The Place Independent School in Bottesford launches Duchess of Rutland award to help children with SEND needs

A school has launched its own version of the Duke of Edinburgh award for children with special educational needs.

The Place Independent School in Bottesford is working with the Duchess of Rutland, Emma Manners, in the award that works to help children with special educational needs, with their physical and mental health.

Staff at the school - which offers education to children with learning disabilities, mental health, trauma and behavioural needs - now hope to get other schools across Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire to take part in the award.

School counsellor Faith Watson said: “It’s about helping these children with different needs.

“It’s not about qualifications or achieving a grade, it’s about the children achieving something for them and their confidence.

“At the school, we have a lot of children with trauma or learning difficulties, and then we have a NHS system that cannot cope.

“So, what we can do is try and build a generation of more confident kids.

“Despite them having SEN needs, they will be able to go into adulthood more confident and it’s also something for them to be proud of.”

The award is five levels, made up of different criteria for each award. These are:

1. Lady Violet - a fully-guided 5km walk led by school staff, introductory level into outdoor education, volunteering for two hours and extra curricular physical activity for two hours.

2. Lady Alice - a fully-guided 10km walk led by school staff, outdoor education level one led by school staff, volunteering for five hours and extra curricular physical activity for five hours.

3. Lady Eliza - a 10km walk led by school staff but with spotters and check in points, outdoor education level two which will involve one night of camping, volunteering for 10 hours and extra curricular physical activity for 10 hours.

4. Marquess Charles - a 10km walk led by school staff but with spotters and check in points, outdoor education level 3 which will involve bushcraft lesson, preparing food and a camp in Belvoir woods for one night led by school staff, volunteering for 20 hours, extra curricular physical activity for 20 hours and leading a wellbeing and mental health activity outside of school.

5. Lord Hugo - camping for two nights in the Lake District and a self-led walk with spotters and check in points, outdoor education level four, volunteering for 30 hours, extra curricular physical activity for 10 hours and leading a wellbeing and mental health activity for five hours.

At the end of it, each child will receive a certificate, qualification and pin badge that will be presented to them in a ceremony at Belvoir Castle.

Faith added: “It is aimed to give them personal goals, as well as push them physically and mentally.

“It is based on more short-term goals that will give the children gratification and build their confidence to go into adulthood.

“I think it’s really important for children to have that sense of belonging as well.

“We don’t want any child to feel stressed. The tasks are done within their comfort zone, but it’s also about getting them to push their confidence.

“We will not be here forever to help them, so it’s important to help them build these skills.

“As part of the award, we work with the child as well as their family.”

So far with the project, the children are really enjoying the tasks and challenges.

Faith said: “They love it. They get really excited about the tasks and they are really excited to be working with the duchess.”

Still in its infancy, Faith and other staff members hope the scheme can grow and help more children across the counties, and eventually county.

She also hopes that charities can get involved.

Faith added: “We would love for it to go country-wide and get all schools involved.

“We would like to get SEND schools and mainstream schools involved.

“We are a small county, but to get it to spread would be phenomenal. I genuinely think it would really benefit kids all over.

“Especially with the focus of helping children, I think anyone working in this industry wants to make a change for children.”

The school is planning to hold an open day for any schools that are interested in running the award.