The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a high quality, enjoyable, challenging and rewarding programme of personal development activities for young people aged 14-25. It is designed to be enjoyable and rewarding while promoting personal development, self-reliance and leadership skills. It operates in three progressive sections:

  • Bronze Award
    For those aged 14 and over.
    We offer this for Year 9s and 10s.
  • Silver Award
    For those aged 15 and over.
    We offer this to students who successfully complete the Bronze Award.
  • Gold Award
    For those aged 16 and over.
    We do not offer the chance to complete this – recommended to be done when at College.

Each Award is made up of four sections (five for Gold) that involve:

Volunteering

Helping other people in the local community

Physical

Sport, dance and fitness

Skills

Covering almost any hobby, skill or interest

Expedition

Training for, planning and completing a challenging journey over two or more days

The additional section for Gold participants is a Residential (staying away from home for five days and four nights doing a shared activity).

So why should you do your DofE? 

It’s hard to list all the benefits of achieving your Bronze Award, so here’s a quick snapshot. You’ll…

  • Have lots of fun
  • Get healthier and happier
  • Meet incredible people and make lasting friendships
  • Have amazing new experiences
  • Find talents and passions you didn’t know you had
  • Gain skills that employers value, which you can use on your CV
  • Become more confident and independent
  • Stand out from the crowd in college, university and job applications
  • Make memories that will last a lifetime.

 

Bronze

You can do a Bronze DofE programme once you’re 14 (or nearly 14, which sometimes happens when you and your friends decide to start your adventure together).
The Bronze DofE programme has 4 sections, Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition.
It will usually take you at least 6 months to complete your Bronze programme.

VOLUNTEERING PHYSICAL SKILLS EXPEDITION
3 months 3 months 3 months Plan, train for and undertake a 2 day, 1 night expedition

All students must undertake a further 3 months in the Volunteering, Physical or Skills sections (your choice!)

 

 Silver

The next step… you need to be at least 15 to start doing your Silver DofE programme. If you’ve achieved your Bronze Award, your Licensed Organisation may allow you to start your Silver a month or two before your 15th birthday.
A Silver DofE programme also has 4 sections, Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition.

It will take you at least 6 months for Silver if you’ve already achieved your Bronze, or 12 months if you’ve jumped straight into Silver.

VOLUNTEERING PHYSICAL SKILLS EXPEDITION
6 months One section for 6 months and the other for 3 months Plan, train for and undertake a 3 day, 2 night expedition

Direct entrants (students not completed Bronze) must undertake a further 6 months in Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.

 

The Expedition

  • DofE expeditions must be unaccompanied, self-reliant and by the participants own physical efforts.
  • For the Bronze Award, participants need to complete a 2 day expedition carrying all of their kit, walking an average of 14 kilometres per day and camping over-night.
  • For the Silver Award, students will need to complete a 3 day expedition carrying all of their kit, walking an average of 16 kilometres per day, camping overnight both with and without supervision.