Box Hill Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme

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The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme

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General information

What do you do when?

This guide should help you to find out what you do and when and how you claim your awards.

Year 10 Bronze Award

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These awards are entirely voluntary

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There are three levels: Bronze Silver Gold

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Each level has four to five sections: Expedition, Skill, Physical Volunteering, Residential Project (Gold level).

Expedition Section

Throughout year 9 Train and prepare for the expedition section at bronze level. Complete bronze qualifying expedition. You need to do each section (volunteering, skill and physical) for a minimum of three months and one section of your choice for a further three months. In Year 10 you also need to do a training day, a practice expedition and the qualifying expedition for Silver.

Year 11 Silver Award

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At Bronze this consists of two days and one night’s camping

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At Silver it is three days and two nights’ camping

You need to do each section (volunteering, skill and physical) for a minimum of six months (and one section of your choice for a further six months if you have not completed bronze).

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At Gold it is four days and three nights’ camping

Year 12 Gold Award

In addition to this, everyone needs to do training and at least one practice expedition for each award.

Skills Section There are literally hundreds of possible things you can do in this section including Film and video making, Cake decoration, Circus skills, Bee keeping, Singing. See the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award website for more information www.dofe.org.

Physical Section All sports and physical activities count here including Fencing, Horse riding, Skateboarding, Climbing and Swimming. You are allowed to change your activity once during any one section.

Volunteering Section This is about doing things to help others without payment. Participants can choose to organise something themselves or take part in a service activity at school. Suggested volunteer work can include looking after animals, helping to teach children with special needs, working at a shelter.

Residential This is an additional level for those taking the Gold award, which involves spending five days and four nights away from home on an activity with people who you have not met before. An example of this would be attending a conference on climate change as a youth representative for your local authority.

The expedition section will involve a training day towards the end of Year 12, a practice expedition in the summer half term, a preparation day in September and the qualifying expedition in October half term of Year 13.

You will need to complete voluntary work for 12 months, 12 months of either physical or skill and six months for the other. (You need 18 months for one section if you have missed one or both of the lower levels of the award.)

There is also the Residential Project section at Gold; see your record pack or www.dofe.org for more details.

Have I finished?

I think I have finished my award. What do I do now?

You log into your e-DofE account via the website (login details will have been sent to you by email) and just enter what you have done for each section with some evidence. When you have completed a level you can then be advanced to the next level. You will receive training for e-DofE at the start of Year 10 and there will be sessions arranged in Years 11 and 13 for those who need them.

Alternatively you obtain a form from the DofE manager (Mrs Sunter).

Bronze forms are orange, Silver are blue and Gold forms are yellow. Fill it in and get it signed by the assessor for each section. For Bronze and Silver awards you will need to hand it back to Mrs Sunter and then, if all is satisfactory, you will receive your badge and certificate.

Gold award forms need to be sent to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Headquarters at Windsor: Gulliver House Madeira Walk, WINDSOR Berkshire SL4 1EU Your badge will then be sent directly to school for presentation at prize giving. You will also be invited to one of the Royal Palaces to meet the Duke of Edinburgh and receive your certificate.

For any further information on the award scheme, either refer to your handbook or visit the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award official website www.dofe.org. If in doubt, speak to Mrs Sunter.

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Box Hill School, Mickleham, Dorking, Surrey RH5 6EA Tel: +44 (0)1372 373382 Fax: +44 (0)1372 363942 Email: enquiries@boxhillschool.org.uk www.facebook.com/boxhillschool @boxhillschool

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