DofE - Information for Pupils and Parents
The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is all about going the extra mile – gaining new skills, pushing yourself physically, helping others and exploring new activities. At the same time, you’ll gather friendships, experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.
You can choose the activities that motivate you (many are already available at School as extra-curricular options) and go on your own personal journey. We know from other participants that the DofE helps you stand out from the crowd when you apply for university and jobs.
The Awards
As a DofE Directly Licensed Centre (DLC) we offer all three award levels:
- Bronze - in the Third Form
- Silver - in the Fourth Form
- Gold - in the Sixth Form
View DofE delivery model showing participation expectations by year group and month (pdf download, also available at the bottom of this page)
Activities
Each Award requires the successful completion of four section activities (five at Gold), requiring you to give a regular commitment averaging a minimum of at least an hour a week during non-curriculum time for the required timescales.
- Timescales
- Find out more about the different sections (Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Expedition and Residential (at Gold Award level only).
- Finding an Assessor
Participant’s parent/guardian/carer takes the responsibility for sourcing and arranging Volunteering, Physical and Skill (Residential for DofE Gold / Expedition if not using schools provision) section activities with a suitable provider, who will take responsibility for activity supervision and act as an assessor. They must be willing to provide a brief report confirming participation (averaging at least one hour a week or two hours a fortnight), for the entire timescale - and have made up for any missed time by extending the timescale.
It is the responsibility of the participant’s parent/guardian/carer to evaluate the safeguarding and health & safety policies of organisations before engagement. Department for Education guidance for parents/guardians/carers using after-school clubs, tuition and community activities can be found here.
Programme activity ideas
Current Volunteering Opportunities
- Energy Envoys: Volunteer to learn all about energy and make a difference to the people and places around you!
Current Skill Opportunities
- DofE Skill section activity: Cooking and / or Baking (school participation requirements).
Mrs Johnson kindly organises opportunities for DofE participants wanting to undertake cooking and / or baking as a Skill section activity and offers a number of sessions throughout the year for you to access in school. These are designed to dovetail with cooking and/or baking at home so as to meet the timescale and participation requirements of DofE.
If you would like Mrs Johnson to be your Skill section activity Assessor then you must:
- Ask Mrs Johnson to agree to be your Assessor.
- Agree the required timescale 3 / 6 / 12 / 18 months (dependent award level).
- Plan a schedule (incorporating both school & home activities).
- Agree how to evidence participation (diary or activity log / recipes / photos etc) for the minimum of an hour a week (or two hours a fortnight).
- Agree how you will evidence progression.
Failure to make the required arrangements could very well lead to your efforts not counting towards DofE!
Useful documents (pdf downloads, also available at the bottom of this page)
- Programme Ideas list
- Theme your DofE programme around combating climate change
- KS assessor’s report template for Bronze & Silver (not including Expedition)
- KS assessor’s report template for Gold (not including Expedition or Residential)
- KS activity log
- KS activity log continuation
eDofE
You will be allocated an individual eDofE account which can be accessed via smartphone, tablet, laptop or PC. You are required to enter personal details, along with submitting activity ideas for approval by the DofE Manager.
Only once the activity has been approved should your participation commence as outlined above. You should evidence attendance with activity logs and completion with an assessor’s report, which you upload onto your eDofE account and submit for approval by the DofE Manager. Once they approve the final section activity as completed, the account is automatically forwarded for verification.
Any queries during this process, either from the DofE Manager or DofE Verifier, will see participants alerted through a message to their eDofE account.
eDofE help:
- DofE app (available to download free)
- DofE App - how it works
- DofE App FAQs (answers to common questions including how to download the app, forgotten passwords, and how to upload evidence)
- I’ve forgotten my Username / Password
Expedition
Each Award section activity is equally as important as the others in terms of individual development, however, the Expedition section generally requires more advice and guidance for pupils and parents alike.
- School term dates
- Expedition Dates 2024
- Expedition food ideas
- Rucksacks, kit and packing
- DofE manager’s kit list - ‘Tony’s top tips’
- 20 conditions of the expedition section
If you are unable to attend school expedition opportunities or wish to access expeditions using alternative modes of travel then DofE Expedition Approved Activity Providers (AAPs) must be used for practice and assessed ventures.
Residential (Gold Award only):
This section involves spending 5 days and 4 nights away from home on a shared activity with other people you’ve never met before, along with numerous other requirements.
To ensure requirement compliance it is essential to research the opportunity, then, before making attendance arrangements, complete a Residential approval form for consideration by the DofE Manager:
- Residential information
- Residential ideas
- Residential information and requirement flowchart
- KS Residential approval form
- KS Residential assessor’s report template
Although it is not a requirement to use a DofE Residential AAP, it guarantees requirement compliance.
- Watch a video, below, made by a group of our Sixth Form girls, sharing their experiences on their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award Assessment Expedition to Northumberland.
Award presentation
DofE Bronze & Silver Award recipients will be announced at assembly and invited to collect their certificate from the Headmaster. Following the presentation of the certificate, pupils should collect their DofE badge from the DofE Manager.
DofE Gold recipients will be announced at assembly and invited to collect their badge or brooch from the Headmaster. Gold recipients (prior to completion) will have indicated if they (and any guests) would also like to attend a Gold Award Celebration Event at Buckingham Palace, in the presence of a member of the royal family.