The Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is the next step up from Bronze and offers students the chance to build on their skills, confidence, and independence. At John Kyrle High School, the Silver Award is open to students aged 15 and over, usually in Year 10 or above.

Students do not have to complete Bronze before starting Silver, but having some experience of the programme can be helpful.

What’s Involved

To achieve the Silver Award, participants complete four sections — similar to Bronze, but with more time and commitment required in each area:

• Volunteering – giving time to help others or improve the community. This might include coaching younger students, helping at a local event, supporting a charity, or assisting in school activities.

• Physical – taking part in regular physical activity and showing improvement in fitness or performance, whether through a sport, gym sessions, dance, or another active pursuit.

• Skills – developing practical or creative abilities. This could involve learning a new skill, such as cooking, music, debating, coding, or leadership.

• Expedition – a challenging and rewarding three-day, two-night adventure, where students work in teams to plan and navigate a self-sufficient journey. Participants develop teamwork, problem-solving, and resilience while camping and cooking outdoors.

The Silver Award typically takes 6–12 months to complete, depending on whether students have already achieved Bronze.

Why Take Part?

The Silver Award is an excellent opportunity to:

• Take on greater challenges and responsibility

• Strengthen teamwork and leadership skills

• Gain valuable experience for future education and employment

• Enjoy the sense of achievement that comes from completing something truly worthwhile