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Silver DofE Training Expedition –

Battling the Storm and the South Downs!

Over the weekend of 3rd to 5th October, six students took on their Silver Duke of Edinburgh Training Expedition in the South Downs National Park near Brighton. After Storm Amy passed through, the ground was soggy, the wind was still howling, and putting up tents became a proper test of patience (and balance). But once they got camp set up, spirits were high, and the adventure really began.

The weekend was spent exploring some amazing parts of the South Downs — climbing up Devil’s Dyke for some incredible views, spotting the famous Clayton Windmills, and following sections of the Monarch’s Way. The hills definitely made the intrepid travellers earn every meal, but the teamwork and laughs kept them going.

By the end, everyone was tired, muddy, and more than ready for a proper shower, but they all agreed it was a great experience. They learned a lot about navigation, camping, and working together — and now are ready (and excited) for the qualifying expedition next spring!

“Why do we have to study this Miss?”

Former Ash Manor student, Freya Martin shares why studying English is a crucial skill, whatever you want to go on to study.

Across the UK, English is one of the compulsory subjects to take. I studied English at Ash Manor from 2019-2024, and Media from 2021-24 and I feel it isn’t spoken about enough how ambidextrous English is as a subject. Of course, there are the more basic transferrable skills that English helps a student to master- communication, public speaking etc. But English provides education in subjects to an even broader extent. It’s often a widely-ignored misunderstanding that studying one subject is linear-it’ll only ever lead you in the direction of that specific topic. Yet English provides an extensive foundation for a variety of courses. Studying English at GCSE doesn’t mean you only have to study English- the skills the subject hones and provides are integral to virtually every other possible course. “But English is all about writing!” I hear you cry; well actually, the number of essential transferable skills and knowledge English provides is far broader than you might think.

Now in Year 13, I study A Levels in Media, Film and Politics and I must say starting all three would’ve been a far greater struggle had my English and Media education at Ash Manor not been so thorough. A Level Media was of course aided my by GCSE in the subject (theories/terminology are much easier to retain at college after 3 years of study at secondary school.) However, the context I learnt in my GCSE English lessons was also advantageous to me now. For example, GCSE English included extensive analysis of texts whilst incorporating social context which is what I primarily do in Film but instead of with literature like Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth,’ I analyse the likes of Del Toro’s ‘Pan’s Labyrinth.’ In A Level Politics, we study a unit on ‘Voting Behaviour and the Media’, part of which incorporates the study of newspapers and the political bias they represent- this was all building on my studying of newspapers in GCSE Media but also socialism and political sway that I studied in English for ‘An Inspector Calls’. English may not be the end 
destination, but the skills you develop pave way for whatever path you choose to go down in the future.

 

Post-college, I’d like to consider a university degree in Media and Communications or a Marketing Degree Apprenticeship- both of which will require me to use my English skills to a tee, particularly in the application process. Applications are your pitches to universities and employers- you sell yourself like you’re on The Apprentice. But after five years of transactional writing where I’ve written reviews like a snob or promoted an imaginary cruise as an over-enthusiastic travel agent, selling myself isn’t quite as difficult as it might seem.

Overall, my point is that English is probably the most useful subject there is; I mean every skill you learn in the subject whether it’s writing or reading, annotating or evaluating, is a transferrable skill, and my studies at Ash Manor only led to me enhancing those skills. The study of English is one that will never go unrewarded.

Ash Manor School - English

Freya Martin

Former Ash Manor Student

 

 

  

Academic Year 2024/2025

 



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