We are pleased to be able to offer bronze, silver and gold levels of the Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) at Cobham Free School. This opportunity is open to all CFS students in Year 9 - Year 13.
What is the DofE?
The DofE is a national programme for 14-24 year olds. It offers an opportunity to discover new interests and talents whilst having fun with friends. The DofE is a recognised mark of achievement and a tool to develop essential skills for life and work.
How does it work?
The DofE is split into three progressive levels: bronze, silver and gold. For levels bronze and silver there are four sections to complete and five sections to complete for gold. The sections are:
physical - any sport, dance or physical activity
volunteering - giving time to help people, the community or society, the environment or animals
skill - pursuing a non-physical hobby or skill
expedition - students will plan, train and complete an unaccompanied, self-reliant expedition. There will be at least one practice expedition and a qualifying expedition.
residential (gold only) - spending time away from home taking part in a shared activity within an organised group or registered charity with people you don’t know.
If you need help choosing an activity the DofE have provided the below inspiration:
Many of the requirements can be completed through the after school ECAs (Extra Curricular Activities).
Recording your achievements
Students will need to record their achievements and activities on eDofE. This is an interactive online system that manages the DofE programme and helps Leaders to monitor participants progress. Instructions (video) on how to use eDofE >
The students are responsible for creating and recording their own programmes, but parents and carers play an invaluable role in supporting them.
Why do the DofE?
The benefits to taking part in the DofE programme are endless. Achieving an award gives students skills that cannot always be taught in the classroom, they will develop self-belief and confidence.
The DofE Award is a fantastic addition to a CV or UCAS application and can give students an edge over other applicants. It shows students have developed skills through extra-curricular activities, such as communication, commitment, leadership and teamwork. The Award is a fantastic way to demonstrate and evidence these skills in practice.