Aylesbury Grammar SchoolThe Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

 Gold Award Programme: 2015-2016

Format of Meeting

• Information about the DofE Award nationally• Demonstration of the DofE website• Information about the DofE Scheme at the school• General questions• Individual questions – after the meeting

Levels of the Award

At Aylesbury Grammar School we are offering the following:

• Bronze Award: Year 10

• Silver Award: Years 11 and 12

• Gold Award: Years 12 and 13

All participants have until their 25th birthday to complete the award

Once started with DofE, participants can complete it at another centre: they just need to arrange to transfer their account

Sections

• Volunteering: 12 months• Physical: 6 months• Skills: 6 months

Plus an extra 6 months for either the Physical or the Skills Section – participant’s choice which one. Direct entrants must do one of these sections for 18 months

Participation every week, averaging 1 hour per week. All activities must be unpaid and extra-curricular

• Residential: 5-day residential• Expedition: Expedition Training then at least one 4-day

Practice Expedition then a 4–day Qualifying Expedition

Total time commitment: average of 450 hours to successfully complete the award (Silver Award holders)/500 hours (direct entrants)

Completing the Award

For each section of the award, participants need to:

• Set objectives and choose a qualified assessor

• Submit programme planners and get them approved

• Submit evidence and personal comments at the end of each section

• Get signed off by their assessor and submit assessor’s report

• Submit entire section and get it approved

Full information is on the DofE website: www.dofe.org

Recording Progress

Means of recording progress:

eDofE Website:• Text entry• Activity logs• Photographs• Video or audio files• Activity programmes• Team lists• Course syllabuses• Documents• Certificates• Letters of thanks

Only evidence submitted onto the eDofE website can be accredited

Approval of Awards

The procedure for approving awards is:

• Participant uploads and submits evidence each week• DofE Co-ordinator checks and either approves or queries

evidence (giving reasons) • When section is complete, participant submits section• DofE Co-ordinator checks and either approves or rejects

section (giving reasons)• When DofE Co-ordinator has approved all four sections

(Volunteering, Physical, Skills and Expedition), award is automatically sent to DofE for verification

• DofE check award and either approve it or request additional information or evidence

• When DofE have verified award, participant receives email confirming this from DofE

• Certificate and badge are presented at St James’s Palace

Lunchtime Meetings

• 6 x Focus Meetings: 5 in Autumn Term 1 in Spring Term

Formal meeting takes about half an hour with time at the end for individual questions

For the Focus Meetings the Silver and Gold Groups will be combined

Residential Section

Involves spending 5 days and 4 nights away from home on a shared activity with people you’ve never met before

Example programmes could be:• Helping on children’s camps• Animal welfare• Conservation• Outdoor activities• Sailing or watersports• Cookery skills• Drama or music• Helping disabled people• Overseas projects

• Details on National DofE website

Expedition Section

Possibilities for completing the Expedition Section:• Approved Activity Provider: details on National DofE website• Licensed Organisation (Buckinghamshire DofE, Milton Keynes

DofE): details on Buckinghamshire DofE website : dependent on whether they will be offering Gold expeditions in 2016 (the website is currently a year out of date)

• Zest for Adventure: dependent on obtaining the appropriate licence and sufficient numbers to make it viable

Whatever options you decide to go for, you would need to complete DofE approved: Gold Expedition Training, at least one Gold Practice Expedition and a Gold Qualifying Expedition

Costs

Award Scheme:• Award Scheme Fee: £150.00 – payable on enrolment. Non-

refundable Residential Section:

£100.00-£500.00 in total: dependent on project undertaken (typically £200.00-£350.00 in total)

Expedition Section:• Expedition Fees: £400.00-£550.00 in total: dependent on provider

and numbers (Zest for Adventure may well not be able to offer an expedition programme for this price)

• Equipment Hire: typically £23.50 per expedition (depending on what you need) – hired from Buckinghamshire County Council’s DofE equipment store at Green Park. Refundable deposit required

• Expedition Travel, Food and Fuel

Communication

Communication with participants is by:

• Lunchtime Meetings

• Email Messages: to participants

School Website: The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award section

In addition, key information, particularly regarding expedition arrangements, will be emailed to parents

We need to be kept informed of any changes to email addresses

Application deadline: prior to the autumn half-term holiday (direct entrants)/end of autumn term (Silver Award holders)

What Next?

• Read the Launch Letter, Scheme Information and Calendar (available on the school website)

• Complete the Enrolment Form (available on the school website) and hand in to the School Office

• Make payment of the £150.00 Award Scheme Fee by ParentPay

• Attend the first Focus Meeting at 13:45 on Tuesday 6 October

How Parents Can Help

• Read through this Presentation, the Launch Letter, Scheme Information and Calendar

• Put all dates in diary

• Read through regular meeting notes

• Check eDofE website account regularly

• Ensure any equipment is ordered on time

Contact

For information about the Aylesbury Grammar School DofE Award Scheme, please contact the school’s eDofE Website Co-ordinator:

Alison RichardsTelephone: 01296 688492Mobile: 07751 594963Email: alisonrichards07@gmail.com

 For information about the Aylesbury Grammar School DofE Expedition Programme, please contact the school’s DofE Expedition Provider:

David GossTelephone: 01525 850368Mobile: 07900 410327Email: david.goss@zest-for-adventure.co.uk