Silver DofE

The Silver Award



The Bronze Award is only the start of the DofE journey. After achieving the Bronze Award, young people may decide to progress to the Silver Award. Here their newfound skills will be enhanced and tested by a more challenging expedition section. We offer expedition packages based on travel on foot or by canoe.

The DofE Silver Award Expedition

In summary, Premier Expeditions DofE Silver Award programmes comprise of:
  •  A two-day training expedition (with one night of camping), which will take place in a rural lowland area such as the White Peak or the Cotswolds. At this stage teams will be under close supervision and will be accompanied by our experienced instructors at all times. They will enhance the skills that they learned at the Bronze level of the Award: route planning, navigation by map and compass, expedition equipment, campcraft, outdoor menu planning and cooking and basic first aid.
  • A two day practice expedition (with two nights of camping) where candidates will put their enhanced skills into practice. This will also take place in a lowland area.. At this stage teams will be under close supervision: while they are working independently of our instructors, assistance will be near at hand if it is required.
  • Finally, a three day qualifying expedition (with two nights of camping), also in a lowland area. This  will be under remote supervision: here the teams will be working independently and will see our instructors only at camp and at designated checkpoints during the walks. Teams will be monitored by an Accredited DofE Assessor, who must be satisfied that the DofE Twenty Conditions have been met for the candidates to complete the Expedition section.
  • As an alternative to walking-based expedition programmes, we also offer canoe-based expeditions at Silver level. The same principles apply for the three stages of the expedition programme. As well as the training, practice and qualifying expeditions, participants are required to undertake an additional module to assess competency skills for this mode of travel.
The Premier Expeditions Silver Award Expedition Package

All Premier Expeditions DofE programmes are delivered by members of our highly skilled and qualified team of instructors. Each section of the expedition package is overseen by a senior instructor who will manage our expedition training staff. They have overall responsibility for all participants and will ensure that all participants and pastoral staff will receive any and all support they need during the expedition.

What's included in the package?
  • Launch presentation to parents/carers and candidates at school or the venue of your choice
  • Two days of training and planning
  • Use of quality team kit: tents, stoves, maps, map cases, compasses
  • Navigation training, comprising practical map and compass skills (building on skills acquired for the Bronze Award)
  • One day route planning workshop
  • Campcraft skills instruction: where and how to pitch a tent, practical advice on living comfortably under canvas
  • Menu planning instruction
  • Training in preparing meals in the outdoors: how to use camping stoves, including safe use of fuels
  • Kit and rucksack packing workshop
  • Team building
  • Emergency procedures appropriate to the mode of travel, including essential first aid (dealing with common injuries, CPR, recovery position)
  • Developing an awareness of health and safety issues relative to the mode of travel
  • Countryside Code and/or Watersports Safety Code
  • Full specific risk assessments for all activities
  • AALA and AAP Licences
  • Public Liability Insurance
  • Dedicated DofE Manager support for the duration of the programme
  • Round-the-clock base contact during training, practice and qualifying expeditions
  • Full medical back-up
  • Meetings with school/youth group/Local Authority as required
Silver DofE practice expedition:
  • Two-day, one night expedition in terrain appropriate to the level of the Award
  • Experienced and qualified expedition staff who will have responsibility for participant safety
Silver DofE qualifying expedition:
  • Three-day, two-night expedition in terrain appropriate to the level of the Award
  • Experienced and qualified expedition staff who will have responsibility for participant safety
  • Accredited DofE assessor who will produce expedition reports to upload to eDofE
Indicative cost: £245 per candidate
(based on two teams of seven candidates; surcharge applicable for smaller groups.)

Please note the above cost is indicative. All our expedition programmes are bespoke; we will adapt the content and delivery (subject to the 20 Conditions and the Common Training Framework) to the needs of your group.

The DofE Common Training Framework can be downloaded here.

What's not included?
  • Personal kit
  • Food
  • Cooking fuel (bottled gas)
  • Transport to and from venues
  • Personal injury insurance
  • Candidate monies 
  • Pastoral staffing
Further requirements of the Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award

As well as completing the Expedition section, candidates need to complete the following sections. For the Silver Award, the Volunteering section must be undertaken for a period of six months. One of the  Skills or Physical section must be undertaken for six months, and the other for three.

Physical section

For their physical activity candidates choose any sport, dance or fitness activity – in short, anything that requires a sustained level of energy and physical activity. For example, playing a sport regularly and showing personal improvement would count. However, learning to be a coach in the same sport would be a Skills section activity, whilst being a volunteer coach counts for the Volunteering section.

Skills section

For their skills activity candidates choose an activity that will allow them to prove they have broadened their understanding and increased their expertise in their chosen skill. It should not be a physical activity, for example horse riding, as this counts towards their Physical section, however, they could choose to learn about caring for horses.

Volunteering section

Volunteering is simple. It’s about choosing to give time to help people, the community or society, the environment or animals.

Candidates' volunteering must not be done for a business but can be undertaken for a charity or not-for-profit organisation. Where their volunteering is in support of surplus generating work, for example a charity shop, then some Local Authorities may require a work permit. The charity they are volunteering with should be aware of this and support them as required.

For their volunteering activity candidates need to choose to give time to do something useful without getting paid (apart from expenses).

They can also volunteer in a team, which might be an easier way to find an activity if they can identify a local need they can help with.

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