Nottingham Girls’ High SchoolDuke of Edinburgh’s Award

Gold Training, Practice andQualifying Expeditions

2014 - 2015

Notti ngham Girls’ High School, 9 Arboretum Sreet, Notti ngham NG1 4JB Tel: 0115 941 7663www.notti nghamgirlshigh.gdst.net

Background Information

Dear Parent/Guardian and student,

Please find enclosed the information that you will need in order to fulfil the expedition requirements of the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

The Gold Award is currently offered to girls in Year 12.

Once girls are registered with their scheme, the responsibility lies with them for carrying out the Skill, Volunteering and Physical sections of the award. The school makes arrangements to train the girls enabling them to develop the skills that they will need to successfully carry out their practice and qualifying expeditions.

The award cannot be completed with a short burst of enthusiasm. The scheme demands persistence and commitment, it is a marathon and not a sprint. It aims to introduce participants to a range of new opportunities, allowing them to learn from their experiences and enable them to discover hidden capabilities and talents. The value and significance of the award is proportional to the degree of personal commitment.

The nature of the award requires participants to make their own decisions and accept responsibility for the consequences. It aims to develop qualities such as initiative, resilience and leadership whilst experiencing a sense of fun and enjoyment.

Dates

All participants must attend the activities outlined in the timetable below. Students unable to attend on one or more of the days indicated are responsible for making their own arrangements to complete the expedition section of the award. Nottingham Girls’ High School will not be held responsible for this.

Timetable of Gold D of E activities 2014 - 2015:

Deadline to hand in enrolment form Monday 13 October 2014

eDofE lunchtime session Autumn term 2014(one lunchtime session)

Expedition planning workshop (NGHS) Saturday 6 December 2014

Residential training (Dark Peaks) Saturday 7 - Sunday 8 February 2015

Practice expedition (Dark Peaks) Wednesday 15 - Friday 17 April 2015

Expedition planning workshop (NGHS) Tuesday 21 April 2015

Qualifying expedition (location tbc) Monday 10 - Friday 14 August 2015

Instructors and campsites need to be pre-booked and therefore we are unable to accept any consent forms received after Monday 13 October 2014. In addition, we are unable to issue refunds as a result of illness or withdrawal from the scheme.

Should you choose to enrole in the scheme, a charge will be put onto your Parent Pay account by Monday 13 November 2014. Payment needs to be made by Friday 21 November 2014. Please email j.lynn@not.gdst.net if you would like to pay in instalments.

Walking £460 per person

£ per team 1 team 2 or more teams Supplement

Canoeing £6,640 £4,885

Cycling £5,000 £4,115 £300 per person (cycle hire)Horse Riding £4,480 £3,430

The cost of the award covers the following:• Registration fee with D of E• Operating authority service charge• Training days (both in and out of school)• Practice and qualifying expeditions• Campsite fees• Certificate and pin badge (when the award has been completed)• Tent, stove, maps and map cases• Public Liability Insurance

The cost of the award does not include:• Transport to and from the start and finish points • Food• Personal equipment (see kit list)

Cost

Practice and QualifyingExpedition Kit List - Walking

Personal clothing and equipment

As stated in the ‘cost’ section, participants will be required to supply their own kit in order to complete the award. A small amount of kit is available to borrow from school. Please see Miss Lynn for further details. Once registered, participants will receive a 15% discount card for Cotsworld Outdoor. Other places to source kit include Blacks, Decathalon and Yeomans Outdoors (10% discount).

Use the table below as a check list of the items that you need to bring to your Practice and Qualifying Pre Expedition checks.

Practice Expedition

Qualifying Expedition

Expedition rucksack (65 litre)Rucksack linerWalking boots with ankle supportWalking socks x 2T-shirt / topFleeceWalking trousers (not jeans)Waterproof trousersWaterproof jacketWarm hatGlovesWater bottle (1-2 litres)WhistlePencil and notebookPersonal first aid kit (to include personal medication, blister plasters, normal plasters, triangular bandage)Emergency food rations (eg. Mars bar)Sun hat

Sun creamSleeping bagSleeping matBowl, mug, cutleryWash kit and towelTorch and spare batteriesSpare clothesWatch

Group Kit

Each team must bring the equipment listed below between them:

Practice Expedition

Qualifying Expedition

Matches/lighterWashing-up liquid, scourer and tea towelMeths ProvidedStove ProvidedTent ProvidedMaps ProvidedCompassRoutecards (including activity log) Team needs to print at least 2

copiesMobile Phone 1 per group. Switched off and

sealed in a plastic bagEmergency survival bag 2 per groupMenu plan. (Only food item that you need to bring to the kit check is your emergency food)

Team need to print off a copy

Rubbish bagsToilet paper (small quantity in plastic bag)Antibacterial hand gel

Insect repellentCamera (optional)

See separate kit list for Canoeing, Cycling and Horse Riding.

A high standard of behaviour is expected at all times whilst on expedition. Rules for conduct on expeditions must be adhered to, including:

• Instructors must be treated with respect and courtesy.• Each group must walk together unless a medical emergency means

that the group needs to divide in order to get help.• Bad language will not be tolerated at any time on expeditions.• Only one mobile phone per group is permitted on the expedition,

in a sealed plastic bag, to be used in an emergency only. Other electronic items (i-pods, i-pads etc) are also not permitted at any time on D of E.

• Noise must be kept to a minimum on campsites.• Alcohol or smoking are not permitted at any time on the expedition.

D of E expeditions are based on trust. If a student is found in wilful breach of the D of E rules, including those for mobile phones, she will be withdrawn from the expedition section immediately and will be banned from subsequent D of E expeditions with the school.

The D of E scheme sets out twenty conditions for the expedition. Details of them can be found at www.dofe.org. All members of the team must abide by all of the conditions. These include:

• Your expedition must be by your own physical effort, without any motorised or outside assistance.

• Your expedition must be unaccompanied and self-sufficient. • You must be properly equipped for your expedition.• You must do the minimum hours of planned daily activity for your D

of E level. • You should cook and eat a substantial meal each day.• You must create and deliver a presentation after your expedition to

complete the section.

Expedition Code of Conduct

The expedition section of the award involves self-reliant journeying in the countryside. Expeditions are designed to present participants with an appropriate challenge in terms of purpose and achievement with minimum leader intervention. Participants will be closely supervised on their practice expedition by an instructor. On their qualifying expedition, participants will be remotely supervised at various checkpoints. It is important to be aware that there will not be an adult present at all times throughout the expedition. A supervisor will be allocated to each group; they will check on the safety and wellbeing of participants at some check points and at the campsite. In addition, an assessor will check on each participant’s navigation competency and camp craft skills at various points throughout the qualifying expedition.

Since participants will not be directly supervised at all times, we operate a code of conduct policy. Both parent/guardian and daughter must sign this saying that they agree to abide by it. Further details are overleaf.

Note on mobile phones

Whilst participants are out on expedition, one mobile phone is allowed per group. This must be switched off and taped up in a sealed bag for use in an emergency only. Other mobile phones and electronic devices are not allowed on D of E. If participants are caught with a mobile phone (except for use in an emergency) they will fail the award, as explained in the code of conduct, and will not be able to continue with the expedition section of the award with NGHS.

Expedition Supervision

Notes

Part of the GDST network of schoolswww.gdst.net

Nottingham Girls’ High School9 Arboretum Street

Nottingham NG1 4JBt: 0115 941 7663

nottinghamgirlshigh.gdst.net