Duke of Edinburgh

Students are now able to start their bronze award in the school year in which they turn 14 instead of having to wait until after their 14th birthday.  Students are recruited in the autumn term, and will work towards completing the volunteering, skill and physical sections of their award in year 9.  New students starting at JRCS in year 9 are also welcome to start their award.  All those who have started the  award will have eDofE accounts set up for them later in the autumn term, and should upload evidence of their participation and submit it to Ms Montague for approval.  To help with this process eDofE sessions will run from time to time during the year, these sessions are designed as a ‘drop in’ sessions so students can come and go as they need to during the session to get the information that they require, even if they have another after school club.  These sessions will be advertised in assemblies and in The Seagull.  Ms Montague will also be at Year 9 parents evening and options evening to answer questions from both parents and students.

Students will be eligible to take part in the expedition phase of the award which starts in the summer term of year 9 and continues in year 10, provided that they have completed at least two of the sections of the award by June of year 9.  Students will be interviewed by Ms Montague (D of E Manager) early in the summer term to assess their suitability to progress to the expedition stage of the award in year 10.

Students must complete all sections apart from the expedition by Christmas.  They then have the option once in year 10 to begin their silver award in the volunteering skill and physical sections of the award, which if completed will lead to participating in the silver award expedition year 11.

For further information, please see the D of E website www.dofe.org .

D of E Bronze Downloads

DofE Programme

Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh Application

Y10 D OF E BRONZE TRAINING AND EXPEDITION 2021/22

Autumn Term 2021

Training sessions will take place on Tuesdays after school and begin on 14th and 21st September 3:05 – 4:35pm in FC4.  The free training weekend for all those who have made a good start to their volunteering, physical and skill parts of the award takes place on Friday and Saturday 24th and 25th September.  A link to the letter and further information about this weekend is in the ‘Related documents’ section to the right of this page.  The practice and qualifying expeditions will take place in April and May 2022.

Students who wish to start the silver award will receive information in assembly and via e-mail about this later in the autumn term.  The cost of registering for the silver award is £25.  Students continuing from bronze to silver are encouraged to get started with their activities, but please check with Ms Montague that your chosen activity is appropriate for the section concerned.

D of E Bronze Downloads

DofE Programme Ideas

Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award Training for Year 10 October 2021

Bronze Training Weekend Letter 2021

The Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award is offered to students at Jo Richardson at the start of year 10, 11 or 12 (unless they wish to do the gold award at year 12).  Like the bronze award it involves four sections and can be completed in the period of a year.  Participants have to complete volunteering, skill and physical sections over a period of three or six months (two sections for six months and one for three months – straight entrants will need to do an additional three months in one area).  You do not need to have done the bronze award, in which case you are regarded as a straight entrant.

Participants also have to complete a three day, two night expedition, under their own effort which they have planned themselves.  They also have to complete the training for this expedition including at least one practice expedition.

D OF E SILVER TRAINING AND EXPEDITION 2021/22

D of E Silver Downloads

DofE Programme Ideas

Application Yr 10 Silver 2020

D of E Silver Presentation Yr 10 2020

D OF E GOLD

Students will be invited to get involved in the gold award through assemblies and an initial meeting which will take place on Thursday 30th September 3:05 – 3:50pm in SD3.  All are welcome, even if you have not previously participated in the award at silver or bronze level.

Students can start on their activities as soon as possible.  Please e-mail Ms Montague if you need a booklet to record your participation.  Once a registration fee of £30 is paid eDofE accounts will be set up for each student, where you can record participation in your activities.

Decisions about the nature of the expedition and it’s location will be made once a gold group has been formed.

D of E Gold Downloads

DofE Program Ideas

Care of Equipment

The purpose of this sheet is to make explicit to students and parents the importance of caring for Duke of Edinburgh Award equipment owned by the school.  This is especially important in an atmosphere of diminishing funding.

The space we have at school for storing D of E equipment is very limited and we have no room to dry tents etc.  It is part of the expedition training for students to learn to care for equipment correctly.  Therefore as a matter of course, following expeditions D of E students will routinely be required to take home equipment to clean, dry and air it.  The member of staff in charge of the expedition will arrange a time and date to meet students with their clean and dry kit, packed and ready to put away.  It is essential that students turn up with their kit and meet staff as arranged.  If they do not, staff who have already given up much of their weekends and free time have to give up even more time to deal with this issue, and this is not fair or respectful to these dedicated staff.

Also the equipment is frequently required again shortly after the return of an expedition, therefore it is crucial that it is returned on time and in good order so that students do not adversely effect their peers expeditions by leaving them faulty, dirty  and insufficient equipment.

Outlined below is the way that each piece of equipment should be cared for:

Waterproofs

• Sponge any mud and dirt off, if very dirty rinse in a washing machine, air dry thoroughly.  DO NOT USE DETERGENT OR FABRIC SOFTENER AND DO NOT TUMBLE DRY – this ruins the waterproof fabric.

Sleeping bags

• Take out of the stuff sack, and open up the zip fully, turn inside out
•  Hang over a door, lay out on a bed or hang on a washing line for at least six hours.
• If the outside is damp turn back the right way and dry as above.
• Replace the bag in the stuff sack – stuff it in – do not try to roll it
• DO NOT TUMBLE DRY
• IF A LINER IS NOT USED STUDENTS WILL BE CHARGED £15 TO DRY CLEAN THE SLEEPING BAG.

Sleeping bag liners

• For health and hygiene purposes, these MUST be used with any bag that is borrowed at all times.
• Machine wash and dry thoroughly.  Replace the liner in the bag provided.

Sleeping Mat

• These will often appear dry but will often be damp due to condensation.
• Unroll, do not lose elastic, sponge off any dirt or mud with a damp cloth.
• Dry for about 2-3 hours.  (If outside make sure the mat is weighted down so it doesn’t blow away).
• Roll tightly and replace elastic bands.

Ruc sack

• Check all compartments and zip pockets are empty; shake out any dirt and litter. If spillages of food or toiletries have occurred wash out thoroughly.

• Hang out to dry for as long as necessary on a washing line on a sunny day or in a well ventilated room.  Please note that ruc sack fabric and padding is thick and if the bag has become wet during the expedition it will need a few days to dry out.

• Check that all zips and buckles work and check that chest straps are not missing, ensure that the teacher in charge is informed of any problems.

Stove and Fuel

• Gas canisters should be labelled each time they are used to note the amount of fuel left. Bronze group canisters will be collected at the finish point for the expedition.
• Matches and lighters will also be collected at the finish point.
• Silver and gold candidates may well keep their gas canisters between expeditions.  They are responsible for ensuring that they have sufficient gas for each expedition and replacing the canisters that they are initially issued during their first expedition.
• The stoves used are Trangias with gas converters.  The gas converter needs to be sponged off to remove any burned on food residue.  DO NOT IMMERSE IN WATER.  It should then be packed into the black draw string bag.
• Pan handles need to be cleaned thoroughly and dried.

• The stove base and wind shield need to be scoured and dried, they often contain residue where food has boiled over.
• There should be a small and large saucepan, these need to be cleaned and dried thoroughly.
• The kettle (if used/included) needs to be cleaned out and dried.
• The stove once clean and dry needs to be re-packed using the strap
• CHECK THAT THE STOVE KIT CONTAINS ALL OF THE EIGHT OR NINE ITEMS HIGHLIGHTED.

Tent

• Take out of bag, check that nothing is missing, Outer, inner, poles (right colour, number and size) and pegs (right number) and repair kit (if included). Many tents have a check list on the label, use this as a guide.  Inform the member of D of E staff in charge of any missing items.
• Outer – dry thoroughly on a washing line, or in wet weather over four chairs in a well ventilated room. If drying indoors turn over to ensure both sides of the fabric are dry.
• Inner – Undo the door zips, and remove any litter, dirt etc. Sponge the groundsheet if it is very muddy or dirty.  Dry the tent outer as above.
• Poles-remove from bag and lay out to air (do not assemble)
• Pegs – Remove from bag scrape off excess mud, straighten bent pegs and replace in bag.
• NEVER PACK AWAY A WET TENT, IT WILL MOULD AND ROT AND COULD BE MADE UNUSABLE. IN THIS EVENT STUDENTS AND PARENTS/CARERS WILL BE CHARGED FOR REPLACEMENTS WHICH COST FROM £150 – £400.
• When drying tents outside, check that they will not become entangled in sharp fencing or thorn bushes to avoid them being torn.

Equipment Downloads

Equipment Letter 17/18
Care of Equipment
Expedition Equipment Checklist – Bronze & Silver
Expedition Equipment Checklist – Gold Canoeing

Duke of Edinburgh – www.dofe.org

eDofE – www.edofe.org

DofE Kit Guide – http://www.dofeshopping.org/expedition-kit/expedition-kit-guide