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Duke of Edinburgh International Award

The International School of Florence (ISF) is a licensed Independent Award Centre for the Duke of Edinburgh International Award (DofE). As such, students in Grade 9 and Grade 10 have an opportunity to be involved in this globally recognised award.
 
The DofE is non-competitive and open to all young people – it's about setting personal challenges and pushing personal boundaries. There are three levels of DofE programme which, when successfully completed, lead to a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award. Through their DofE, students will make friends and memories and build traits like confidence, resilience and self-esteem, which can benefit mental health. They’ll gain skills and attributes for work and life, like problem-solving, team-working and self-motivation – and they’ll achieve an Award that’s recognised Internationally and can help them stand out when applying for university or later employment.
To achieve their Bronze Award, participants must complete Four sections: Skills, Volunteering, Physical and their Expedition. Every young person’s DofE programme is personal to them – they can choose what they’d like to do for their Skills, Volunteering and Physical sections, and most activities that they may already be involved in can count. We will provide guidance and support, and students can either choose to continue an activity they already do or discover something completely new.
Activities for each section take a minimum of one hour a week over a set period of time, so they can fit around studying, hobbies and social lives. For more details about programmes and timescales you can also visit DofE.org/do.
 
The Expedition section of the DofE Award involves ISF students working as part of a small team to plan their expedition’s aim, choose a location and complete some training to ensure they're fully prepared – before spending one night in the countryside.
Ahead of this, those involved in the DofE will take part in additional specific training that will cover, for example, basic expedition principles and introducing them to expedition equipment. This training typically occurs on a Saturday during the last third of the school year. There are also a small number of training sessions after school at ISF in which students and their group will plan their route and prepare. 
 
For more information please contact Bruce Baddeley at b.baddeley@isfitaly.org.

Celebrating Our Success

Since becoming an official Award Centre in 2023, ISF has seen our students embrace the challenge of self-discovery and resilience through the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award. Following our inaugural cohort in the 2023/2024 academic year, our program has gone from strength to strength. Most recently, our 2024/2025 participants demonstrated incredible grit and teamwork by completing their Adventurous Journey in May 2025.
 
We are incredibly proud of the dedication shown by our students as they push beyond their comfort zones.
  • Bronze Achievers: 16 ISF students have successfully completed all four sections to earn their Bronze Award.
  • Silver Challengers: 5 ambitious students have stepped up to the next level, currently undertaking the rigorous Silver Award.

The Bronze Award Commitment

To earn the Bronze Award, students must commit to personal growth across four distinct sections. Consistency is key, and the "Plus One" rule ensures a deep dive into a chosen passion.
 
Section Requirement Focus
Volunteering 3 Months Giving back and supporting the local community.
Physical 3 Months Improving fitness and maintaining an active lifestyle.
Skills 3 Months Mastering a new craft, from music to culinary arts.
Expedition 2 Days, 1 Night A team-based camping trip into the wild.


The "Plus One" Rule: Students must choose one of the first three sections (Volunteering, Physical, or Skill) to extend to a total of 6 months, demonstrating long-term dedication.

The Silver Award Commitment

For those moving up from Bronze or starting fresh at the Silver level, the expectations increase to reflect their growing maturity and stamina.
 
Section Requirement Focus
Volunteering 6 Months Service to others, local environment, or community.
Physical 6 Months* Sustained improvement in a sport or fitness activity.
Skills 6 Months* Developing personal interests and practical skills.
Expedition 3 Days, 2 Nights A self-sufficient journey (e.g., the Pilgrims’ Trail).


The Silver level requires a higher degree of commitment, increased duration for the sections, and a more challenging 3-day expedition.

Independent Award Centre Licence
Licence Number: 417/IAC/BL/GBT

 

 
 

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award is a youth awards programme founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.