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Duke of Edinburgh

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is the premier personal development award for young people and provides an internationally recognised qualification encouraging independence in young people outside the classroom. 

The aim of the Award is to provide an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding personal development programme and so it takes in almost all aspects of extra-curricular school life.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is non-competitive, voluntary and open to all. It demonstrates commitment to various activities and it is a marathon, not a sprint. The idea is to set your own personal goals and then strive to meet them.

The Award consists of activities in four sections: Volunteering, Physical, Skills and an Expedition.

Volunteering: Participants help people in the local community.

Physical: This section gives participants the opportunity to develop in a physical activity of their choice.

Skills: Participants pursue a hobby, skill or interest.

Expedition: This section encourages participants to learn to use maps and to become self-sufficient whilst exploring the great outdoors.

Participants must plan and execute a self-sufficient expedition with others and strong team skills are essential. 

The Bolsover School has an enthusiastic and active Duke of Edinburgh’s Award group. We run the Bronze Award for students in Year 9 and the Silver in Year 10. However, students can delay their start if they wish.

To complete the Bronze Award it is necessary to do one of the activities for a period of six months and the other two for three months. For the Silver Award the Volunteering section runs for six months and one other activity is for the same amount of time. The third activity is completed over a three month period.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is the world’s leading young person’s achievement award, giving students the opportunity to be the very best that they can be by pushing personal boundaries and gaining new skills and is recognised by employers, colleges and universities.

If you need any further information, please contact the DofE Coordinator at school: D.Paget@thebolsoverschool.org.uk