Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a non-competitive, internationally recognised program designed to encourage young people to develop positive skills and to try new challenges. It is open to all students.

The minimum age to start the program is 14 and at Ridgeway Academy, commences in Year 9. More information can be found at the award website.

At Ridgeway Academy, we are growing our DofE offer to students in Year 9 and currently run the Bronze Award. We have seen pupils learn new skills like gardening, cooking and woodwork; take up new sports such as cycling and martial arts; volunteer as young carers, sport coaches and conservationists.

DofE Letters to Parents

(2024 / 25 letters to follow shortly)

What you have to do?

You achieve an Award by completing a personal programme of activities in four sections:

Volunteering: undertaking service to individuals or the community or for a non-profit making organisation.

Physical: improving in an area of sport, dance or fitness activities.

Skills: developing practical and social skills and personal interests (not physical skills).

Expedition: planning, training for and completion of an adventurous journey in the UK or abroad.

Residential (Gold Only): undertake a programme which lasts at least 5 days and 4 nights away from home in a shared activity with a team of people who are unfamiliar. Examples include cookery courses, outdoor persuits, sustainability courses, bushcraft, etc.

The DofE Bronze Award is the entry level of the award and is available to students in Year 9.

The Silver Award is available to students in Year 10 and builds on the progress made during the Bronze Award. However, students do not need to complete Bronze in order to undertake Silver.

The Gold Award is the highest level of the award and becomes available to studnets once they reach Year 12.

Bronze

Time scales

VOLUNTEERING: 3 months
All participants must complete a further 3 months in one of these sections.

PHYSICAL: 3 months
All participants must complete a further 3 months in one of these sections.

SKILLS: 3 months
All participants must complete a further 3 months in one of these sections.

EXPEDITION: Plan, train for, practise and complete a 2 day, I night expedition
This activity is organised through school. The expedition training takes place over the course of Year 10 and the expeditions take place in the Summer term in the Chilterns area

Silver

Time scales

VOLUNTEERING: 6 months*
All participants must complete their Volunteering section for 6 months.

PHYSICAL: 3/6 months*
All participants must complete a further 3 months in either the Physcial or Skills sections.

SKILLS: 3/6 months*
All participants must complete a further 3 months in either the Physcial or Skills sections.

EXPEDITION: Plan, train for, practise and complete a 3 day, 2 night expedition
This activity is organised through school. The expedition training takes place over the course of Year 10 and the expeditions take place in the Summer term in the South Downs and Peak District.

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

Gold

Time scales

VOLUNTEERING: 12 months*
All participants must complete their Volunteering section for 6 months.

PHYSICAL: 6/12 months*
All participants must complete a further 6 months in either the Physcial or Skills sections.

SKILLS: 6/12 months*
All participants must complete a further 6 months in either the Physcial or Skills sections.

EXPEDITION: Plan, train for, practise and complete a 4 day, 3 night expedition
This activity is organised through an Approved Activity Provider. The expedition training takes place over the course of Year 12 and Year 13. The expeditions take place in the Spring Term and Autumn Term. Destinations vary but have previously included the Peak District and the Brecon Beacons.

RESIDENTIAL SECTION: 5 Days and 4 nights

This element is unique to the Gold Award. You must undertake a shared activity away from home for 5 days and 4 nights. The DofE Opportunity Finder lists a range of opportunities to select from.

*Skipped Silver? 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.

DofE Support and Training

The easiest way to complete an assessor report is online. Your assessor needs your eDofE ID number (on your eDofE account). They need to go to www.edofe.org/assessor They will be asked to input your ID number, the level (Bronze) and the section (volunteering/physical/skill/expedition). They can then view your programme planner and submit their report.
Alternatively you can ask them to fill in the appropriate page in your booklet and then either scan or take a photo of the page and upload it to your eDofE account.
You must have either a phone number or email address for your assessor and their full name. They do not need to have a qualification (although this helps) but they do need experience. So where it says “position/qualification”, make sure you write something relevant.
Remember your assessor cannot be a member of your family.
In your DofE pack, there are cards for each section of the Award which you can give to your assessor which explains what they need to write in their report and how they can submit the report. The Little Book of DofE has lots of useful information so read through it.
Further information is available on the DofE website and there are some useful clips on YouTube which explain how to upload evidence. Click the icon in the top right of the video frame to view all 26 videos.

For further information, there are a number of useful guides/documents for both parents and students:

DofE Expedition Course Notes

DofE with a Difference Poster

Parents Information Booklet

Camp Store Booking Form