Discover the way we go further to equip students for the DUKE OF EDINBURGH award scheme.
Students are encouraged to challenge themselves at every opportunity at Don Valley Academy, and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award allows them to be empowered and supported as they learn new skills, overcome obstacles, and build confidence and resilience.
D of e is a life-changing experience. An opportunity to have fun with friends. A chance to discover new interests and talents. A tool to develop essential skills for life and work. A recognised mark of achievement, respected by employers. The DofE is many things to many people, supporting generations to successfully navigate life.
Students can do a DofE programme at one of three progressive levels which, when successfully completed, leads to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. There are four sections to complete at Bronze and Silver level and five at Gold. They involve helping the community/ environment, becoming fitter and healthier, developing new skills, planning, training for and completing an expedition and, for Gold only, working with a team on a residential activity. The award includes participation in a wide range of activities that include volunteering and also an expedition. Students can take part from Year 9, beginning with Bronze Level and progressing to Silver in Years 10 and 11.
Our Duke of Edinburgh programme is offered through our extra curricular enrichment sessions and forms part of our Life of a Student experiences. We arrange training sessions for the expedition section in school and also both the practice and qualifying expeditions.
Duke of Edinburgh offers invaluable life experiences to our year 9s and year 10s. We offer two different award schemes across the two year groups, with flexibility given to year 10s to choose whether to do the Bronze or Silver award. For every level of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme, participants must complete four sections: volunteering, physical, skills and the expedition. Students must commit to uploading evidence regularly to prove their commitment to all of the sections before they receive their award.
The graphic below shows what is required to complete the bronze award.
The graphic below shows what is required to complete the silver award.
