Bronze Award

Many Lower Fifths choose to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Bronze Award Scheme.  Indeed, most have already started their expedition training in the Upper Fourth.  The award requires participation in four different areas: service, skill, physical recreation, and an expedition.  Each of the skill, service and physical recreation activities must be extra-curricular and must be pursued for at least fifteen hours spread over a minimum of three months.  The participants must then choose one of these activities to follow for a further fifteen hours over another three months.  The participants are expected to show commitment, enthusiasm and progress during their period of involvement.  They should discuss their activities with their teacher/assessor before they begin their participation.  They will need to take their record book to be signed at the end of their period in the activity.

Service

Service involves learning about, and participating in, some form of community service.  Some forms of service contain a substantial training element.  They include Helping Children, First Aid, Life Saving and Sign Language when such courses are available.  Other forms of service have a more practical basis but should still involve an element of training.  They include helping in the school library, working in a charity shop, helping the elderly or disabled, conservation work etc.  Some of these options are particularly suitable for those who have a busy school schedule, but who can spare some time in each of their leaves, or in the holidays.

Skill

This area demands the pursuit of a hobby or interest, such as speech and drama, cookery, computing, video making, playing a musical instrument, singing in sub-choir, debating, rifle shooting, etc.  Almost any hobby is suitable provided that an assessor can be found.  Many more ideas can be found on the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award web site www.theaward.org.

Physical Recreation

Every student must participate in a sport.  This must be an extra-curricular involvement in such sports as tennis, squash, hockey, football, trampolining, aerobics, running, or swimming.  Being a member of a squad and attending team practices in a chosen sport are also acceptable, as is use of the Fitness Suite on a regular basis.

Expeditions

All the girls will have attended training for the expedition in their Upper Fourth year.  Early in the Autumn term of their Lower Fifth year they will go on a practice expedition. The assessed expedition takes place in the Summer term, and involves a walk of approximately 32 kilometres over two days and a night’s camping.  Participants are required to complete an individual diary of the expedition and a group project.

Silver Award

Most girls go straight from Bronze to Gold but provison can be made for any girl wishing to take the Silver Award

Gold Award

An increasing number of girls have already started their Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award in the Upper V, bypassing the Silver award.  Many start the Gold award in the Lower VI; some complete it before leaving Clarence and some complete it at any point up to their twenty-fifth birthday, using their GAP year or university experiences. 

The requirements for each section are set out below.

Participation in some form of community service, either in school or in

the wider community of High Wycombe or your own home

area. You must  complete sixty hours of the same sort of practical

service spread over at least twelve months.

This involves:

One practice expedition at Gold standard, i.e. four days with a minimum of eight hours planned activity each day and, if walking, completing a distance of between 50km and 100km. 

One Gold assessment – same criteria as practice

Two one-day (or equivalent) training sessions to cover navigation, weather and hill-skills.

Expeditions are normally done on foot within the UK.  One expedition per year will be organised through school and girls can attend one year for their practice and another year for their assessed expedition (this is normally done in the Easter holidays).

Progression from a practice to an assessed expedition is not automatic and girls must have demonstrated sufficient competence during the practice expedition to be considered safe. Often some elements of the training course will need to be repeated, and in some instances a second practice expedition will be necessary.

Those for whom Wycombe's dates are unsuitable can be directed to outside organisations through which they can complete their expeditions. It is the parents' responsibility to check that they are happy with the organisation before allowing their daughter to participate.

Any girl chossing to travel by canoe, sailing boat, bicycle or horse will have to do the expedition with an outside agent.

The pursuit of a skill (preferably a new skill) for six months, or for twelve months if doing six months of the Physical Recreation.  Many ideas can be found on the website www.theaward.org.

Active participation, and progress, in a chosen physical activity for six months, or for twelve if doing six months of the Skill.  This must be extra-curricular, although attending team practices as a member of a school squad is also acceptable. 

Direct Gold participants - those who have not already gained their Silver Award - must complete an extra six months either in the Service section or in the Skill or Physical Recreation section that they have chosen to pursue for twelve months.  This means the minimum time needed to complete the award is 18 months.

Taking part in a residential project, staying at a centre/camp/hostel for at least five consecutive days, working with others who are not already known to you.  The project may be voluntary work or a training course.

J Pope

Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Leader