Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme

 

Large numbers of students at Truro School are involved in the scheme at all three levels, and there is a busy schedule of expeditions throughout the year, as well as community service and other activities covered by the scheme.. For the latest reports and pictures, have a look at recent school newsletters.

 

BRONZE

The minimum entry age for the Bronze Award is fourteen, although there is a degree of flexibility so that those to young to enter can do so if they part of a slightly older group, and want to make a start with their friends. At Truro School, Bronze is started in the fourth year (Year 10), with the expedition training, practice and assessment in the spring and summer terms.

 

The minimum requirement for participation in Bronze Award is six months. However, many people take more than six months to complete Bronze, and theoretically it must only be completed before the participant's 25th birthday.

 

At Bronze level, there are four sections to the Award: Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and Expeditions. The Service, Skills and Physical Recreation sections have a minimum participation of three months each, with one of the three being done for a further three months. The sections can be done all at the same time, or separately. The expedition involves planning, preparing for and undertaking a two day venture in a group of between four and seven people. For walking expeditions, this venture must be at least 24km (15 miles) long, and take place in unfamiliar rural country. Alternatives to walking expeditions are possible – see D of E Award Scheme website. For further details of how the Bronze-level expeditions are run at Truro School, click here.

 

For their Bronze Award Service, most participants chose to take a First Aid course run by a member of staff from the Medical Centre at school. However, there are many alternatives available if the participant already holds an up-to-date First Aid qualification. There is more flexibility in the Skills and Physical Recreation section of the Award, with a huge range of options available, which can either be found on the Award website, in the Programmes File in the school library. Click here to visit the Award online library, which provides extensive lists of possible activities, along with an explanation of what is required. Use the Back button in your browser to return to this page.

Pupils who start their Bronze Award are expected to complete it before commencing their Silver Award.

 

SILVER

The minimum entry age for the Silver Award is 15, and it takes a minimum of six months to complete the level if the participant has already completed the Bronze Award. If a person is attempting Silver without having started/completed Bronze, they are called a 'Direct Entrant', and have to complete extra training, etc. Pupils who commence their Bronze Award at Truro School are expected to complete that Award before commencing the Silver Award. As with Bronze, theoretically it must only be completed before the participant's 25th birthday. At Truro School, Silver is started in the fifth year (Year 11), with the expedition practice and assessment in the spring and summer terms.

At Silver level, there are four sections to the Award: Service, Skills, Physical Recreation and Expeditions. A Bronze Award holder must complete six months of their chosen service, and either three months for their skill and six months for the physical recreation or vice versa. A Direct Entrant has to undertake a further six months in one of the sections that they would otherwise be doing for six months. For example, they could do their service for six months, their skill for three months and their physical recreation for twelve months. However, a combination such as six months for service and skill, and nine months for physical recreation is not possible. The sections can be attempted at the same time.

The expedition involves planning, preparing for and undertaking a three-day venture in a group of between four and seven people. For walking expeditions, this venture must be at least 48km (30 miles) long, and take place in unfamiliar open or rural country.

 

For Silver Award Service, Skills and Physical Recreation sections of the Award, there is a huge range of options available. Lists of possible activities can either be found on the Award website, or in the Programmes File in the school library. Click here to visit the Award online library, which provides extensive lists of possible activities, along with an explanation of what is required. Use the back button in your browser to return to this page.

 

GOLD

The minimum entry age for the Gold Award is sixteen, and it takes a minimum of twelve months to complete the level if the participant has completed the Silver Award. If a person is attempting Gold without having started/completed Silver, they are called a 'Direct Entrant', and have to complete extra training, etc. As with Silver, theoretically it must only be completed before the participant's 25th birthday. At Truro School, Gold is started in the Sixth form, and the assessment expedition usually takes place in the summer term.

At Gold level, there are five sections to the Award: Service, Skills, Physical Recreation, Expeditions and Residential. A Bronze Award holder must complete twelve months of their chosen service, and either six months for their skill and twelve months for the physical recreation or vice versa. A Direct Entrant has to undertake a further six months in one of the sections that they would otherwise be doing for twelve months. For example, they could do their service for twelve months, their skill for twelve months and their physical recreation for eighteen months. However, a combination such as twelve months in each is not possible. The sections can all be attempted simultaneously.

The expedition involves planning, preparing for and undertaking a four day, three night venture in a group of between four and seven people. For walking expeditions, this venture must be at least 80km (50 miles) long, and take place in wild country.

 

Residential Projects are a requirement for Gold Award. A Residential has to involve at minimum a five day stay away from home in an unfamiliar environment, typically in a centre, a youth hostel, aboard a sailing ship or at a camp. The aim of the project is to 'broaden young people's experiences through involvement with others in a residential setting'. There is a photography course which is very popular as a Residential, and there are many other options available, such as conservation and environmental work.

For Gold Award Service, Skills and Physical Recreation sections of the Award, there is a huge range of options available. Lists of possible activities can either be found in the Programmes File in the school library or on the Award website. Click here to visit the Award online library, which provides a list of possible activities, and programmes for them. Use the back button in your browser to return to this page.

Residential and other open expedition opportunities

 

D of E Award Scheme website

 

Expedition details

 

Gold

Details of this season's expeditions will appear here in due course.

 

Silver

Details of this season's expeditions will appear here in due course.

 

Bronze

At Bronze Level the expedition it is a two day, one night venture. It has to involve a minimum of six hours planned activity each day. 'Planned activity' includes journeying, navigation, setting up and taking down tents, etc. If the venture is done on foot, it has to involve a minimum of 24km (15 miles)walking. When the venture is done by cycling, canoeing, horse riding or rowing it has to involve at least four hours journeying each day. Sailing expeditions must involve 12 hours planned activity over the two days. Explorations (by all modes of travel) must involve at minimum 5 hours journeying over two days.

 

At Truro School, expedition training is run by Dr Allen and Miss Aaron, and takes the form of a day at school, usually in the autumn term. Participants in their groups are shown basic navigation and route planning, how to put up tents, how to safely use Tangier stoves, emergency procedures, how to pack rucksacks and are made aware of the Country Code. At lunchtime the groups are sent off around the school site to cook a three course meal on the Tangier stoves. After lunch the groups go on a walk down to St. Clement and along to Malpas, and then back up to school for a debriefing.

 

The practice expedition for Bronze is normally done in the Truro area. Last year, the groups were dropped a few kilometres from Truro in the early evening, and walked back to Truro and camped the night at the school. The next day they packed their tents and walked around via a specified route to Truro Prep School, where they cooked lunch. They then walked back to Truro School by a different route. The practice expedition is run by Dr Allen and Miss Aaron.

 

The Bronze assessment expedition has to take place in normal rural area that is unfamiliar to the participants. Assessment is done by Mr Moncaster and takes place on the Lizard. Groups plan their own routes, and these have to be checked by the assessor before the expedition.