Duke of Edinburgh Award
The Duke of Edinburgh Award
The hugely popular Duke of Edinburgh programme at Chipping Sodbury School has been running for over a decade. Hundreds of our students have benefitted from this nationally recognised programme of personal development, physical activity and community engagement. The school have invested heavily in obtaining a licence and specialist equipment for the expedition section of the process. The aim is for students to obtain their Bronze Award by starting the programme in Year 9 and completing it before Christmas in Year 10.
Why is this a good thing to do?
Students have the opportunity to enjoy lots of new experiences, discover talents they did not know existed, challenge themselves and also meet lots of like-minded people. Plus students will do things they will genuinely love and get a kick out of. It’s a real buzz!
Extra benefits
- Achieving an Award will give students skills, confidence and a view on life that everyone is looking for, from employers to colleges and universities.
- Students will get recognition for doing things they want and like to do (and may even be doing already).
- Student activities will make a difference to other people’s lives and the wider community.
- Students often become fitter and healthier, make new friends and have memories to last a lifetime.
- Students can use the award for future UCAS points.
- Students achieve aspirational goals by truly challenging themselves to come out of their comfort zone.
What is the commitment?
Students can do a Bronze DofE programme once they are 14 (or nearly 14, which sometimes happens when you and your friends decide to start your adventure together).
A Bronze DofE programme has four sections: volunteering, physical, skills and expedition. You must do a minimum of three months activity for each of the volunteering, physical and skills sections. You must also complete an expedition.
Students also have to spend an extra three months on one of the volunteering, physical or skills sections. It’s the students choice as to which one and, though they can change their mind later, they should decide which section they want to do for longer at the beginning. Knowing how long you’re going to do something for, helps select the activity and set goals for each section.
It will usually take at least six months to complete your Bronze programme.
Please see the links below with examples of the types of activities that can be chosen:
Skills section (1 hour a week) 3MONTHS
Physical section (1 hour a week) 3MONTHS
Volunteering section (1 hour a week) 3MONTHS
Further information
Please go to the Duke of Edinburgh site to find out more: Do DofE - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award