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DUKE OF EDINBURGH

The Duke of Edinburgh Award was established by HRH, the Duke of Edinburgh in 1956 with the aim to provide transferable skills, opportunities and tools that will equip young people aged 14-21 years old for adult life and the wider world.

Fortismere school provides pupils the chance to participate in the Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Awards alongside their academic studies, reflecting Fortismere’s vision of transforming lives through education.

Each Duke of Edinburgh Award is divided into four categories and each pupil must make a commitment to of one hour per week in the first of the three sections:

1) Volunteering: requires pupils to volunteer, provide a service or make a difference within their local community for a charity or organisation. Volunteering must be undertaken within a non-profit organisation or charity.  In the past, our pupils have volunteered for organisations such as Cancer Research UK, RSPCA and Oxfam. 

2) Physical: requires pupils to participate in a sport, dance or fitness activity that provides a sustained level of physical activity, energy, fitness and movement. In the past, our pupils have participated in physical activities that include aquatics, football coaching, netball and even scuba diving!

Pupils can select a physical activity that is one of the following: individual sports, team’s sports, water sports, extreme sports, dance, racquet sports, fitness and martial arts.

3) Skills: requires pupils to select a skills based activity that allows them to have a broadened understanding and better expertise in your chosen skill. Please note that your skill must not be a physical activity. In the past, pupils have learned new skills that have included the following sectors: the creative arts, leisure, STEAM, performing arts, music, horticulture and zoology.

4) Expedition: requires pupils to plan, train and complete an expedition with their peers on foot. At Fortismere we deliver a pre-expedition training situation that will equip pupils for their adventure in the great outdoors!

During the expedition, pupils will learn a variety of skills that include the countryside code, camp craft, administrating first aid, bush craft and navigational theory.

It is recommended that pupils purchase all items on the Duke of Edinburgh Expedition Checklist when preparing for this expedition.