The Duke of Edinburgh's Award
What is the Duke of Edinburgh Award?
- The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) is a globally recognised youth development programme for young people aged 14–24. It was founded in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, it helps young people build skills, confidence and resilience through structured personal challenges.
- It helps young people to develop their potential through experiences that build resilience, teamwork, responsibility and personal achievement. Experiences such as learning a new musical instrument, coaching and mentoring, volunteering at food banks or training and practicing a sport.
- The Duke of Edinburgh Award is based on ideas and values of educator Kurt Hahn (Prince Philip’s former teacher), who believed young people grow through challenge, service and adventure.
Who Can Take Part?
At Castle View School we offer both the Bronze and Silver Awards, offering the Bronze Award to our Year 9 students and the Silver Award to our Year 10 and 11 students.
The Four Sections
To achieve the Bronze and Silver Award, students are required to complete a set of four activity sections:
- Volunteering
Giving service to individuals, charities or the community.
- Skills
Developing new skills or personal interests (e.g., music, crafts, coding).
- Physical
Improving fitness or taking part in sports or physical activity.
- Expedition
Training for and undertaking an adventurous journey (such as hiking or canoeing).
Programme Structure
Depending on which Award level a student completes, they choose their own activities and set personal, achievable goals. With the support by a DofE Leader who helps with planning, safety, and progress tracking through the online system eDofE, as well as prepare them for the expeditions.
