The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is an internationally recognised award programme and is the single most sought after non-academic qualification with UK employers and universities.
The D of E Award programme is open to every girl at The Abbey School. You will have the chance to enrol and start the Award in Lower V (Year 10). During the programme you will show you are open to challenge and adventure, you are keen to broaden your horizons, learn new skills, help others, and more than anything you are keen to enjoy a full and interesting life!
Those who achieve an Award have shown evidence of: accepting challenges, working with others, determination and commitment, a willingness to learn new things, planning and organisational skills and a desire to enjoy and experience life! This is part of the reason why it is valued so highly by future employers and universities.
At The Abbey we have an excellent reputation for providing ‘D of E’ opportunities. The girls can follow a Silver Level Programme in LV and UV, and then progress to a Gold Level in the Sixth Form. We currently have over 120 girls working through their programmes.
There are 4 sections to complete at Silver: Volunteering, Skills, Physical and Expedition. Each of the first 3 sections requires a minimum amount of time (3, 6 or 12 months) and must be signed off by an approved Assessor, while the Expedition section requires the girls to complete, after training and practice, a 3 day, 2 night self sufficient, unaccompanied expedition.
If you think about all the things you do already and the people you and your friends and family know, you will probably find you can arrange one or two sections fairly easily so that once you enrol you can go straight into these activities. The school is here to support and advise you in these sections.
The section that is many people’s highlight is the Expedition section. At The Abbey we have the expertise and resources to provide you with opportunities to take part in Training Expeditions, Practice Expeditions and Assessed Expeditions. We are very successful at preparing and enabling the girls to pass their Expedition section (but you must still prove you are worthy of Assessment!). Silver expeditions take place in rural open countryside such as the Golden Valley and Wiltshire. Gold then moves on to more remote challenging wilderness terrain such as the Brecon Beacons, Peak District or Snowdonia.
For more information on ‘D of E’ at The Abbey please keep your eye on the school website or contact Mr Godfrey on godfreyri@theabbey.co.uk For further general information please refer to the official Duke of Edinburgh’s Award website www.dofe.org.