Offering young people the chance to transorm their lives has seen Trinity School presented with the highest Duke of Edinburgh Award at Buckingham Palace.

Headteacher Peter McPartland OBE and James Morris, Duke of Edinburgh manager at the school in Heathway, Dagenham, were handed the Gold Award and plaque this month by impressionist and comic Alistair McGowan.

The Duke of Edinburgh joined the Earl of Wessex and Countess of Wessex, to congratulate winners in what is the 60th anniversary of the awards system, set up to support millions of young people in the country.

Mr Morris said: “I feel honoured to have been invited to Buckingham Palace to receive a commemorative plaque to acknowledge and say thank you for our work with the charity during its diamond anniversary year.

“Our young people are encouraged to push themselves outside of their comfort zones when doing their Duke of Edinburgh and the skills that they develop can be life-changing, so for us to be involved is something very special.”

Trinity has been delivering the world’s leading achievement award, for several years with pupils volunteering in the community, learning skills and taking part in expeditions including a week-long residents.

Currently, there are more than 300,000 young people taking part in the programme across the country.

To mark the 60th a Diamond Challenge has been launched where people can take part in challenges to raise money for the charity, which also offers bursary grants to those most in need.

Find out more at DofE.org or DofEDiamondChallenge.org.