The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is a fantastic opportunity for students and gives them the chance to do something completely new and improve on things they are already doing. It takes them out of their comfort zone and into a place where they will push themselves and have amazing new experiences. They will build confidence, resilience, skills for work and new friendship groups. Colleges, universities and employers regard The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award highly.
Volunteering Section
For the volunteering activity the students need to choose to give time to help people, the community or society, the environment or animals without getting paid.
Skill Section
For the skills activity students need to choose an activity that will allow them to prove that they have broadened their understanding and increased their expertise in the chosen skill.
Physical Section
For the physical activity the students need to choose any sport, dance or fitness activity – in short, anything that requires a sustained level of energy and physical activity.
Where can I find out more?
For more information please log on to www.dofe.org
Bronze Award
The Bronze award is a minimum of a six month commitment in which the students will need to complete activities under the headings of ‘Skill’, ‘Physical’ and ‘Volunteering’. Towards the summer term, students will also be required to plan and conduct an overnight camping trip. The activities students choose to complete can be something they are already doing (such as football; dance; playing a musical instrument or they can opt for something completely new.
The award has the following components:
- Out of the three headings listed above two must be carried out for an hour a week for 3 months and the other for 6 months.
- A practice expedition and assessed expedition which require them to design a route and menus; walk for two days and camp overnight.
- Regular training sessions. These allow the students to gain the skills needed to complete the expedition section.
Moving on up!
Students initially start with a Bronze Award and work up through the Silver and Gold Awards. As they work up, the challenges become longer and the activities change slightly. Pupils will be able to achieve Silver in Year 10 and Gold when they are in Sixth Form.
Silver Award
The Silver Award is a minimum of a six month commitment in which the students will need to complete activities under the headings of ‘Skill’, ‘Physical’ and ‘Volunteering’. The activities students choose to complete can be something they had already used for the Bronze Award, or they can opt for something completely new. This year both the practice and assessed expedition with fall in the same academic year, being held around Easter and the summer. The award has the following components:
- Out of the three headings listed above two must be carried out for an hour a week for 6 months, and the other for 3 months.
- A practice expedition and assessed expedition which require them to design a route and menus; walk for three days and camp overnight for two nights.
- Regular training sessions. These sessions allow the students to develop their skills learnt at Bronze to complete the extended expedition section.