The Duke of Edinburgh's Award

Update - September 2024

Places for Bronze DOE 24/25 have now closed. All parents/carers should complete the Form C below and ensure their child/ward’s fees have been paid via ParentPay or in cash (in a labelled envelope) to the school Reception.

See Form C here.

https://forms.office.com/e/dDcyAMBP7P

Duke of Edinburgh Award

14-24 year-olds may choose to complete a Duke of Edinburgh programme at one of three progressive levels, which, when successfully completed, leads to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Any young person can do their DofE – regardless of ability, gender, background or location. Achieving an Award isn’t a competition or about being first. It’s all about setting personal challenges and pushing personal boundaries.

Through a DofE programme young people have fun, make friends, improve their self-esteem and build confidence. They gain essential skills and attributes for work and life - such as resilience, problem-solving, team-working, communication and drive, enhancing CVs and university and job applications.

Click here for more information.

Places for Bronze DOE 24-25 have now closed, please see above.

If you are interested in completing a Silver Award, please see Mrs Potter (room 53, Bronze Award holders only).

Gold DOE - open to Sixth Form - please speak to Mr Carine and read the information below for more details.

Programme Aims

To develop the skills and attributes needed to become a more rounded, confident adult.

To promote and develop the following:

• Self-belief Self-confidence
• A sense of identity Initiative
• A sense of responsibility
• A real awareness of their strengths
• New talents and abilities
• The ability to plan and use time
• The ability to learn from and give to others in the community
• New friendships
• Problem solving, presentation and communication skills
• Leadership and team-working skills

These are all qualities that colleges, universities and employers are attracted to.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can my son/daughter/young person volunteer?
The volunteering section seeks to help connect young people with opportunities to make a meaningful impact on issues they care about and have a positive societal impact. This can be volunteering at a charitable organisation, or closer to home such as giving up an hour per week to help a vulnerable neighbour.

2. Where can we buy equipment from?
Equipment can be bought locally in various outdoor shops on the Island, for example at Millets, Mountain Warehouse or Regatta on Strand Street.

3. What equipment should we buy?
There is an equipment list available here

4. Does QEIIHS provide any equipment?
Where necessary, QEII can provide tents and rucksacks for students if given notice.

5. What if my son/daughter/young person has a food allergy or specific medical needs?
Any food allergies or medical conditions should be notified on the sign-up form and also on the electronic C Form we send out prior to expeditions. Any food your young person will consume will be food they have brought themselves.

6. What supervision is provided on the qualifying expeditions?
For groups to complete programmes such as DofE expeditions, they need to be self sufficient, completing their route without any outside assistance. This means that during qualifying expedition and parts of practice expeditions, groups will need to be supervised remotely.

7. When do the practice/training take place?
Please see the table below:

8. We are planning on going on holiday during the training/practice/qualifying walks - can you provide another date?

No, unfortunately we cannot devote any more time to training or expeditions.

9. My child wishes to drop out, can I get a refund?

We receive high numbers of applications to the DOE programme at QEII, meaning there will be a waiting list for each cohort. If your child pays for the programme and then drops out, they will not be refunded.

10. I have a question, should I email you?
We receive literally hundreds of emails from parents every year and simply don't have time to respond to them all. If your question isn't listed here, please ask your young person to ask us in person at DofE Club (time and location to be advertised in September). We understand that parents/carers may have concerns; however, please rest assured that all routes are risk assessed and that participants will be fully trained before the expedition.

Bronze Award (14+ years old)

There are 3 parts of the programme - Volunteering, Physical and Skills. Each require a minimum of three months to complete, whilst the Expedition involves planning, training for and undertaking a two-day (one night) expedition.

Participants must also decide whether to spend a further three months on the Volunteering, Physical or Skills section.

The decision is entirely theirs. It must be made at the start but can be reviewed later.

To achieve their Award, participants must have completed their programme and be at least 14½ years old. It is possible to allow a young person to start their Bronze programme shortly before their 14th birthday, if they are part of a larger group that is aged 14 plus. This often happens when friends or a school year group decide to embark on their adventures together. However, for this to be allowed, you must be sure that the young person is sufficiently mature to do their programme and also gain approval from your DofE Licensed Organisation.

All participants must undertake a further 3 months in the Volunteering, Physical or Skills sections.

Silver Award (15+ years old)

Participants spend a minimum of six months volunteering. For the Physical and Skills sections, they must spend a minimum of six months on one and three on the other.

The Expedition involves planning, training for and undertaking a three day (two night) expedition.

The decision on which section to do for the longest time is totally theirs. If they have jumped straight into their Silver programme they’ll need to do a further six months, either volunteering or doing whichever of the physical or skills activity they spent more time on. This decision must be made at the start but can be reviewed later.

To achieve their Award, participants must have completed their programme successfully and be at least 15½ years old if they already have Bronze. Direct entrants must be at least 16 years old before they complete their Silver programme. LOs sometimes let young people who have achieved their Bronze Award make a start on their Silver Award before their 15th birthday. However, in such situations you must consult your LO before agreeing anything.

Direct entrants must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.

Gold Award (16+ years old)

Participants of the Gold DOE scheme will be able to complete their award during Sixth Form enrichment periods.

For Gold, you will need to do your programme for at least 12 months if you have achieved your Silver award, or 18 months if you have started at Gold level without doing your Silver – even if you have done the Bronze award.

The big difference at Gold is you will also do a Residential section.

• Volunteering section for 12 months.
• Physical and Skills sections: one section for 12 months and the other section for 6 months.
• Expedition section for 4 days (3 nights).
• Residential section: undertake a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for 5 days (4 nights) with people you don’t know.

If you didn’t do Silver, you must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.

You can find more information on the timescales and the sections as well as lots more information on the DofE website.