At Northwood College we run the full DofE Award. Girls can start their DofE Award in Year 9 with the aim to finish Gold level by the end of Year 12.
Duke of Edinburgh Award
At Northwood College we run the full DofE Award. Although the girls have to do the various sections in their own time, they (and parents) have ready access to the College's Award Co-ordinator at break times and after school.
Girls can start their DofE Award in Year 9 with the aim to finish Gold level by the end of Year 12. Thus can then go on to UCAS forms and form part of student's personal statement. Following the complete Award shows that girls are ready to set themselves long term challenges as well as the shorter term ones set by each level.
For Bronze and Silver levels girls have to complete four sections:
- Skill
- Physical
- Volunteering
- Expedition
Our experience is that all girls are often doing activities which fit with two of these sections and that some are doing activities which fit with 3 of the sections.
The College runs the expedition section and trains the girls to ensure that they have the maximum chance of succeeding on their first attempt at a Qualifying expedition for their level – success is not guaranteed though! At Gold the College works in partnership with an external company.
The minimum age for starting Bronze is 14. Girls usually have this birthdady in Year 9. As College trains all girls as a group, it has gained permission for all Year 9 girls to start their Bronze level expedition section irrespective of their age. There are some consequences for their other sections, but these still enable girls to finish with the rest of their peer group.
The aim for Bronze level is to complete all sections by the December of their Year 10.
Silver level starts at College in the January of Year 10. There are training sessions for the expedition level during the Spring term and the Summer term is spent ensuring that the qualifying expedition route cards and activity plans are completed.
The Silver expeditions are timed to fit in with external and internal exams. The initial expedition takes place during the Easter holidays. This may be a training or a Practice expedition depending upon the girls' experience and progress. The next expedition is in early July and the first Qualifying opportunity is in late August. For girls who need an alternative or additional date, the final expedition of the season takes place in the October half term.
As with Bronze level, participants do not to be 15 to start the expedition section as, once again, College has permission to start all participants off at the same time.
Girls have to be 16 (Year 11 to Year 12) before they can start Gold level. Because of GCSE examinations, the expeditions at this level take place in Year 12. Generally, a training expedition takes place in the October half term and this is followed by a Practice expedition during the May Half term (usually after the AS examinations) with Qualifying opportunites in the Summer holidays (either beginning, end or both). These dates are agreed to by all participants and the company we use tries to be as flexible as possible, bearing in mind the group sizes.
As well as the previous 4 sections, girls on the Gold level have to do a fifth section – Residential. This involves a 5 day, 4 night stay away by themselves doing any activity they choose. Ideally, they also organise this, although it is acceptedthat parents will have an input, especially if a charge is involved.
It is possible for girls to go from Bronze to Gold, or to enter at Gold level. Experience has shown that the girls still need to do a lot of preparation for the expedition section as they do not have the skills needed. For girls who have never done DofE, we recommend that they attempt Silver level in Year 12.
We provide a lot of the group equipment for the Expedition section at all levels but girls are expected to provide their own personal equipment – rucksack, walking boots, sleeping bag and wet weather clothing are the normal items obtained by all.
Two parents evenings are held. The first is for all aspiring new entrants at any level, then each level has a pre-expedition meeting for parents to ask any questions they might have. Advice about equipment is usually given out at the first meeting and then re-iterated at the second meeting.
Mrs S Norris
DofE Award Co-ordinator email: DofE@NorthwoodCollege.co.uk