What is DofE all about?
DofE is about developing transferable skills in teamwork, communication and empowering and challenging young people to have a positive impact on their local community. If you are brand new to DofE, then please spend some time browsing www.dofe.org to decide if it’s right for you.
DofE is designed to be challenging, most students gain a lot from taking part and have a lot of fun!
The College will support Expeditions, and provide advice on the other sections, but students are responsible for organising their own skills, volunteering, physical, and (for Gold) residential sections. The DofE Award is optional and you have until your 25th birthday to complete all four (five for Gold) sections.
How does DofE work at College?
Each participant has a DofE session on their timetable once per week. These sessions are compulsory and contribute to your overall attendance record, however only about half of the lessons are used throughout the year and where they are not used for DofE, they are available as extra study periods.
Because timetables are created at the start of the academic year, it’s important that if you do want to do DofE with us, you get your sign up at Enrolment correct. There’s a high chance it won’t be possible to add DofE to your timetable if you change your mind after you have enrolled.
Will I definitely get a place?
Our aim is to provide Award support and the Expedition package to all those who choose to take it up, and this has been possible so far. However numbers are growing, and if the number of those wanting to take part continue to increase it may not always be possible to support every student.
What level should I do?
If you want to do our Gold programme, then you need to have finished your Bronze, or have good hiking or trekking experience, perhaps through Scouts or similar. The Gold expedition has challenging hills and often challenging weather. Silver is designed to be accessible to anyone and it’s the choice of most first timers, although students should be prepared that the weather can still be awful.
How do I register for DofE at College?
If you’re doing DofE already at school, then you need to make sure your eDofE account is in order. Do that before the summer. You need to:
To register for DofE at College:
You need to select DofE when you complete your College enrolment which takes place after you get your GCSE results.
In order to enrol on the Gold Award, students must have completed at least a Bronze Award, or have plenty of outdoor and hiking experience (perhaps gained through Scouts or another organisation). The Gold expedition is significantly more challenging than Bronze - there is no requirement to do Silver first, and students who choose this route invariably make the transition successfully.
| KEY DATES FOR ALL DOFE PARTICIPANTS | |
| 22 to 29 August 2024 | Enrolment – you must sign up for DofE during enrolment |
| GOLD AWARD - EXPEDITION DATES | |
| 11 to 12 January 2025 | Training Weekend in and around the College |
| 3 to 7 April 2025 | Practice Expedition |
| 10 to 15 June 2025 | Assessed Expedition (cohort 1) |
| 11 to 16 June 2025 | Assessed Expedition (cohort 2) |
| KEY DATES FOR ALL DOFE PARTICIPANTS | |
| 22 to 29 August 2024 | Enrolment – you must sign up for DofE during enrolment |
| SILVER AWARD - EXPEDITION DATES | |
| 1 March or 8 March 2025 | Training Weekend in and around the College |
| 28 to 30 March 2025 | Practice Expedition |
| 7 to 9 June 2025 | Assessed Expedition |
Q: I already have a silver/gold participation place from my old school/scouts. Do I need to buy another one?
A: No, and your prices will be adjusted to show that you’ve already paid for this.
Q: I want to do DofE but I can’t afford the expedition prices - what can I do?
A: There are options; the College has some help available here, or you may prefer to complete the expedition elsewhere - the College will still support your Award overall. You could also consider spreading the expedition over two years.
Q: Why have these prices gone up?
A: Like the rest of the economy, some of our expenses have really gone up. Fuel for transport has gone up by 50%, and the price of camping has typically doubled. The College takes no ‘profit’ from DofE and any surplus is reinvested into equipment and training to try and keep costs as low as possible.
Q: Which DofE Award should I do?
A: There’s no right answer to this, and bear in mind that you can do Silver in the first year at College, then start Gold in the second year. Consider the time commitment, your confidence in the expedition section and the money too.
Q: What should I do if I am still doing DofE through my school?
A: Please make sure you upload all your evidence and have as much of your award completed and signed off as possible before you come to the College. As long as you've completed one section of the Award, you can start on the next level. You also need to make sure your email address in edofe is a personal one, not your school email.
If you would like to sign up for DofE, please ensure that you select this as an enrichment option during Enrolment. If you have any questions about DofE, please email dofe@farnborough.ac.uk.