Two intrepid sixth-form students are celebrating achieving the highest possible honour on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme - and will now have their achievements recognised by royalty.

The gold standard achievements of Chloe Tolley and Deenah Randhawa will be honoured during a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Having had her award status officially recognised first, 18-year-old Chloe has been invited to travel to London on Monday May 16th for the presentation in the gardens of the palace. She will be given her DofE Gold Award in the presence of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and TRH the Earl and Countess of Wessex.

The event is being held to celebrate the talented young people who have achieved the prestigious Gold Award standard in the Duke of Edinburgh’s scheme. This year’s special palace presentation has been organised to mark the 60th anniversary of the international programme.

Chloe is one of a selection of Gold Award holders from across the UK and some of the 140 countries that run the DofE programme across the world that have been invited to attend.

Chloe will attend the prestigious event on behalf of the school and the many students who have challenged themselves as part of the DofE programme over the years.

Deenah, who is also 18, will attend a yet-to-be-announced ceremony later in the year to officially receive her award.

*Chloe & Deenah (2nd right/far right) at their DofE Silver Award presentation back in 2015*

Mr C.Moody, who runs the school’s DofE programme and will be accompanying Chloe to the palace for the presentation, said: “To reach the Gold Award standard in the DofE programme is an incredible achievement and so we are incredibly proud of Chloe and Deenah.

“It is wonderful that Chloe has the opportunity to receive her award during this special anniversary presentation at the palace. It is certainly going to be a day that she will remember for the rest of her life and fitting that she is being honoured in such incredible surroundings for her achievements on the programme.

“Deenah’s Gold award has only just been officially recognised and so we look forward to her ceremony later in the year.”

The Duke of Edinburgh’s scheme was launched 60 years ago with the aim of inspiring, guiding and supporting young people in their self-development. The awards scheme challenges students and allows them to discover the world around them whilst providing them with invaluable skills and experiences to improve employment prospects.

Hundreds of Highfields students have taken part in the DofE programme since the school started running the scheme around 10 years ago. Those taking part have taken on a number of challenges including volunteering in the community and a residential trip which involves them only being allowed to know one other person and therefore building a team to complete a project with strangers.