The Legacy of The Duke of Edinburgh, and why his Award matters
The English School community was deeply saddened by the death of HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, founder of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The English School has a long and distinguished history with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, being the oldest Independent Award Centre in the world. The Duke of Edinburgh leaves young people all around the world with an extraordinary legacy, one which has equipped hundreds of English School students for life and will continue for years to come.
In October 1993, we had the great honour of welcoming the Duke of Edinburgh to our school during his visit to the island for the 13th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. During his visit, the Duke of Edinburgh met with some Award participants who had the opportunity to share some of their Award experiences with him.
In an article in the Times Educational Supplement in 2004 called "Why My Award Matters", The Duke of Edinburgh wrote:
"The Award was never intended to be part of the formal education system; it is complementary to it. It does not set out to teach particular skills, or to provide academic or professional qualifications. Its purpose is to help young people to gain experience of the most rewarding opportunities open to adults in their non-working lives."
