Duke of Edinburgh Award

At BCHS we have a thriving DofE program at all three levels.  It is a great opportunity to learn skills, improve fitness and experience working as a team for a common goal.  It is tremendous fun and the value of the award is recognised by universities and employers alike.

There are three levels of programme you can do which, when successfully completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The main differences between them are the minimum length of time they take to complete, how challenging they are and the minimum age you can start.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is made up of four sections – expedition, physical, skill and volunteering.

In order to fulfil the requirements for the physical, skill and volunteering sections at Bronze level, students must complete a minimum of 3 months (or 12 weeks) activity adding up to a total of approximately 30 hours. In addition, students must complete a further 3 months (or 12 weeks) activity on one of their chosen programmes (physical/skill/volunteering).

There are many different activities which may be used to complete these different sections. Examples include:

  • Physical – team sports or individual sports, anything from football to swimming – individuals create a specific programme which is relevant to them.
  • Skill – cooking, music, art, drama, DIY – any activity (that is not a sport) involving learning something new and in which it is possible to show improvement.
  • Volunteering – helping out at a Beaver or Brownie unit, buddy reading, spending some time working in a local charity shop – the main point of this section is that the individuals give time to their community without receiving a financial reward.

 

In order to complete the fourth section, students are required to plan, train for and complete an expedition of 2 days and 1 night.

 

At BCHS, students have the opportunity to complete the Duke of Edinburgh's Award at Bronze level in Year 9, Silver level in Year 10 and Gold level in Years 12 and 13. A series of training days is delivered throughout the year, equipping participants with the practical skills, knowledge and confidence needed to complete their expeditions safely and successfully. Students are encouraged to take full advantage of these training opportunities to support their progress through the Award.

In late spring/early summer, members take part in two expedition weekends, the first where they have the opportunity to practise what they have learned and the second being their assessed expedition.

Examples of training sessions:

  • Camp craft – care and use of tents
  • Camp cooking – ready, steady, cook on a Trangia
  • First Aid – theory and practical sessions
  • Map work – how to use grid references and bearings
  • Completion of route cards
  • Country Code
  • Rucksacks – what to bring & how to pack 

Enquires should be directed to our Duke of Edinburgh Award co-ordinator, John Forster, at


For more information, please visit the Duke of Edinburgh website.

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