Ark Alexandra students visit Buckingham Palace to receive the Duke of Edinburgh Gold award

Ark Alexandra students, Toby Hubble-Darkes, Raghav Mehta, Jamhur Khan, and Aiden Potter, are the first ever group from the school to have taken on the rigorous Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Gold challenge. Achieving the Gold Award requires enormous dedication and perseverance across a range of activities: physical, skill, volunteering, residential and expedition.

The four students, all senior cadets in the school’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF), undertook senior roles in supporting and training the younger cadets as part of their volunteering commitment. They also raised funds for a veterans charity and, for the residential requirement, volunteered at a farm that specialises in working with students with disabilities.

For the physical component of the challenge, they trained in the gym to improve strength and fitness for the physical demands of the expedition challenge at Dartmoor. Their skills section included learning first aid, weapon handling, camp craft and field craft.

Each year, successful candidates are invited to a royal palace to receive their award and celebrate their accomplishments. During their visit to Buckingham Palace, the Ark Alexandra students had the privilege of hearing from VIP guests such as Tim Peake, the renowned astronaut, and even got to chat with the Duke of Edinburgh himself. As the Duke of Edinburgh stated on the day, the Gold award recipients belong to an elite group of individuals – all with promising futures ahead of them.

Nicholas Burchell, Assistant Principal at Ark Alexandra, and CCF Contingent Commander, said: "This is a proud moment for the students and their families, as well as a significant milestone for the entire school community. Achieving the Gold Award is a first in Ark Alexandra's history, and we hope to repeat this success with future cohorts."

The students, who left Ark Alexandra at the end of last summer, are currently pursuing further studies or preparing for military service. One is at Cardiff University studying sports coaching, one preparing to join the Royal Marines, another looking to become a pilot in the Air Force, and the fourth at college studying engineering.