PE

Physical Education allows students to develop an understanding of their body, its strengths and limitations. Lessons are designed to engender a love of activity, which can be taken into adulthood with a view to nurturing lifelong health and fitness.

Through participation in individual sports, students experience the perseverance needed to build skill, with the aim of achieving their perfect performance. Games allow young people to explore teamwork and to experience the expectations of sportsmanship, alongside the emotional self-regulation required to cope with both winning and losing.

At the Henslow School, our thoughtful physical education programme builds character and develops our students’ social skills for adult life. It enables them to begin their journey of self-actualisation through building a view of both their physical strengths and weaknesses. It also allows them the opportunity to begin their journey by exploring activities and past times which may promote a happy, healthy, adulthood.

Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a life-changing experience, it offers; an opportunity to discover new interests and talents; a tool to develop essential skills for life and work; a fun time with friends and a recognised mark of achievement, respected by employers.

There are four sections to complete at Bronze and Silver level and five at Gold. They involve:

• Helping the community/environment,
• Becoming fitter,
• Developing new skills,
• Planning, training for and completing an expedition  
• For Gold only, working with a team on a residential activity.

Any young person from Year 9 onwards, can do their Duke of Edinburgh Awards, regardless of ability, gender, background or context. Achieving an Award isn’t a competition, or about being first, it’s about setting personal challenges and pushing personal boundaries. This is especially important for our students at the Henslow School, who have experienced challenging times and as a result sometimes struggle with self-esteem and self-confidence. 

For students who take part, the benefits of achieving a Duke of Edinburgh Award at any level are broad ranging. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is about helping students along the path to a productive and prosperous future. Many of our past students who achieved their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award used it to support a college application; as the completion of the Award demonstrates perseverance and a commitment to complete a long term goal; all qualities appreciated by colleges and employers.

Achieving an Award will provide students with skills, confidence and an edge over others when they apply for college, university or a job. Beyond academic achievements, universities and employers want to see evidence of the ‘soft skills’ that students have developed through extra-curricular activities, such as communication, commitment, leadership and teamwork. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a fantastic way to demonstrate and evidence these skills in practice.