At Goffs Academy students are able to complete their Bronze (year 9 and 10) and we plan to have Silver (year 12) Duke of Edinburgh’s award. The D of E award is a fantastic opportunity for students to gain valuable transferable skills. It is an excellent chance for students to get involved with learning a new skill, volunteering, doing a physical activity as well as completing an expedition, where they are self-sufficient. The award is a fantastic way for students to develop confidence in a variety of skills and to build their resilience.

We are in the process of recruiting a new co-ordinator for our Duke of Edinburgh work and details of the plans for this year will be updated soon. 

In the mean time please contact Jonathan Yelland on jye@goffs.herts.sch.uk

 

 

Parents Information Evening November 18th 2025

 

Please find below the information and booklet shown at the Parents Information Evening

Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 2026

 

Dear Parent/Carer,

We are delighted to confirm that Goffs Academy will once again be offering students the opportunity to take part in the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) during the 2025–26 academic year.
The DofE is one of the UK’s most respected youth achievement awards. It gives young people the chance to challenge themselves, develop new skills, and build confidence and independence, while making lasting memories with friends. Completing the DofE is a valuable addition to college, university, and job applications – it demonstrates motivation, resilience, teamwork, and commitment.

Programme Overview

To achieve their Bronze Award, students complete four sections:

• Volunteering (3 months) – giving back to the community through activities such as supporting local clubs, charity work, helping at youth or sports groups, or assisting in school.
• Physical (3 months) – taking part in sport or fitness activities to develop health and wellbeing. Examples include football, swimming, dance, running, or martial arts.
• Skill (3 months) – learning or improving a skill such as cooking, photography, music, coding, or learning a language.
• Expedition – working as part of a small team to plan, prepare, and complete an adventurous two-day, one-night journey in the countryside. Students will learn navigation, campcraft, and teamwork skills before taking part in their qualifying expedition.

Throughout the programme, participants will develop independence, perseverance, and problem-solving skills — all while discovering new strengths and building confidence that will benefit them long after the award has finished.
Training and supervision will be provided by experienced instructors from School of Outdoors Ltd, who will ensure all participants are well prepared and fully supported during every stage of the expedition.

Key Dates

• Training Day (in school): Wednesday 6th May 2026
• Practice Expedition: Saturday 6th – Sunday 7th June 2026
• Qualifying Expedition: Saturday 18th – Sunday 19th July 2026

Costs and Payment Schedule

The total cost of the Bronze DofE programme for 2026 is £300 per participant. To enable as many students as possible to take part, we are working with School of Outdoors, which has allowed us to offer 100 places across Year 9 and Year 10.

The cost includes:
• A full day of expedition training, a weekend practice expedition, and a weekend assessed expedition
• Campsite fees, equipment hire, and qualified supervision for both weekends
• DofE registration and licence fees
• Insurance and administrative costs

Payment Plan:
• £50 deposit due Monday 24 November 2025
• £125 second payment due Friday 28 February 2026
• £125 final payment due Friday 24 April 2026

Payments should be made via [insert payment platform, e.g., ParentPay/Arbor].
If cost is a barrier, please contact Miss Dawson in confidence using the details below – limited financial support may be available.

Next Steps

Parents will need to sign up via Arbor and secure their child’s place by paying the deposit by the deadline above.
A Parent Information Evening will be held on Wednesday 26 November 2025 at 6:00pm in the Main Hall, where we will share further details and answer any questions.
We are very excited to help our students embark on this rewarding journey and look forward to seeing them grow in confidence, teamwork, and independence as they complete their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Yours faithfully,

Kate Dawson
DofE Manager, Goffs Academy
kda@goffs.herts.sch.uk

 

Attached here are the booklet and the information slides:

Duke-of-Edinburgh-information-.pptx

Parent-Information-booklet-1.pdf