Oundle School
Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
Coordinator: Mr S.R. Heath
Oundle offers all levels of the Award Scheme: Bronze, Silver and Gold. The scheme is entirely voluntary and no pupil has to drop another activity in order to pursue an award. It offers a constructive individual challenge, enjoyable activities and encourages personal development. It also helps to develop initiative and organisation, and always includes an expedition, which has sometimes been completed in a foreign country. At any one time, from the Third Form to the Upper Sixth, almost half the school is involved in the scheme, making Oundle's Award Group one of the largest of any school in the country.
The Award is a four Section Programme with three progressive levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. A specific time on Wednesdays from 5.00 p.m. is set aside for the pupils to receive instruction and guidance.
Bronze Award: Mrs T.E. Raftery
Bronze
Duke of Edinburgh Award Information for parents.
Bronze
Duke of Edinburgh, Letter to parents. Posted 17/03/08
Bronze
Duke of Edinburgh, Kit List
Bronze
Duke of Edinburgh, Sample Service letter
This involves:
• Service (helping the community)
• Skills, for either three or six months (a hobby,
skill or interest);
• Physical Recreation, three or six months (sports,
fitness);
• Expedition (on foot) where pupils plan, prepare and
undertake a two day and one night venture in the area local to Oundle, which
is supervised by staff. Pupils will also undertake a practice expedition in
the previous week. Pupils are expected to have completed their Skill, Service
and Physical Recreation strands before the expedition, which takes place in
the last week of the Trinity Quarter. This year the Bronze Award has attracted
over 150 Third form pupils..
Silver Award: Ms A. Dean and Mr W. Gough
At this level the participants follow a similar format to the Bronze section of the Award, however, the commitment to each section is a further six months. The Expedition section is a three day and two night venture on foot, cycling, horseback, or a water venture. Several of the Silver Teams are currently undertaking a new cycling venture in the Peak District. The expedition takes place in the Michaelmas Holiday or the long exeat in the Easter Quarter. Participants who do not hold their Bronze Award must undertake a further six months in either the Service or the longer of the Skills/Physical Recreation Section. All strands must be completed by the start of the Easter Holiday.
The Silver Award attracts a large proportion of the Fifth Form.
Silver
Duke of Edinburgh Expeditions, Letter, May 2008
Gold: Mr S.R. Heath
The Gold Award follows logically from the previous sections, but requires
a longer time commitment focusing on a 'marathon' rather than a 'sprint' adage.
The Expedition section incorporates all the ventures offered by the Silver
Award, but participants do have the opportunity to go Sailing.
However, the Gold Award does have a Residential Section that pupils must undertake.
This involves a shared activity in a residential setting away from home for
five days and four nights. Previous Residentials have involved many of the
trips run by the School, for example, attending the AAAS
in the USA, the SCIC in conjunction with the CCF and the Mencap
holiday delivered at Oundle School also counts towards the Residential
Section
Participants who do not hold their Silver Award must undertake a further six months in either the Service or the longer of the Skills/Physical Recreation Section. 70 pupils took part in the Gold Award during 2006/2007.
Duke of Edinburgh Award website
Midlands Region Duke of Edinburgh website
The Award Year Out, a Gap year opportunity.
Gold
Duke of Edinburgh Expedition Consent Letter
Sample route cards, and the Green Form, will be avaialble for download from the School internal servers. Please contact Mr Heath if you experience any difficulties.