedition to take place in the Easter holidays in the Peak District and the qualifying expedition to be completed after GCSE exams.

Gold - Many Silver awardees continue on to the Gold award where they are usually joined by a number of direct entrants new to D of E in Year 12. This year there are 32 students enrolled. The training expedition usually takes place in the Easter holiday in the Yorkshire Dales, followed in June after the AS exams by the qualifying expedition in the North Yorkshire Moors.