Just like the Duke of Edinburgh scheme for secondary school pupils there is now a scheme for primary aged children to help them to develop in many ways other than the academic.
This award is very good for personal development. To encourage independence, confidence, resilience and self-motivation, Holly Park now runs this award scheme called the Junior Duke Award in KS2.
It is aimed at helping junior aged children to learn and practice a large variety of important life skills.
There is a level designed for each year group in KS2:
- Year 3 Bronze
- Year 4 Silver
- Year 5 Gold
- Year 6 Platinum
Each of these levels has a selection of challenges and, in order to complete a level, the children need to successfully finish a pre-determined number.
These include skills such as First Aid, ICT, Eco Awareness, Drama, Music, Sport and other life skills such as cookery and puncture repair.
The children may be given some of the necessary skills in school, however – just like at secondary school, the majority of the challenges will require a good deal of time and effort out of school with friends and family.
On completion of a level, a well-earned certificate and badge will be awarded. Children should aim to finish their challenges by the end of the school year. so that they can move on to the next level in the next academic year.
You can find out more by watching this video at home.
The aim of the Duke scheme is to help your child become more independent and confident in dealing with new situations.
There are 10 challenges at each level. To complete an award – the children need to complete 7 of the activities. Challenges can be done in any order.
Each challenge needs to have evidence provided and stuck in a book eg photographs, recipes, art work, diary entry etc. The book tells you what evidence to provide. The finished book will provide a lovely reference point of everything the children have achieved.
Each of the challenges needs to be assessed by a school assessor before a child moves on to the next one.
- The assessor will talk to the children about the challenge and ask them questions about what they did.
- The assessor will sign that the challenge has been completed and may make a comment
- Parents are required to sign each challenge and may need to make a comment
Here is an overview of all the Junior Duke tasks: JUNIOR DUKE OVERVIEW
In total 68 children have attained their Junior Duke award. Well done everyone!
