FOUNDED BY WILLIAM OF WAYNFLETE, From Mr A J McLarin BA MA

Transcription

1 FOUNDED BY WILLIAM OF WAYNFLETE, 1480 From Mr A J McLarin BA MA 17 th September 2015 Dear Parents, Your son has expressed an interest in joining the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme at MCS so I am writing to you with some more information. Introduction: The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme offers a personal challenge through its balanced programme of activities. Students are encouraged to serve others, acquire new skills and experience adventure. It is non-competitive, being based on individual improvement and achievement reflecting personal choice, initiative and perseverance and in some cases leadership. When students sign up for the scheme they will be provided with a Welcome Pack, and a Logon ID and password for the edofe recording system. The welcome pack contains various leaflets, a keeping track booklet for recording progress within the various sections of the award and a discount card for use with Cotswold outdoor shops Students should be aware that it is their award. This means that it is for them to motivate themselves to complete the skills, volunteering and physical sections. The amount of time required for the sections is contained on the award website, but it will take at least 6 months to complete. The school helps the students to organise and supervise their expedition although, again, students are expected to show independence and competence at this level, undertaking organisational tasks such as organising menus for their group. Many students are allocated one of the limited places only to drop from the scheme during the year because they do not motivate themselves to continue by which time it is too late to reallocate their place. Please ask them to consider if they can commit to the time required to complete the award before applying. In reality students at the school in most cases can use something they are doing in school to satisfy the criteria as long as it is outside normal lessons. For instance music lessons can be used as well as some afterschool clubs and sports. The only section that is arranged for them is the expedition section. This is so that we can ensure that they are safe and that the criteria of the award are met. In school we offer only one type of expedition at Bronze level: walking. It is possible to undertake cycling, sailing, and kayaking expeditions with outside providers, but the cost and training period will likely be greater. See the DofE website or the school DofE notice board for further details about these opportunities. Oxford OX4 1DZ Telephone Fax from amclarin@mcsoxford.org Registered Company Registered Charity

2 Further details of when the expeditions take place are included further on in this letter and in the red diary. By signing up to the award I am assuming that your son is available for the expedition dates unless you tell me that other arrangements have been made. Please note that students must be 13 years and 9 months old by the date of the practice expedition in order to participate in Bronze DofE. The Award internet site ' is the best source of information and is updated frequently with new ideas and information. I strongly advise looking at the site before applying for a place within the scheme in school. Costs: The major costs associated with the scheme are for the joining fee, training day and expeditions, although every effort is made to keep these to a minimum. For planning purposes I have detailed some approximate costs below based on previous year s expeditions. All fees will be placed, with your permission, on the school bill in the term indicated below, although the expedition costs will not be taken until I have confirmed the exact cost with you as these can vary depending on group size and uptake. Joining fee 20 Michaelmas term Training days 75 Michaelmas term Expeditions: Practice 95 approximately Hilary Term Qualifying 95 approximately Trinity Term These include instruction and supervision from Mountain Leader qualified instructors, travel and group kit such as tents and trangias. MCS works with Wilderness Expertise, an outdoor training company who provide instructors for training and expeditions to ensure that students get the best quality and safest experience that they can. Expedition Training and planning: It is essential that your son attend all the training and planning sessions so that their logbook can be signed off showing that they have completed the mandatory training and have reached an acceptable level of competence. It is also essential that they work together as a group. Your son must be available for the following planning and training commitments: One or two Thursday evenings 4-5pm in Michaelmas term. Dates to be confirmed after enrolment. Sunday 31 st January and Sunday 7 th February 9am-4pm for the training days. Thursday evenings 4-5pm in Trinity Term for route planning sessions. If any of these dates are impossible for your son then they will not be able to participate in the expedition, so please check this carefully.

3 Communication with students is done via their school address so it is important that they watch out for information being passed to them once allocated a place. If parents would like to receive these s then please add your own address to the enrolment form. Some other more general information can be found on the D of E notice Board in the science block. Expeditions: As mentioned previously, expeditions are centrally run; however the students will do all the planning necessary for these. At bronze level there are two expeditions, one practice and one qualifying. The proposed dates for the expeditions are as follows: Practice: 25 th -26 th March 2016 NB - This is over the Easter Bank Holiday Qualifying: 28 th -29 th May 2016 It is mandatory that students take part and complete both expeditions. Failure to do so will result in them not completing the expedition section and therefore not obtaining the award at that level. Therefore please consider if you son will be available for both expeditions before applying for them to join the award. Kit list: Kit lists are available on the DofE website and I supply one for each expedition in my letter to parents nearer the time however the following should give you an idea of the items required for expeditions. Rucksack (65 litre capacity) Sleeping bag Thermarest or Rollmat Trainers/flip-flops (for use in campsite) Walking boots (These MUST have ankle support) Underwear Fleece or jumper Walking trousers (NOT jeans) Small amount of washing up liquid Mug Cloth for cooker cleaning Pen/pencil Sun cream Sun glasses Woolly hat and gloves 2 or 3 pairs of socks Torch (head torch is best) Waterproof jacket and trousers Base layers (t-shirts) Waterproof rucksack liner Spare clothes (one set) Prescribed medications Knife, fork, and spoon Matches or lighter Small notebook Tuck money

4 Food Personal first aid kit The following items will be supplied to students: Tents Cooking fuel Trangia cooking sets Map cases Maps Compasses Joining the Scheme Please find attached to this letter an Application form. Please complete this as soon as possible and return to me. Please note that completing this form gives your consent for the enrolment fee of 20 to be placed on the school bill. This should be completed and returned to me no later than 4pm Friday 18th September. Finally students need to be aware that although the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme is not timeconstrained they should attempt to complete each element within a specified time, and that this will require a consistent effort and commitment on their part to achieve. Yours sincerely, Antony McLarin

5 DofE Participant Enrolment Form Please print clearly in CAPITALS or type your details in. You must complete all of the questions. DofE Centre and group details (if you know them): DofE Centre: DofE group: DofE level: Bronze Silver Gold Have you registered for any previous levels of the DofE? No Yes If YES please give the name of the DofE Centre you were registered at: edofe ID number (if known) : Personal details: First name: Last name: Gender: Male Female Date of Birth: / / Primary language English Welsh Other Date you wish to start your DofE programme if known (enrolment date): 01 /10 /2015 When you first sign in to edofe you will be asked to record some personal details such as your contact details, ethnicity and personal circumstances along with details of any medical needs you may have. This data is used to enable your Leaders to support you doing your DofE programme and for the DofE s statistical and reporting purposes. You will always have a prefer not to say option. Contact details: School address: Address (line1): Address (line 2): Town/City: County: Telephone: Postcode: Mobile number: Emergency contact details: Emergency Contact name: Relationship to you: Emergency contact telephone number(s): P.T.O. edofe participant enrolment form 2012 Version 1

6 DofE Participant Enrolment Form Declaration: I agree to enrol as a participant on a DofE programme. I understand that I will be managing my programme using the online edofe system. I acknowledge that this system has a set of terms and conditions that I agree to. These terms and conditions are available at Print Name Signature Date / / Consent to enrol from parent or guardian (if applicant is under 18 years old). I agree to my son / daughter / ward doing a DofE programme. I note that it is my responsibility to check that any activity my son / daughter / ward undertakes for their DofE programme is appropriately managed and insured, unless the activity is directly managed or organised by their DofE group, centre or Licensed Organisation. Print Name Signature Date / / Note: Data supplied on this form and in edofe and information about DofE activities recorded in edofe will be used by the DofE Charity, the Licensed Organisation and DofE centre to monitor and manage DofE participation and progress by young people and manage and support Leaders. The DofE Charity will use personal data to communicate useful and relevant information to either help participants complete a DofE programme, Leaders/LOs to run DofE programmes more effectively or help the DofE Charity to improve the quality and breadth of its programmes. Occasionally the DofE Charity may send you information relating to commercial offers. If you do not wish to receive commercial information from the DofE Charity you can choose not to by amending your contact preferences in your edofe profile at any time. For Licensed Organisation/Centre administration only: Date registered onto edofe / / Expected start date / / Participant Fee received Yes No Username User ID number edofe participant enrolment form 2012 Version 1