Duke of Edinburgh Award
The school have been running a very successful Duke of Edinburgh’s award scheme for well over 10 years, offering students a life-changing experiences.
Students have the chance to discover new interests & talents and develop skills for life and work.
This year, we have 140 Year 9 Bronze students, 28 Year 10 Silver students, and 20 Year 12 Gold students working towards earning their respective levels.
Attaining the Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award involves completing a minimum four day, three night expedition, volunteering for at least twelve months, and undertaking a five day residential with at least five other participants, among other challenges. This achievement is a true testament to the dedication and hard work involved and is very well deserved.
Presentation from the kit meeting December 2025
BRONZE
SILVER
GOLD
Duke of Edinburgh
Celebration Assembly Slideshow
Further information on the awards, can be found in the Frequently Asked Questions drop down menu below and on the main Duke of Edinburgh website. There is also a useful booklet for parents/carers on how to support their child through the award.
Wildside Outdoors have prepared a document which we have called Key Information about kit for all levels - this is in the folder below.
If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact dofe@tringschool.org
Page Gallery at the end of this page | Bronze Expedition May 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme?
The Duke of Edinburgh award was founded in 1956 by Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, and recognises the achievements of young people completing a specified series of activities that not only benefit the young person but also their community. Tring School has been running Duke of Edinburgh awards since 2015 and currently have over 150 in the programme. Duke of Edinburgh basics!
Why would my child benefit from completing the award?
There are a number of benefits to taking part: pushing personal boundaries; experiencing new activities and challenges; acquiring new skills; and enhancing a CV. DofE also makes participants highly attractive applicants to universities and potential employers. DofE helps participants develop leadership, teamwork, self-motivation, communication, confidence, consideration and the ability to learn.
Which year groups can participate in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme?
There are 3 progressive levels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. At Tring School, we run the programmes in the following year groups:
- Year 9 – Bronze
- Year 11 – Silver
- Year 12 – Gold
Participants embarking on the Silver award do not need to have completed the Bronze award beforehand; similarly, participants about to start the Gold award do not need to have completed the Bronze or Silver awards, although they will find completing the award more straightforward and shorter if they have done.
How long does a DofE award take?
There are three levels of programme you can do which, when you’ve successfully completed them, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The main differences between them are the timescales it takes to complete them and how challenging it is.
Does it matter if my son/daughter cannot commit to one of the expedition dates or the training day?
Unfortunately, yes, participants do need to commit to the training day in full, the practice expedition and the qualifying expedition in order to successfully complete their award. The training day forms part of the award itself and teaches participants the skills they will need to successfully complete their expeditions. These will include basic navigation, cooking a meal, using a stove, pitching a tent, packing a rucksack and first aid.
What activities can my son/daughter choose for the Volunteering, Physical and Skill sections?
There are a vast array of activities to choose from – please look the Duke of Edinburgh Programme page on the official DofE website and the document in the folder at the bottom of the page Approved Activity Providers
If the above does not answer your questions, please look on the DofE website or email dofe@tringschool.org
