Students Earn King’s Trust Resilience Qualification

Students from two Outwood schools are celebrating after completing a personal development programme designed to build self-belief, confidence, and community connection.

A total of 73 students from Outwood Academy Newbold in Chesterfield and Outwood Primary Academy Littleworth Grange in Barnsley completed the Developing Resilience qualification, awarded by The King's Trust. Running weekly from April to July, the programme required students to complete three distinct units: one in 'Personal Resilience,' alongside units in 'Healthy Relationships' and 'Stronger Communities', with online assessments for each.

The qualification directly complements Outwood Grange Academies Trust's (OGAT) 'Out There' initiative, which empowers young people to step outside their comfort zones and lead projects that deliver a positive impact in their local community.

Dave Booker, who coordinated the programme for Outwood Academy Newbold, said: "We were keen to take part in this collaboration because we saw it as a fantastic opportunity for our students to make a meaningful difference to their community through their Out There projects, while also developing their confidence, skills, and resilience.

"We know that students can encounter challenges, setbacks, and barriers when planning and delivering their projects, so developing resilience is a natural and important part of the experience. The Healthy Relationships and Stronger Communities units complement the ethos of Out There particularly well, helping students to develop an understanding of themselves, their relationships with others, and the positive contribution they can make to their community."

To mark the achievement, Outwood Academy Newbold hosted a special celebration event for students, families, and friends. Each student who completed the programme was presented with an official certificate and a pin badge to wear proudly on their school blazer.

During the ceremony, speeches were delivered by Dave Booker and the school's principal, Rob Southern, praising the cohort's dedication and personal growth. Attendees also heard a moving speech from Maya, a Year 7 student who shared how the project transformed her self-belief, stating that the experience helped build her resilience to the point where she felt capable of standing before a large audience to speak publicly about her achievements; a powerful demonstration of personal growth.

Students expressed pride in earning an accredited, nationally recognised qualification alongside their Out There projects, gaining both recognition and essential life skills. Following the success of this year's pilot, OGAT plans to continue its partnership with The King's Trust, expanding the number of schools that participate and exploring higher-level qualification pathways for future cohorts.

Dave Booker added: "The success of this year's pilot has shown us the value of our partnership with The King's Trust, and we would love to continue developing the relationship. We would be interested in exploring some of the longer qualifications, which could provide students with the opportunity to achieve higher-level qualifications alongside completing their Outwood Out There projects."