Duke of Edinburgh Award

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a life-changing experience, a fun time with friends and an opportunity to discover new interests and talents. It is also a chance to develop essential skills for life and work and is a recognised mark of achievement respected by employers and further education establishments.

Students from Year 9 at Archway School are offered the opportunity to do a DofE programme at Bronze level and then move onto two further progressive levels; Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

There are four sections to complete at Bronze and Silver level and five at Gold. They involve helping the community/environment, becoming fitter, developing new skills, planning, training for and completing an expedition and, for Gold only, working with a team on a residential activity.

We offer all students the chance to do their DofE, and each individual programme is unique to the student’s selected activities.  Achieving an Award isn’t a competition or about being first. It’s all about setting personal challenges and pushing personal boundaries. Through a DofE programme young people have fun, make friends, improve their self-esteem and build confidence. They gain essential skills and attributes for work and life such as resilience, problem-solving, team-working, communication and drive, enhancing CVs and university and job applications. 

As a DofE licensed organisation, Archway School is able to register students onto the awards and support them through their programmes, helping them to choose their activities, set their objectives and achieve their Award.

In 2024/25 Archway School has in excess of 150 students registered on an award programme and wish them all well in successfully meeting their outcomes.