Kimbolton School, Cambridgeshire, is proud to announce an outstanding Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) achievement rate of 75.1% for the period April 2023 to March 2024. This remarkable figure far exceeds average achievement rates for Cambridgeshire (44.7%), England (43%) and the UK (42.9%). It also reinforces the school’s commitment to fostering a close-knit learning environment where pupils can thrive across all aspects of the curriculum and through co-curricular activities.
Kimbolton School’s historic setting, within a vibrant community and on the edge of the rolling countryside, provides the ideal backdrop for pupils to take part in the different aspects of the DofE programme. The Award, which has been running since 1956, helps young people build confidence, develop leadership skills and gain valuable life experiences through challenges that promote personal growth and community involvement.
Between April 2023 and March 2024, the amount of time contributed to the community by Kimbolton pupils, volunteering for local charities and organisations, was an incredible 2,990 hours. That represents a monetary value to the local economy of £15,787 – underscoring the positive impact that Kimbolton’s DofE Award has on the wider community.
Tony Lucas, DofE Manager at Kimbolton School, commented:
“This achievement rate is only possible with the dedication and diligence of our pupils and the support they receive from their parents. Every year, it’s inspiring to see pupils challenge themselves and thrive, both individually and as part of a team. We are delighted to see the hard work of last year’s cohort reflected in such an exceptionally high overall pass rate.
A parent of a DofE Gold Award recipient, who attended a special award celebration at Buckingham Palace last summer, said:
"Congratulations to teachers and pupils at Kimbolton on this remarkable result. I would like to personally thank Tony Lucas for his dedication, commitment and time in supporting the pupils through the programme. The school is incredibly fortunate to have such a dedicated member of staff. We spent a glorious day at Buckingham Palace last year with pupils who had received their Gold DofE Certificates. When you hear that only 0.1% of 18–25-year-olds earn DofE Gold, it certainly puts the pupil’s achievements into perspective. We all thoroughly enjoyed visiting the palace and none of us expected to get the chance to speak to the Duke of Edinburgh – but we did!
As part of the launch of its new website, Kimbolton School has recently refreshed its DofE web pages. This resource features a step-by-step guide for new pupils and insights for parents. It highlights the programme’s impact and invites more pupils to embrace this transformative journey.
To learn more about Kimbolton School’s DofE programme and explore the new webpage, visit kimboltonschool.com/current-families/dofeinfo/
