1. Aylesbury Grammar School The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award   Gold Award Programme: 2016-2017

2. 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

3. Levels of the Award
At Aylesbury Grammar School we are offering the following:
Bronze Award: Years 9 and 10 (expeditions only in 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

4. 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)

5. 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:

13. 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

14. 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 five sections (Volunteering, Physical, Skills, Residential and Expedition), award is automatically sent to DofE Verifier for final approval
DofE Verifier checks award and either approves it or requests additional information or evidence
When DofE Verifier has approved award, participant receives automatic confirming this from DofE
Certificate and badge are presented by the school

15. Lunchtime Sessions Launch Meeting: Wednesday 2 November
5 x Award Sessions: 4 in autumn term
1 at start of spring term
Formal session takes about half an hour with time at the end for individual questions
For the Launch Meeting and Award Sessions the Silver and Gold Groups will be combined

16. 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

18. Expedition Section
Possibilities for completing the Expedition Section:
Approved Activity Provider: details on National DofE website
Red Kite Expeditions: local, not-for-profit Approved Expedition Provider
Zest for Adventure: dependent on getting sufficient numbers to make it competitive
School: dependent on getting sufficient supervisory staff
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

20. Costs
Award Scheme:
Award Scheme Fee: £ – payable on enrolment. Non-refundable
Residential Section:
£ £ in total: dependent on project undertaken (typically £ £ in total)
Expedition Section:
Expedition Fees: £ £ in total: dependent on provider and numbers (Zest for Adventure or the school may well not be able to offer an expedition programme for this price)
Equipment Hire: typically £22.80 per expedition (depending on what you need) – hired from Adventure Learning Foundation’s DofE equipment store at Green Park. Refundable deposit required
Expedition Travel, Food and Fuel

21. Communication Communication with participants is by:
Lunchtime Sessions
Messages: to participants
School Website: The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award section
In addition, key information, particularly regarding expedition arrangements, will be ed to parents
We need to be kept informed of any changes to addresses
Application deadline: end of November (direct entrants)/end of autumn term (Silver Award holders)

22. 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 £ Award Scheme Fee by ParentPay
Attend the Launch Meeting at 13:45 on Wednesday 2 November in B5

23. 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

24. Contact
For information about the Aylesbury Grammar School DofE Award Scheme, please contact the school’s DofE Co-ordinator: Alison Richards Telephone: Mobile: For information about the Aylesbury Grammar School DofE Expedition Programme, please contact the school’s DofE Expedition Provider: David Goss Telephone: Mobile: