Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme: Schools

(asked on 12th April 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will support extending the provision of the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme in schools so that every child has the opportunity to participate in that scheme.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 19th April 2021

The Government wants as many pupils as possible to benefit from the life-changing activities offered by the Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award scheme. The award provides extraordinary opportunities for personal development for both pupils and staff. It improves young people’s life chances and prepares them for the challenges and responsibilities of employment and adult life by improving attendance, behaviour, aspirations and attainment.

Most schools are committed to developing these skills in their pupils by providing a rich extra-curricular offer, including after-school clubs and programmes such as the DofE scheme, the National Citizen Service (NCS), or the cadets. The Department published non-statutory guidance for schools in November 2019 to help schools improve their character education and the personal development of their pupils. The guidance is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/845905/Character_Education_Framework_Guidance.pdf.

We are working closely with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to help ensure that all children and young people can have the opportunity to take part in high quality programmes such as the DofE Award and the NCS.

The DofE programme is one of the #iwill Fund's match funders. The #iwill Fund is a £50 million joint investment between the DCMS (£25 million) and the National Lottery Community Fund (£25 million). The fund supports the creation of new opportunities to engage young people in England in volunteering and community engagement in their local areas, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Through #iwill, DofE works with established DofE centres in schools, clubs, and other organisations to support more disadvantaged young people. In 2019, to mark the DofE's Diamond Anniversary, DofE created a £3 million fund, supported by £1 million from #iwill, to support young people to transform their lives and develop vital skills and attributes that employers look for.

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