The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme is the leading youth achievement award, offering 14-24 year olds the opportunity to get recognition for the extra-curricular activities they undertake and to try new activities, such as going on an expedition. It is also an opportunity to grow in confidence, develop new skills, meet new people and can give you the edge when you apply for college, university and jobs.

We are very fortunate at Silverdale to have staff who are willing to help out with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to benefit from the experience. About 45 pupils take up the Bronze scheme in Y9 and around 30 go on to achieve their Gold award in Y12 and 13.

• Both levels need students to complete 3 sections: skill, physical and volunteering.
• For Gold they also complete a 5-day residential, which they need to arrange themselves.
• Both levels undertake 2 expeditions, a practice and an assessed (see timings below).
• The Bronze expeditions are both in the Peak District
• The Gold practice is in the peak district and the assessed is in the Lake District

Bronze timescales:

• Volunteering section: 3 months
• Physical section: 3 months
• Skills section: 3 months
• Expedition section: 2 days/1 night
• You also have to do 3 more months in one of the Volunteering, Physical or Skills sections.

Gold timescales:

• Volunteering section: 12 months
• Physical and Skills sections: One section for 12 months and the other section for 6 months
• Expedition section: 4 days/3 nights
• Residential section: Undertake a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for 5 days and 4 nights.
• 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.

For more information about the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, please visit www.dofe.org

If you would like more information about how the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award works at Silverdale, or you started an award and need help completing it, please contact dofe@silverdale-chorustrust.org