At our school the DofE Award has been well established since 1984 and we proudly promote it at Bronze level to our Year 9s and Silver for our Year 10s each year. 

The DofE Award is many things to many people, supporting generations to successfully navigate adult life. A life-changing experience; a fun time with friends; an opportunity to discover new interests and talents; a tool to develop essential skills for life and work. A recognised mark of achievement, respected by employers.

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 university and job applications. Top employers recognise the work-ready skills Award holders bring to their business.

There are four sections to complete at Bronze and Silver level and five at Gold. They involve helping the community/environment, becoming fitter, developing new skills, planning, training for and completing an expedition and, for Gold only, working with a team on a residential activity.

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.

The DofE licenses organisations that work with young people aged 14-24 years to run DofE programmes, such as schools, colleges, youth groups and clubs. Through the Licensed Organisation (LO) young people (or their parents / carers) pay for a Participation Place and are supported by Leaders who support them through their programmes, helping them to choose their activities, set their objectives and achieve their Award.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is a registered charity, funded by donations, Participation Places and licences. The charity works with LOs across the UK to increase opportunities for young people to gain the benefits of doing their DofE.

We keep the cost as low as possible, the fee paid includes the cost of the DofE Participation Place, campsite fees, travel costs and group equipment. There will be additional costs for personal equipment and food for the expedition.

All participants record their progress through each of the programme sections online via the eDofE app.

Staff currently involved in delivering the Award Programme include:

Miss Hands - DofE Manager and Expedition Assessor

Mrs Blackwell – Expedition Supervisor and Expedition Assessor

Mr Barker - DofE Supervisor

Mrs Halls - DofE Verifier

All leaders are qualified and experienced in their respective roles.

Many other school staff also give up their valuable time to assist with training and supervising expeditions.

We began our Forest School experiences nearly 20 years ago and over the past seven years we have offered weekly 2-hour sessions to selected Year 7 students, each group spending one term on a programme of Forest School activities. The sessions are run during the school day and are planned and delivered by two members of staff, Mr Everett and Mrs Tully, who are qualified Forest School Leaders.

Our activities support the main curriculum (particularly Literacy, Science, Maths and The Arts) and have a strong emphasis on developing children’s self-esteem and confidence, as well as having fun! No charge is made for these sessions.

Forest School programmes operate all year round in all weather conditions, and will only be cancelled in the event of dangerous stormy weather, when there is a serious risk of trees being brought down.

All activities are risk assessed and are run by trained staff under the supervision of a professionally trained Level 3 Forest School Leader. Activities, which are largely child-centred, include shelter building, wood carving, natural weaving, woodland management, fire lighting and cooking on open fires. Children are also trained in the use of forest tools such as bow saws, woodcraft knives, billhooks, and loppers.

Quality Forest School is delivery which holds to all six key principles that shape and govern the Forest School ethos. Forest School is unique in its reach, delivery and effect.

These six principles are:

1. Forest School is a long-term process of regular sessions, rather than one-off or infrequent visits; the cycle of planning, observation, adaptation and review links each session
2. Forest School takes place in a woodland or natural environment to support the development of a lifelong relationship between the learner and the natural world
3. Forest School uses a range of learner-centred processes to create a community for being, development and learning
4. Forest School aims to promote the holistic development of all involved, fostering resilient, confident, independent and creative learners
5. Forest School offers learners the opportunity to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and to themselves
6. Forest School is run by qualified Forest School practitioners, who continuously maintain and develop their professional practice