Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

John Beddoes Campus and Newtown High school are proud to offer the Duke of Edinburgh award. We have been running the award for as a licensed organiser since 2017.  We currently have 13 pupils taking part in our Bronze Award scheme on the John Beddoes Campus and have recently been able to congratulate last year’s Silver and Bronze category candidates for completing their awards successfully.

We are also enormously proud that some of our pupils are going on to complete their DofE Gold awards at Hereford 6th Form College for the second year running.  

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is all about giving our youth opportunities and is accessible to all pupils in at John Beddoes Campus in Year 9, 10 and 11 at Bronze, Silver and Gold Level.  

“The DofE encourages teamwork and social interaction and helps young people to stand out from the crowd when applying for university and jobs”. Imagine giving your child the opportunity to be the very best they can be. Introduce them to the DofE and they’ll gain valuable skills, have incredible experiences and make friends for life” (DofE website 2018) 

The award is made up from four sections, which pupils need to complete. The first three are Volunteering, Skills and Physical. Pupils make their own choices from a long list of approved activities. Pupils then undertake these activities for a minimum of one hour each week and the timespan for each depends on the level of the award they are following. At the Gold level there is an additional requirement to complete a five-day residential challenge, either working for the community or learning a new skill. 

In weekly after school sessions pupils are prepared for their expedition section with training in first aid, map skills and orienteering as well learning practical expedition Skills such as care and use of equipment, such as tents and packs as well as some fun sessions on campfire cooking. Pupils then complete two expeditions, a practice and a final assessed expedition in June and July. Again, the timespan of the expedition depends on the level of the award they are following.

All our Bronze expeditions take place in the local area, while silver and gold expeditions take place further afield. 

The award is a great opportunity to get pupils to engage in new activities or reward them for activities they are already undertaking. It also encourages pupils to consider their community, increase their health and fitness levels, make new friends and create memories that will last a lifetime. It helps them learn to be organised and communicate with people of all ages. Employers and universities regard completion of the award at any level as a sign of a well-rounded individual, capable of rising to a challenge and willing to invest time in altruistic activities. 

For more information about the awards please visit http://www.dofe.org/ or contact the school and speak to Mrs. Griffiths or Mrs. Barden. (DofE Coordinators JBC)