Our outdoor pursuits programme enables every child to challenge themselves, to explore new opportunities and to work alongside others in a creative, practical and demanding way.
Whether DofE, CCF, Rangers or Volunteering , every child will step beyond their comfort zone and will find delight in helping others, working in a team, planning and problem solving. Their confidence will grow and their belief in what is possible will be unstoppable.
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) programme at Framlingham is one of our greatest strengths and plays an intrinsic part in the co-curricular programme. We actively encourage pupils to engage with the scheme to push personal boundaries, demonstrate sustained commitment and gain new skills, helping them to develop those qualities that will serve them and allow them to thrive as global citizens in their adult world.
We were recently established as the top school DofE provider in the county by some margin, having achieved an amazing 144 awards in one year. Nationally, Framlingham’s high success rate puts the school in the top 15 in the country and in the top five on a per capita basis. Over 6000 of our pupils have achieved a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
What's clever about Framlingham’s activity program is how they tailor it towards all the requirements you need for DofE. They offer things that fall under the sections of volunteering and skills and this is helpful because if this wasn’t in place it would be harder for pupils to complete DofE.”
Cara Swinburn, Framlingham College Student
All Year 9 pupils take part in the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and can choose to continue on the scheme as they progress through school. Typically, pupils work towards their Bronze Award in Years 9 and 10, the Silver Award in Year 11 and the Gold Award during the Sixth Form. Each level provides increasingly greater challenge as participants complete objectives in volunteering, physical activity, skill activity, expedition and (for Gold DofE participants) residential.
Successfully achieving at least one level of the DofE Award is highly regarded by universities and employers.
Visit here for more information about the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and Rangers
One of my favourite activities was Combined Cadet Force. I had the chance to go to the field weekend. It was one of the most memorable moments I have had here. It was so much fun to spend time with friends, run, shoot, do a search in the forest and live like cadets.”
Mane Grioryan – Upper Sixth, Armenian International Pupil
CCF
The CCF was formed in 1899 at Framlingham College, and ever-popular today, still plays a valuable role in the life and traditions of the school, enhancing the importance of leadership skills.
CCF is an educational partnership between the school and the Ministry of Defence, and it aims to develop in pupils personal responsibility, leadership skills, teamwork and self-discipline. Pupils can also build their CCF service hours towards their Duke of Edinburgh Award. Despite its military connections, it’s not necessarily an avenue to military service. Even so, cadets do learn about the valuable role our service personnel perform around the globe and have the opportunity to meet both serving and retired personnel.
Cadets have the opportunity to develop their sense of responsibility, service to the community and the qualities of self-reliance, resourcefulness and perseverance. These will remain of value throughout their lives.”
Lt Colonel M Myers-Allen, Contingent Commander
Pupils can join the CCF as recruits in Year 10, aiming to pass the Junior Cadre course by the end of Year 11 as Lance Corporals or Corporals. The Senior Cadre Course in Year 12 allows many to prove themselves worthy of promotion to Sergeant and above.
The Air Experience Flying and Air Experience Gliding days are especially popular with the RAF cadets, while our Army cadets really enjoy Range Days with everyone getting the chance to join the shooting team. The best shots attend the prestigious summer Bisley Camp for the annual shooting competitions, and no fewer than seven of our cadets have gone on to represent England or Great Britain.
Rangers
Rangers fosters and encourages teamwork, leadership and camaraderie.
Activities include indoor bouldering, archery, mountain biking, conservation, survival skills and leadership command tasks.
Upon completion of the activities the Year 10 ‘Rangers’ will follow a rigorous instructor’s course. On passing they are promoted to ‘Trainee Instructor’ in Year 11 and fully fledged ‘Instructor’ in Years 12 and 13.
Journeys of Self Discovery
Journeys of Self-Discovery are once in a lifetime opportunities for our Sixth Formers to participate in an extraordinary adventure as they explore an entirely new part of the world. They take our young people out of their comfort zones and allow them to develop as global citizens as they experience different cultures first hand sometimes in very remote corners of the world.
They make memories and friends that will stay with them for a lifetime. They trek through exhilarating challenging scenery, experience the sights, smells and noise of capital cities and embark on volunteering projects – giving back to the local communities.
Sixth formers from the College have climbed 6,000m on the North Face of Everest, summited Mount Mururata (5,850m) in the Andes, crossed the Atacama Desert, explored tributaries of the Amazon by dugout canoe, hacked their way through the jungles of Borneo, built a 70m concrete road in Vietnam, refurbished a school in Uganda, spent three weeks on safari in Botswana, endured a 20 day trek around the Annapurna, seen funeral ghats in Kathmandu and played football with the locals on floating islands on Lake Titicaca. We are now planning our trip to the Northern Himalayas in 2026.
