Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme

For over 60 years the Duke of Edinburgh's Award has been available to young people aged 14 to 25. The DofE Award is a challenging programme of activities which provides an opportunity to experience adventure, to discover new interests and talents and to develop essential skills for life and work. It is a recognised mark of achievement that is respected by employers. 

A DofE programme is a real adventure from beginning to end. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from. You just need to be aged between 14 (you can start in the academic year you turn 14) and 24 and realise there’s more to life than sitting on a sofa watching life pass you by. At Edgbarrow, we run the Bronze and Silver Awards. The Bronze Award is being offered to Year 9 and the Silver Award is being offered to Year 10. Bronze is not a prerequisite and you can start Silver before you complete your Bronze.

Gold Award - this award will be by 'Open Expedition'. Students over 16 years old can register with Edgbarrow School for the award but will need to organise their own expeditions outside of term time. Edgbarrow will oversee the volunteering, physical and skills sections but will play no part in planning and expedition delivery.


Award overview

You achieve your Award by completing a personal programme of activities in four sections (five if you're going for Gold) - Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition and for Gold, a Residential. You'll find yourself helping people or the community, getting fitter, developing skills, going on an expedition and taking part in a residential activity (Gold only). The best bit is - you get to choose what you do! Your programme can be full of activities and projects that get you buzzing, and along the way, you’ll pick up experiences, friends and talents that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

We work with expedition company Off-Grid Adventures (www.offgridadventures.co.uk) to deliver training and expedition logistics for our Bronze Walking and Silver Walking and Paddling Expeditions.

Bronze

Bronze consists of the Expedition section culminating in a 2 day assessed expedition. Meanwhile, participants should be undertaking 3 months of at least 1 hour a week for each of their skill, physical and volunteering sections. An additional 3 months is undertaken in 1 of these 3 to make a total of 6 months. Most participants aim to complete their award within 12 months.

 


Silver

The Silver expedition section consists of a training weekend and two separate 3 day/2 night expeditions. Meanwhile, participants should be undertaking 6 months volunteering and 6 months skill or physical. The remaining section is for 3 months. If Participants have not completed Bronze then one of their 6 month sections must be extended to last 12 months.

Gold

The Gold expedition section consists of a training weekend and two separate 4 day/3 night expeditions. The second one is assessed. Both expeditions have to be in “wild country” – i.e. one of our national parks. You also need to complete a 5-day residential activity for Gold that involves staying away from home doing a shared activity with people you don’t know. Meanwhile, participants should be undertaking 12 months volunteering and 12 months skill or physical. The remaining section is for 6 months. If participants have not completed Silver then one of their 12 month sections must last 18 months. 

 


Training Schedule 2024

  • Bronze Training Day - 23rd March
  • Bronze Walking Practice, Chilterns - 20th & 21st April
  • Bronze Walking Assessed, Chilterns - 29th & 30th June
  • Silver Canoeing Practice, Reading -  17th-19th May 
  • Silver Canoeing Assessed, Brecon, Wales - 5th-7th July

Information for parents/carers

Bronze DofE Launch Letter to Parents/Carers

Bronze DofE Expression of Interest Letter Oct 23

Parent/Carer Information Evening Presentation

DofE Overview

Parents/Carers DofE Information Booklet

Remote and socially distanced volunteering ideas 

SEND - DofE guide for parents/carers

Off Grid Presentation

Parent Information Sessions 2024 (Virtual)

Ramblers Holidays Charitable Trust funding application


Useful Documents and Letters

Co-curricular Sporting & Non-Sporting Activities 

Activity Log - Physical

eDofE Program Planner

Activity Log - Skills

A complete list of possible activities

Activity Log - Volunteering

Bronze Documents

Silver Documents

Gold Documents

Bronze Expedition Guide 2024

Bronze Schedule 2024

Silver Paddling Expedition Guide 2023

Silver Paddling Expedition Schedule September 2023

Gold Enrolment Letter 2023

Gold Successful Letter 2023


 Volunteering Opportunities

Bronze

Silver

Gold

1st Scout Group Crowthorne
3 or 6-month placements
Beavers (aged 6-8), Wed & Thurs 5.30-6.30pm
Cubs (aged 8-10),Wed & Thurs, 7-8.30pm

1st Scout Group Crowthorne
3 or 6-month placements
Beavers (aged 6-8), Wed & Thurs 5.30-6.30pm
Cubs (aged 8-10), Wed & Thurs, 7-8.30pm

1st Scout Group Crowthorne 
3 or 6-month placements
Scouts (aged 10-14)
Mon & Tues 7-9pm

Energy Envoys Volunteering Opportunity

Energy Envoys Volunteering Opportunity 

Energy Envoys Volunteering Opportunity 


To help with your application please think about what you would like to do for each section. There are lots of useful documents and help on the DofE website. Here are some useful links:

Program planners to assist your planning of each section are available here:

Skill, Physical and Volunteering

eDofE Program Planner

These don't need to be handed in with your application but are to help you and for your own reference. The documents linked above are all on display on the DofE noticeboards in school as well. Once you have decided what you want to do you can submit all your activity plans in a single document to the eDofE website (this is the DofE online system that enables you to record your intended aims, track your progress and upload evidence of your achievements).

For further information visit the DofE website.


Silver and Gold Expedition to the Brecon Beacons 

On the weekend of 26 - 30 April, 15 Year 12s and 32 Year 10s headed off to the Brecon Beacons for their practice Duke of Edinburgh expeditions. The Year 12s, who are completing their Gold Award, set off from Edgbarrow on Wednesday, with the Year 10 Silver participants meeting them down there the following day. Fears of snow came to nothing, and the weather held up for the most part. The gold groups spent four days walking up in the hills of the Beacons. Four Silver groups walked their way through the valleys of the national park, while a fifth Silver group took to their mountain bikes for their expedition. This was no stroll in the park, and every group’s stamina, resilience, strength and will were tested, with every one of them coming through with flying colours. Every participant did their school proud, giving an epic effort even when they felt they couldn’t do it any longer.  By Sunday afternoon when the groups had finished, feet, legs and backs were sore, but spirits were still high. Of course, no journey home would be complete without a stop in motorway services for a bucket of fast food: a feast for champions!

More photos of the Expedition and Drone footage of campsite.

 

 For further information regarding our Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme please email:
dofe@edgbarrowschool.co.uk