Duke of Edinburgh's Award
The DofE was designed to challenge young people between the ages of 14 - 24 to attain standards of achievement and endeavour in a wide variety of active interests – to serve their communities, experience adventure and to develop and learn outside the classroom.
Here at DofE HDS we believe in young people, in their innate value and infinite potential. We help young people build life-long belief in themselves, supporting them to take on their own challenges, follow their passions, and discover talents they never knew they had.
If you're interested in signing up please speak with Miss Mathias over in PE.
Documents
| Duke of Edinburgh's Award | Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Duke of Edinburgh's Award - Parent Information Booklet | 21st Sep 2023 | Download |
| HDS Expedition Guide | 21st Jan 2025 | Download |
Connect with us
Humphry Davy School
13 Oct 2026
We were delighted to welcome Cornish textile artist, Elizabeth Loveday, to work with our Year 10 GCSE Textiles class. Elizabeth shared fascinating insights into her work and what makes her artistic style unique, including her use of a limited colour palette. She also shared valuable tips and techniques for stitching, giving students fresh ideas and inspiration to explore in their own textile creations.
The visit provided a fantastic opportunity for students to learn from a practising artist, discover how creative choices can shape an individual style and consider how they might develop their own skills and artistic identities. Experiences like these bring learning to life, broaden creative perspectives and encourage our students to approach their work with confidence and imagination.
A huge thank you to Elizabeth for sharing her time, knowledge and expertise with us!
Humphry Davy School
12 Oct 2026
Say ‘Hello’ to our new Music Scholars!
Congratulations to each and every one of you on this fantastic achievement! An exciting, music-enriched year lies ahead, filled with opportunities to develop your skills, explore your creativity and take your musical talents to the next level.
Our Music Scholar selection process is a challenging one, involving application forms, auditions and interviews. It’s a fantastic opportunity for students to push themselves, showcase their abilities and gain a taste of what it might be like to pursue their musical passions beyond school. We have no doubt that this talented bunch has a very bright musical future ahead of them!
As Music Scholars, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in a fantastic range of performances, workshops and trips throughout the coming year, helping you to build confidence, develop your skills and thrive as young musicians. We can’t wait to see you make the most of these experiences and watch your talents grow!
Congratulations once again. We’re so excited to see what you achieve!
Humphry Davy School
9 Oct 2026
We offer an exciting range of clubs and activities here at HDS. There’s just so much to get stuck into!
Our PE team offers a different sporting opportunity every day. All you need is your PE kit and bags of enthusiasm to ‘Get involved’!
As Mr Marshall likes to say, the more you put into school, the more you get out!
Humphry Davy School
8 Oct 2026
Lights, camera, action! HDS has officially launched its brand-new Into Film Club, giving students the opportunity to develop their filmmaking skills and bring their creative ideas to life.
The first Into Film Club workshop took place last week, with students getting hands-on experience making short films on iPads alongside professional filmmaker Dale Platt. Students were introduced to the principles of cinematography before filming, editing and bringing their short sequences together to create their own mini productions.
To inspire our students further and to support film production at school, our 'Into Film Club' will take part in professional workshops throughout the year. Students will be encouraged to develop their filmmaking skills, tell their own stories and ultimately submit their films for the Into Film Festival at Leicester Square next year!
The club is already proving to be a fantastic opportunity for students to explore creativity, collaboration and the world of film — and this is just the beginning!
The next workshop is coming soon and all students are welcome to get involved.
So, grab a camera, get creative and let the filmmaking begin!
See Ms Copley for details.
Humphry Davy School
8 Oct 2026
We are excited to share that one of our talented students, Grace, will be performing in Boom Theatre's 'Wonderland the Musical' this October!
Directed and developed by West End professionals, the show offers a fantastic opportunity to see young performers working towards a pre-professional standard of production. It's certainly well worth a watch!
If you're studying Drama or Music, this could be a particularly interesting production to see.
📅 24th–27th October
🎟️ Tickets are available here:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/boomtheatrecic/2401111
Break a leg, Grace! We look forward to hearing all about it!
Humphry Davy School
7 Oct 2026
Huge congratulations to student Millie on her recent success in showjumping!
Millie and her horse, Saffy, travelled to Wales in September to compete. It was a long way from the local shows they are used to, but they performed remarkably well, placing in every class and securing 4th place in their showjumping class.
Well done to Millie and Saffy! What a wonderful achievement. We look forward to hearing more about your successes in the equine world!
Humphry Davy School
7 Oct 2026
Well wasn't Saturday super! We had so much fun welcoming everyone and showing you what life is like at HDS.
Remember, the deadline for secondary school applications is Saturday 31st October. Be sure to secure your child's place at HDS today!
Humphry Davy School
6 Oct 2026
We are thrilled to share the fantastic news that two HDS students have been selected for the University of Exeter Talent Academy! An outstanding achievement that reflects their dedication, hard work and talent in hockey.
The Talent Academy is a key part of the England Hockey talent pathway, designed to support the country's most promising young players and serve as the primary route into the England Age Group programme. With each Academy selecting only around 30 players per gender, gaining a place is a significant accomplishment.
What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that our students are currently in Year 9. Players in Years 8 and 9 are considered early developers and each Academy can offer a maximum of four places to players in this age category.
This is a tremendous achievement and a testament to the commitment and passion both students have shown towards their sport.
Congratulations, Tegan and Will. We are incredibly proud of you both and look forward to following your continued success!
Humphry Davy School
1 Oct 2026
Good luck to all the students auditioning for the opportunity to become a prestigious HDS Music Scholar today!
Our panel has a full day of judging ahead, with an incredible amount of interest this year. With only a limited number of spaces available, we'd like to wish all our talented applicants the very best of luck.
We can't wait to hear what you can do!
Humphry Davy School
30 Sep 2026
Thank you to everyone who attended our Open Evening last week. We had a great time meeting you all and showing you around our school!
We look forward to welcoming you at again at our Super Saturday this week! If you haven't already signed up head over to our website today to book your space.
https://www.humphry-davy.cornwall.sch.uk/2338/announcements/announcement/770/announcement/?home=1
Humphry Davy School
23 Sep 2026
Don't forget!
We look forward to welcoming you to our Open Evening tomorrow night, from 5:30pm.
Come and find out for yourself why HDS is such a great place to learn!
Humphry Davy School
18 Sep 2026
Less than a week to go until we open our doors for Year 6 pupils and their families to come and visit! We can't wait to welcome you all.
Come and find out for yourselves why HDS is such a great place to learn! Thursday 26th September - from 5:30pm
Humphry Davy School
15 Sep 2026
Join us for our Open Evening on Thursday 24th September and find out for yourself why HDS is such a great place to learn!
Humphry Davy School
11 Sep 2026
WE’RE BACK… AND WE’RE ALREADY PERFORMING!
The HDS Music Department wasted absolutely no time getting back on stage! On just their second day back at school, our incredible students took to the stage at the Penzance Food Festival and delivered a brilliant set of live music! What a way to kick off the new term!
The speed at which our students got back into rehearsing and performing is a fantastic reflection of their hard work, dedication and passion for music and is a huge credit to the entire Music Department.
Want to get involved? If your child would like to become part of HDS Music, or is interested in applying to become a Music Scholar, pick up an audition pack from Reception or speak with Mr Street or Mr Bosworth in the Music Office. The stage is waiting… are you ready?
Humphry Davy School
20 Aug 2026
Congratulations to the amazing 2026 Humphry Davy School Year 11 students!
It is one of the great privileges of being headteacher to share in the magical moment of opening GCSE result envelopes and watching anxious expressions morph into smiles and joy and again this year there is much to celebrate!
We are proud to be an inclusive community school and I want to congratulate all involved as the hard work, positive attitudes and dedication of students and staff has been rewarded with many, many excellent grades.
We continue to nurture the unique talents of every individual student at HDS with over 37% of all students achieving a top grade 7-9 (old grade A/A*) in at least one subject and 45% of all passes were DfE ‘strong’ GCSE passes.
There were some tremendous individual student achievements with special mention to Scarlett, Poppy, Ben, Meghan, Raffy, Will, Henry, Kit and Lila who all achieved a multitude of grades 7 to 9 across a wide range of subjects. Just reward for their hard work and maintaining a positive attitude!
At Humphry Davy we all know that success is not just measured by the number of top grades achieved. Alongside tremendous academic success, we are equally proud of the wonderful young adults our students have become. During their HDS journey, Year 11 students achieved local and national recognition and success in music and the arts, debating, science, technology, engineering and mathematics competitions, the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and a wide range of sports. They are superb role models for our younger students and the wider Penzance community.
HDS is a truly fantastic place with a strong sense of community. Our focus now is firmly on ensuring the success of future year groups. My message to new Year 7 students and to any prospective parents, is that you can be confident and reassured from GCSE results over the years that hard work, determination and the support of our fantastic, dedicated and talented team of staff here at HDS will ensure children of all abilities are well placed to achieve their dreams and fulfil their future ambitions.
Mr Marshall, Headteacher
Humphry Davy School
23 Jul 2026
The latest Newsletter is now available to view on our website. Have a great summer everyone! See you on Thursday 3rd September.
https://humphrydavy.reactfiles.co.uk/uploads/document/July-2026.pdf?t=1784813431?ts=1784813592
Humphry Davy School
23 Jul 2026
We are delighted to announce our new team of Senior Students and Prefects for the 2026-27 academic year.
The Senior Student selection process was highly competitive, with students completing a formal application and interview process. We were incredibly impressed by the professionalism, maturity and integrity demonstrated throughout. In particular, our prospective Senior Students took part in interviews with the Headteacher, Miss Kleiman (RSL for Year 10) and Mrs Shipman, representing the governors. The candidates showcased outstanding communication skills, thoughtful responses and a genuine commitment to supporting both their peers and the wider school community.
Our new Senior Students and Prefects have been appointed to the Student Leadership Team for their enthusiasm, confidence and desire to make a positive difference to school life. They are passionate about representing the student body, contributing to school improvement and helping to create an inclusive and supportive environment for all.
We are incredibly proud of all the students who applied and would like to congratulate those who have been appointed as Senior Students and Prefects. We look forward to seeing them develop in their roles and make a valuable contribution to the school over the coming year.
Well done to all involved and we wish our new student leadership team every success as they embark on this exciting opportunity.
Humphry Davy School
23 Jul 2026
There could not have been a better way to round off another fantastic year at HDS than with three days of fun-filled activities! The wonderful weather continued and students made the most of everything on offer while enjoying time with their friends and creating lasting memories.
With such a wide range of activities available, there really was something for everyone. From the excitement of coasteering and skateboarding to horse riding, fishing and football, students embraced every opportunity to challenge themselves and try something new. Others enjoyed swimming, exploring our local area and spending time at the beach, making the most of Cornwall’s stunning coastline in the summer sunshine.
Our Activity Days are always a highlight of the school calendar, giving students the chance to step outside of the classroom, discover new interests and develop confidence and independence in a fun and supportive environment. It has been wonderful to see so many smiling faces throughout and students should be incredibly proud of the enthusiasm they have shown.
What a fantastic way to end the Summer Term!
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Contact Us
Headteacher William Marshall
Humphry Davy School, Coombe Road, Penzance,Cornwall, TR18 2TG
- 01736 363 559
- Email Us

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