Duke of Edinburgh at Walton le Dale
DofE Official website https://www.dofe.org/
Walton le Dale has run the Duke of Edinburgh award for the past 10 years. As a school we operate as our own licensed centre. Walton le Dale is run by volunteers amongst the staff who endeavour to allow as many students in Year 9 as possible to complete the Award. Students will be introduced to the different areas covered in the award through the festival days in school and anybody interested in applying for a place is given the opportunity to do so. We are committed to ensuring all pupils, regardless of academic attainment, have equal opportunities and the staff at Walton-le-Dale appreciate the benefit that the award can have for all pupils.
The Award requires commitment, hard work and dedication. Students who complete the award are regarded highly by employers and colleges as they understand that to achieve the Duke of Edinburgh means that the student has demonstrated a desire to learn new things and develop themselves beyond the classroom. Participants can expect to learn team work, resilience and problem solving as well as many other tangible skills. For further information on the benefits that the award has for participants follow this link: Beyond the CV - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (dofe.org)
What does the award involve?
There is an enrolment fee to complete the award, covering sign up costs and expedition expenses. We pledge to keep this to a minimum. In order the complete the award in full a participant must firstly be in year 9 or above. They must complete an hour a week for 3 months learning/developing a skill, volunteering and doing something physical. They can then choose to carry one of these section on for an additional 3 months, totalling 6 months. These can be things that the participant already does outside of school time eg. sports clubs, music lessons and community work. There are several opportunities to complete these activities in school (though they cannot do them in lesson time) with co-curricular activities such as PE, Amnesty club and the paired reading scheme.
Ideas for these sections can be found here. Ideas for Activities - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (dofe.org)
They will also need to train for and complete a 2 day expedition with a night camping. They need to be self sufficient and complete all aspects of this form themselves, including the route planning, tent pitching, cooking and cleaning. Full training is given for this after school one night per week.
How does DofE work Walton le Dale?
Duke of Edinburgh starts with a Festival Day. Pupils in year 9 are off timetable for a day to get a sense of what the DofE is and how it can impact their life. They then have the choice to pay the registration fee, upon which they are assigned an EDofE login. This is the website they use to track their progress towards completion. The fee includes costs associated with completing the award, including the expedition and use of equipment. It doesn’t cover costs associated with the volunteering, physical and skill section that are completed in the participant’s own time.
All participants will be required to attend a session after school once a week to train them for their expedition. They will have time to learn and develop all of the skills required to safely complete their expedition section of the award. They will also be given time to record their progress with the 3 other sections that they are completing in their own time.
They will be taken on an expedition in the summer term of year 9. Staff will transport pupils to a pre-determined point where they will begin walking their route to a local campsite. They are assessed by our school staff for the duration of the walk and camp. Staff remain on site with the participants overnight and for the duration of the second day where they then complete a circular walk from the campsite.
The location currently for the qualifying expedition is at Waddecar Scout Activity Centre, Snape Rake Lane, Goosnargh. PR3 2EU. Participants walk from Chipping on a route of approximately 10km to the site, camp and then complete a circular walk of a similar distance on the second day.
After the completion of the expedition participants are required to ensure that Edofe is completed in full and their award will be presented to them.
What is needed?
Parents are asked to provide kit where they can, however school do have spare equipment and will endeavour to lend it when needed as we believe that all students should be able to do DofE and understand many households do not own much of the kit required. This link is the DofE kit list however school will advise the kit that they feel necessary in a meeting closer to the expeditions.
Expedition-Kit-List_Jan2024.pdf (dofe.org)
Which Staff are involved?
At Walton-le-Dale all our staff are involved in the delivery of the DofE in some way. Many facilitate the completion of the skill, volunteering and physical sections with their delivery of the co-curricular activities. Participants of the award are able to complete co-curricular activities and use this as progress toward completion.
With regards to the expedition we have a highly experienced core team in school. Many have additional qualifications that enable our students to get the most out of the experience and complete their expedition safely and successfully.
DofE Coordinator and Expedition Leader: Mr D. Cairns.
DofE Expedition Supervisor: Mrs D. McClelland
DofE Supervisor: Miss S. Sharples
DofE Supervisor: Mr A. Straw
DofE Support (EdofE): Mrs S. Yaqub
DofE Assessor: Mrs L. Lo
DofE Award Validator: Miss C. Rowson
For any enquiries or questions please contact Mr Cairns - dcairns@wldhigh.co.uk
More information can be found online at: What is the DofE? - The Duke of Edinburgh's Award