Gordano School is celebrating the achievements of 22 students and former students who attended a prestigious Gold Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award celebration at Buckingham Palace.

The group, comprising current Year 13 students and recent alumni, joined award recipients from across the country for a special event marking the 70th anniversary of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. The occasion recognised the dedication, resilience and commitment demonstrated by young people who have successfully completed the highest level of the award. 

The Buckingham Palace celebration provided a memorable afternoon for all involved. Students enjoyed tea and Buckingham Palace cupcakes, listened to speeches from the Duke of Edinburgh, and were entertained by performances from the Royal Bands. The event also featured inspirational guest speakers, including television personality Sam Thompson and renowned choirmaster Gareth Malone. 

The achievement reflects Gordano School's long-standing success in delivering the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme. The school is recognised as one of the leading DofE centres in the South West, having recently celebrated the highest number of DofE starters in the region for the second consecutive year. Gordano students have also contributed nearly 5,000 hours of volunteering through the award scheme, making a significant impact within the local community. 

Rachel Allen, Duke of Edinburgh Leader and Deputy Lead for Outdoor Education at Gordano School said: 

"It was a very special afternoon and a great chance to celebrate the achievements of our wonderful students. We had fun reminiscing about their expeditions and it was great to hear how their DofE experiences have given them the skills and confidence to embrace new adventures." 

The Gold Award represents the culmination of months, and often years, of commitment to volunteering, physical activity, skill development and expedition challenges. Gordano School is immensely proud of all students who have achieved this prestigious award and looks forward to seeing the positive impact they continue to make in their communities and beyond. 

Nick White Landscaping is proudly sponsoring this year’s Year 11 Prom at Ashton Gate Stadium, helping Gordano School students enjoy an even more memorable evening as they celebrate the end of their GCSE journey. The prom is taking place on 23^rd June at Ashton Gate and marks an important milestone for Year 11 students as they look ahead to the next chapter.

Gordano School’s proms have become a standout tradition, with previous celebrations described by the school as “unforgettable evenings” hosted at some of Bristol’s most iconic venues.

Last year’s event, again at Ashton Gate, featured red-carpet arrivals, food, music, and a packed dance floor, giving students the perfect chance to celebrate friendships, achievements, and years of hard work together.

This year’s sponsorship from Nick White Landscaping will help build on that success, supporting an occasion that students will remember for years to come.

It follows a vibrant end-of-year season at Gordano School, where Year 11 students recently marked Leavers’ Day with colourful costumes, creativity, and strong community spirit.

Any local businesses who wish to support Gordano School in a similar way can contact marketing@gordanoschool.org.uk or consider joining Gordano Community Partners. 

This term saw an exciting and lively addition to the Year 7 calendar as students took part in the General Knowledge Quiz. Designed to be inclusive, engaging and fun, the competition brought together students from across the year group, encouraging teamwork, creativity and house spirit. 

Gordano School is proud to announce the official launch of Gordano Community Partners (GCP), an exciting new initiative designed to bring the school and local business community together to create meaningful opportunities for young people.

By joining GCP, the scheme offers local businesses and organisations the opportunity to connect with the school in a meaningful way, raising their visibility within the local area while making a direct and lasting difference to students’ education, wellbeing and future aspirations.

The launch comes at a time when Gordano School’s contribution to the wider community is receiving increasing recognition. The school is encouraging local residents to support them in the Together Portishead ‘Community Impact Award – Giving Back’ category, which celebrates organisations that make a positive difference locally, as part of the Together Portishead Awards.

Kelly Harmer, Marketing and Business Development Lead at Gordano School, said:

“Gordano School has always been at the heart of its community and GCP is about strengthening those connections and creating real opportunities for students.

This is not simply funding. It is about collaboration, connection, shared purpose and investing in young people. We believe that strong communities help young people thrive, and that by working together, more can be achieved for everyone.

We are proud to already be working with fantastic local organisations and would love more businesses to join us.”

Partners are recognised as part of the school community, with opportunities for on-site visibility such as sports pitch banners, features in school communications, and presence at events, whilst demonstrating their support for local education, social value, and community leadership.

A huge thank you to our members already on board:

• Evolve Dentistry
• Walnut Grove Clinic
• Go Shine
• PTFC
• River Axe Media
• Hel Bells Strength Training
• My Continuum
• Coreus Group
• Westcoast Properties
• SVE Services
• Viper Innovations
• The Butcher’s Block

To find out more or join:

Gordano School - GCP

CommunityPartners@gordanoschool.org.uk

To vote for Gordano School in the Together Portishead Awards and read about how they ‘Give Back’:

Gordano School - Together Portishead Community Business Awards

Year 13 students at Gordano School marked the end of their Sixth Form journey in memorable fashion as they came together for a joyful Leavers’ Day celebration filled with laughter, creativity and reflection.

Year 11 students at Gordano School marked the start of their Celebration Day in spectacular style with a fantastic fancy-dress Leavers’ Day event, filling the morning with laughter, colour and unforgettable memories.

As Gary Lewis, CEO of Lighthouse Schools Partnership and former Headteacher at Gordano School, said: “A long-standing tradition, Leavers’ Day offers students a chance to channel the pressures and stresses of exam season into something joyful, supportive and fun. It is one of the many ways Gordano continues to show that it is not simply an organisation, but a true community.”

The bright, colourful and wonderfully creative costumes made the morning, bringing excitement and laughter across the school site and beyond. Many members of the wider Portishead community also enjoyed the spectacle as students made their way to school. By celebrating students in such a joyful and visible way, the whole community was able to share in recognising this important milestone, coming together to cheer them on and celebrate their achievements alongside them.

Adam Dickinson, Teacher of PE, Head of Portland House and organiser of the celebrations, said: “Leavers’ Day is always a very special occasion at Gordano. It gives our Year 11 students a chance to celebrate everything they have achieved together, while also reminding them how much support they have from staff, families and the wider community. Seeing the smiles, laughter and creativity on display this morning was fantastic.”

Residents also shared their delight at seeing the students dressed up:

• “Our Year 1 daughter loved seeing all the dressed up students going to school – it gave her a real buzz! Thanks everyone, wishing you all a great day!”
• “It was great fun watching all the Year 11s dressed up during our school run this morning! The blow-up frog was so funny!”
• “Definitely made us and our grandchildren laugh this morning on the school run! Well done everyone – a great effort by all.”
• “Loved seeing them all this morning walking through Portishead!”

After their fun walk along the High Street, Year 11 students were welcomed into the Main Hall, where they took part in a short year group assembly before heading to the 3G football pitch for tutor group photographs.

Students then spent the rest of the morning enjoying a range of activities including inflatables, bouncy castles, table football, hot food, ice creams and drinks. The day provided a well-earned opportunity for students to relax, celebrate together and create lasting memories.

One Year 11 student said: “It was such a good morning,  I loved the inflatables and the SUMO wrestling, that was great fun. The food was really good as well, and it was nice just hanging out and having a laugh with my mates and some of the teachers too.”

Gordano School would like to thank all Year 11 students for approaching the occasion with such positivity, humour and creativity, all staff members who contributed to such a memorable day, and the wider community for embracing the celebrations.

We wish every student continued success as they move through the exam season and look ahead to the next exciting chapter.