What is the Duke of Edinburgh Award?
The Duke of Edinburgh Award is committed to providing young people an enjoyable, challenging and rewarding programme of personal development which is of the highest quality and the widest reach.
The Award Scheme, a registered charity, is a voluntary non-competitive programme of activities for anyone aged 14-25. It provides individual challenge and encourages young people to undertake constructive, challenging and enjoyable activities in their free time.
The Award is a four Section Programme with three progressive levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The Sections involve: Volunteering (helping the community); Skill (a hobby, skill or interest); Physical (sports, dance, fitness); Expeditions (on foot, cycle, horseback, or water).
The four sections aim to develop different skills:
- Volunteering – to encourage service to individuals and the community
- Skill – to encourage the discovery and development of personal interests and social and practical skills
- Physical – to encourage participation and improvement in physical activity
- Expeditions – to encourage a spirit of adventure and discovery
There is an additional requirement at Gold level:
- Residential Project – to broaden experience through involvement with others in a residential setting
Benefits To Participants
In taking part, participants develop:
- self-belief
- self-confidence
- a sense of identity
- independence – of thought and action
- a sense of responsibility
- an awareness of their potential
- new talents and abilities
- an understanding of strengths and weaknesses
- the ability to plan and use time effectively
- the ability to learn from and give to others in the community
- new relationships
- skills including problem solving, presentation and communication
- the ability to lead and work as part of a team
St. Aidan’s runs the Bronze and Gold levels of the Award in Years 10 and 12 respectively. Miss L Blewitt runs the Gold award and Mr R Kirkpatrick is the Bronze Award Co-ordinator. If you are interested in applying, please see the relevant member of staff personally.
Applications are invited at the start of the academic year.
We need all participants to show a great deal of commitment to attending and applying themselves to all the elements of the Scheme. If you would like more information email us at school or visit the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme website.
The dates for Gold and Bronze practice and assessed expeditions are listed on the school calendar.
