Academy licensed as award scheme centre

HINCKLEY ACADEMY and John Cleveland Sixth Form Centre has been officially licensed as a Duke of Edinburgh award scheme centre.

The Butt Lane academy is following the tradition of the former John Cleveland College in successfully supporting students through the scheme to achieve the ultimate gold award.

Earlier this year, 20 students received badges to mark the achievement and are due to travel to London for a more formal royal presentation in Buckingham Palace later this year.

Two of the student gold award achievers, Josie Waters and Jordan Thompson, accompanied the school’s DofE manager Dick Beaumont to accepted a licensing certificate on behalf of the school from the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Colonel Richard Hurwood at a ceremony in Quorn.

Mr Beaumont said: “As part of the proceedings, Jordan and Josie gave individual accounts of their progress through bronze, silver and gold levels of DofE and reflected on how their knowledge and life skills developed through participation in the scheme, and how it will be of benefit to them in the future.”

He said the move to become a direct licensing centre for the scheme had come as a result of changes to youth services across the county and the end of Leicestershire as a DofE operating authority.