Academy pupils in Arlesey learn important life skills from cooking to sewing as part of awards scheme

Pupils at Gothic Mede Academy have been developing valuable life skills after the school introduced a national award scheme for the first time.

Dozens of children at the Arlesey lower school, which is part of the Bedfordshire Schools Trust (BEST), have been taking part in the Mini Duke and Junior Duke Awards.The scheme is designed to help primary-aged children to realise their abilities and discover new talents and passions.

Activities and tasks pupils at Gothic Mede have completed over the past few months have included how to use kitchen appliances safely, cooking and sewing. The children had to then chart their progress by logging everything they had learned in their own personal journals.

To celebrate ‘graduating’ at the end of their journey, the school staged a special awards assembly to present bronze, silver and gold certificates to the successful pupils.

Special certificates of merit were also given to three pupils – Dylan Kourtellis, Amber Harrison and Evren Binicioglu – for being judged to have the most outstanding journals.

Lisa Glindon, who has helped to co-ordinate the scheme at Gothic Mede, said: “It’s been wonderful to see our first cohort of Mini Duke and Junior Duke pupils complete their awards, and so rewarding to see the difference it’s made to so many of them.”

Principal Tom Clarke said: “I remember doing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award when I was younger and it’s great that something like that is available for the children at Gothic Mede. I think that independence, responsibility and life skills are so important for all children to develop.”