Updated: 22nd December 2011         For your diary:  

MEETINGS - new SILVER Award participants are required to attend Expedition training, fortnightly sessions on Friday evening 3:50 to 5:25 in H203.  Silver members who have completed Bronze see Mrs Cocker.  NEXT MEETING Jan 6th.

2011 New Bronze enrolments - year 9 interested in joining DofE should watch for the adverts and assembly.  MUST be 14 years old.

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award aims to promote teamwork and personal development by providing young people with the opportunities to demonstrate their commitment in a wide variety of sports and skills, as well as in a range of social or environmental settings.

The Award is designed so that you can follow your own interests at your own pace.  With three levels you can put in as much time, or as little, as you wish.

 DofE aims to develop many qualities that are great both for the world of work & when studying, such as:

<> Self reliance and independence.      <>  Interpersonal skills.

<> Leadership & motivating others.       <> Problem solving.   

<> Effective communication                 <> Reliability

So whether you are writing a C.V. or filling in your U.C.A.S. form;  saying that you have completed DofE is great evidence of your motivation and reliability. 

Anyone considering the BTEC in Public Services should strongly consider participating in DofE.

And hopefully you will make lifelong friendships.

View the Award annual (2011) report here.

The Award has three levels, each requiring greater commitments in return for higher rewards. You will need to commit one hour a week over three or six months (at Bronze) to three sections:

• Sport                (e.g. rugby or horse riding)
• Skill                   (e.g. lifesaving, musical instrument)
• Volunteeering    (e.g. work in charity shop)
• An expedition.  We do some training , then your 2-day practice camp and then a qualifying venture.  Finally you present some information (purpose work) about your trip.  The best I have seen was a murder mystery video.
• Open the link to the official website for more information.

Step 1:  Read the student letter or the parent's booklet giving more information about The Award by clicking here to open the downloads page of the website.

Step 2:  Then discuss the Award with your parents as there are costs and they may need to drive you to some activities.  There is more information on the official website.

Step 3:  We plan to run a short project that can be claimed by older recuits for their skill or volunteering section prior to formal enrolment (Oct-Dec 2011), as you can make a start by keeping a record of your after school activities for up to 3 months before officially joining if you are over 14.

Step 4:  Look out for advertising on school and speak to Mr Hoad or Mrs Harrison - we will run enrollment assemblies in November-December each year.

If you enjoyed your Bronze DofE Award you may wish to consider the Silver Award.  You can go directly to Silver but must add six months to one of your 6 month sections.

• You must be over 15 years old.
• Volunteering section must be at least 6 months.
• Physical & skills sections should be one for 6 months and one for 3 months.
• 2-night expedition & 3-day expedition in more challenging terrain.
• See Mr Cocker for information or click here.

We are discussing school participation in the Ten Tors challenge.

The Chaucer Tech unit does not currently offer the Gold Award.

If you are enrolled at several sites as part of the Canterbury school's consortium there is an opportunity to enrol in Gold as part of a unit at any of these participating schools.

There is an OPEN AWARD centre in Canterbury which welcomes participants from across the city.  Ask for contact details.

The post-16 curriculum has been re-invigorated with General Studies AS & a Thinking Skills Qualification.  Sixth form students are strongly encouraged to use some tutorial sessions each week to contribute to the wider school community through mentoring, prefect duties or other activities.

 DofE Bronze Award would be an excelllent addition to your C.V. or U.C.A.S. reference and would link well with the school voluneering scheme.

Jump to 'Year 12' page in Venture Training section.