14-24 year-olds may choose to complete a Duke of Edinburgh programme at one of three progressive levels which, when successfully completed, leads to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Any young person can do their DofE – regardless of ability, gender, background or location. Achieving an Award isn’t a competition or about being first. It’s all about setting personal challenges and pushing personal boundaries.
Through a DofE programme young people have fun, make friends, improve their self-esteem and build confidence. They gain essential skills and attributes for work and life such as resilience, problem-solving, team-working, communication and drive, enhancing CVs and uni and job applications.
Click here for more information.
Sign Up
To sign up to DofE, please follow one of the below links and pay the school via Parentpay. Your young person will also need to join the relevant Google Classroom.
Google Classrooms:
- Bronze 24-25: t6gldg6
- Silver 23-24: cdp2bsj
- Silver 24-25: TBA September
- Gold: Students to liaise with Mr Breadner and Miss Harwood directly
https://forms.office.com/e/AqKmET93qn
Programme Aims
To develop the skills and attitudes needed to become a more rounded, confident adult.
To promote and develop the following:
- Self-belief Self-confidence
- A sense of identity Initiative
- A sense of responsibility
- A real awareness of their strengths
- New talents and abilities
- The ability to plan and use time
- The ability to learn from and give to others in the community
- New friendships
- Problem solving, presentation and communication skills
- Leadership and team-working skills
These are all qualities that colleges, universities and employers are attracted to.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where can my son/daughter/young person volunteer?
The volunteering section seeks to help connect young people with opportunities to make a meaningful impact on issues they care about and have a positive societal impact. This can be volunteering at a charitable organisation or closer to home such as giving up an hour per week to help a vulnerable neighbour.
2. Where can we buy equipment from?
Equipment can be bought locally in various outdoor shops on the Island, for example at Millets, Mountain Warehouse or Regatta on Strand St.
3. What equipment should we buy?
There is an equipment list available here
4. Does BHS provide any equipment?
Where necessary, BHS can provide tents and rucksacks for students if given notice.
5. What if my son/daughter/young person has a food allergy or specific medical needs?
Any food allergies or medical conditions should be notified on the sign-up form and also on the electronic C Form we send out prior to expeditions. Any food your young person will consume will be food they have brought themselves.
6. What supervision is provided on the qualifying expeditions?
For groups to complete programmes such as DofE expeditions, they need to be self sufficient, completing their route without any outside assistance. This means that during qualifying expedition and parts of practice expeditions, groups will need to be supervised remotely.
7. When do the practice/training/qualifying expeditions take place?
Please see the table below:
| Date: | Level: | Event: | Details (time, location, etc): |
| 17/09/2024 | Bronze/Direct Silver | Info evening | 5.30pm - 6.30pm; New Canteen; Info for Year 9 Bronze parents and Year 10 Direct Silvers |
| 08/11/2024 | Bronze | Sign-up sessions | Single lesson drop-downs for each band; Sign up to DoE and begin sections |
| 28/02/2025 | Bronze | OS Mapping sessions | Single lesson drop-downs for each band; Log into OS Mapping software and familiarisation |
| 25/04/2025 | Bronze | Route planning | Single lesson drop-downs for each band; Use OS mapping to plan practice walk routes |
| 19/05/2025 - 23/05/2025 | Bronze | Training & practice walk | TBC |
| 04/07/2025 - 06/07/2025 | Silver | Training & practice walk | TBC |
| 08/07/2025 - 11/07/2025 | Silver/Gold | Silver qualifier & Gold practice expeditions | Silver: 3 day/2night self-planned expedition Gold: 3 day/3 night training expedition |
| 14/07/2025 - 18/07/2025 | Bronze/Gold | Bronze & Gold qualifiers | Bronze: 2 day/1 night self-planned expedition (start/end points provided) Gold: 4 day/3 night self-planned expedition |
8. We are planning on going on holiday during the training/practice/qualifying walks - can you provide another date?
No, unfortunately we cannot devote any more time to training or expeditions.
9. I have a question, should I email you?
We receive literally hundreds of emails from parents every year and simply don't have time to respond to them all. If your question isn't listed here, please ask your young person to ask us in person at DofE club (time and location to be advertised in September). We understand that parents/carers may have concerns; however, please rest assured that all routes are risk assessed and that participants will be fully trained before the expedition.
Bronze Award (14+ years old)
There are 3 parts of the programme, Volunteering, Physical and Skills. Each require a minimum of three months to complete, whilst the Expedition involves planning, training for and undertaking a two-day (one night) expedition.
Participants must also decide whether to spend a further three months on the Volunteering, Physical or Skills section.
The decision is entirely theirs. It must be made at the start but can be reviewed later.
To achieve their Award, participants must have completed their programme and be at least 14½ years old. It is possible to allow a young person to start their Bronze programme shortly before their 14th birthday, if they are part of a larger group that is aged 14 plus. This often happens when friends or a school year group decide to embark on their adventures together. However, for this to be allowed, you must be sure that the young person is sufficiently mature to do their programme and also gain approval from your DofE Licensed Organisation.
| Volunteering | 3 months |
| Physical | 3 months |
| Skills | 3 months |
| Expedition | Plan, train for and undertake a 2 day (1 night) expedition. At least 6 hours during the daytime (at least 3 of which must be spent journeying). Time associated with overnight accommodation and catering is additional to the minimum daytime hours of planned activity. You have to undertake at least one practice expedition as part of your training. This may be more closely supervised than your final assessed expedition, which is remotely supervised to develop independence and a sense of personal responsibility. |
All participants must undertake a further 3 months in the Volunteering, Physical or Skills sections.
Silver Award (15+ years old)
Participants spend a minimum of six months volunteering. For the Physical and Skills sections, they must spend a minimum of six months on one and three on the other.
The Expedition involves planning, training for and undertaking a three day (two night) expedition.
The decision on which section to do for the longest time is totally theirs. If they have jumped straight into their Silver programme they’ll need to do a further six months either volunteering or doing whichever of the physical or skills activity they spent more time on. This decision must be made at the start but can be reviewed later.
To achieve their Award, participants must have completed their programme successfully and be at least 15½ years old if they already have Bronze. Direct entrants must be at least 16 years old before they complete their Silver programme. LOs sometimes let young people who have achieved their Bronze Award make a start on their Silver Award before their 15th birthday. However, in such situations you must consult your LO before agreeing anything.
| Volunteering | 6 months |
| Physical | One section for 6 months and the other section for 3 months |
| Skills | One section for 6 months and the other section for 3 months |
| Expedition | Plan, train for and undertake a 3 day, 2 night expedition. At least 7 hours during the daytime (at least 3½ of which must be spent journeying). Time associated with overnight accommodation and catering is additional to the minimum daytime hours of planned activity. you have to undertake at least one practice expedition as part of your training. This may be more closely supervised than your final assessed expedition, which is remotely supervised to develop independence and a sense of personal responsibility. |
Direct entrants must undertake a further 6 months in either the Volunteering or the longer of the Physical or Skills sections.