AIBU to despair about DofE cheating

[WhatTheHeckIsIt]

Someone I know very well is the teacher who leads the Duke of Edinburgh at a school. Their teen is going to Buckingham Palace to receive their gold award. There is no way on this planet the teen has completed any of the activities - it's a stitch up.

It's made me feel really sad.

a) I expected more of this person
b) I expected more of their child
c) how could you let your child accept an award amongst people who have worked really hard to achieve it
d) it devalues everyone else's award
e) it's just shit

Rant over - but there's nothing I can do is there?

I’m involved in DofE and it’s absolutely simple to cheat if you have other adults willing to lie - and I know people who’ve done it. They would still have to do the expedition but wouldn’t need to have done all the other stuff - they can just get someone to sign it off.

It makes me angry but then equally I know how much my two have benefited from actually completing the requirements. Not much you can do really except quietly seethe 😬.

^^ this. They could have done every single part there except the expedition and residential.

I think it's far more likely that if their parent leads DofE the student has completed it whether you think they have or not.

But you have to provide evidence and have things signed off by independent assessors etc. we had to seek special permission for a family friend to sign off DD’s photography work for her bronze award. It’s all on an app with logs and evidence attached so you can’t just do nothing.

I would think of it as a perk of the job, tbh. It must be pretty relentless and time-consuming to be a DofE leader AND a teacher. You probably see more of other people's kids than your own. Not to mention all that freeze-dried food you have to consume on camps.

(Plus it's the age of the Nepo baby, so they are bang on trend.)

My child did DofE. I didnt talk about it much unless someone specifically asked or also had a child doing it. Obviously quite a few people knew about them doing one part of it, not many knew about all the parts. Multiple assessors for the expedition and they have to do a residential for gold. Maybe your acquaintance/ their child faked some of it but I really doubt they have done none of it.

You can always ask questions, you may be surprised.

YANBU to be disappointed in people you know revealing themselves to have no integrity. YABU to think the award is actually worth anything though (and therefore able to be devalued).

You say there is no value in cheating, but some universities will look at D of E favourably in the admissions process. I could see why that could be motivation for the parent to cheat.

My daughter did DofE Gold, and completed all of it bar the volunteering, so didn't get the award in the end. But the main thing about the DofE is what the young person gets out of it. My daughter learnt lots about herself and whilst she didn't get to finish it, it was a worthwhile experience. Anyone cheating is only cheating themselves and not worth your headspace if you think they've cheated.

Our kids had this. One group on their expedition took a short cut because they got lost. However they left their phone on and d of e instructor heard them all discussing it.
The main organiser of this behaviour was the deputy heads kid.
They all got off and passed.

I’m just signing off the assessment and I’m checking some details, asking questions, got photos and even tasted the offerings. I’m clearly a bloody pedant and won’t get asked again!! This is just the bronze award.

I'd report to the police. They are guilty of fraud. Report to everyone you can, DofE themselves, the school, the press etc. People cheating just devalues the achievement of those who actually complete the activities.

Dd might be considered cheating if you looked at her schedule. Because people
Might ask where she finds time. But she has used her trampoline training for the sports element and volunteered with her scout group's beaver pack for the volunteering. She's also an active volunteer with various groups in her school and is doing DoE through school.

Dd has had to get things signed off though and has used competition performance as video evidence for the sports element.

Ultimately, the only person who is being cheated is the person who has not done the work to gain the evidence and the experience of participating. It's then for the conscience of the person who has signed it off if they know it's fraudulent.

If there’s cheating going on, which is possible, then that’s wrong. However, unless you can point to dates on their record and say you know they weren’t doing what they said on date X because they were doing something else of which you also have dated proof, I’m not sure what you can do about it.
On the other hand, if you think there are
loopholes that the D of E might be unaware of, perhaps you could comment to them
in a general way rather than about this particular case (or at least not naming names).

So did I.

I assumed that was how they cheated too. Dd got a music teacher, a swimming teacher and brownie leader to sign for her bronze, but maybe any adult could pretend to be in those roles and sign off.

My daughter has managed to complete her bronze and silver d of e activities despite a busy schedule SheShe did cooking at home for example

Another one disappointed that this isn’t hot royal gossip!

How sad for the child involved - never knowing the pleasure of working for and achieving something. It's not exactly going to set them on the right path.

I did the Ten Tors as a child and it was bloody torturous. We were supposed to go around a longer route but no-one told us why. We wanted to beat our boys team so thought we'd cut across the middle. Seemed reasonable to us at the time. We walked into a bloody bog. One girl fell in, up to the top of her legs and even got her knickers wet. We pulled her out. The bog mud stank and we had to go back and follow the proper route. We trailed in the last of all groups except one group who withdrew. I've never tried to cheat or cut corners again. Seeing the words Ten Tors made me chuckle about it though.

Sorry posted too soon. She also did online volunteering, raising awareness for St John ambulance. So you can fit some things in just when you have time. Of course you could be right, I'm sure it happens.

Glad it's not just me!!

its not that hard. DD is doing bronze and to an outside observer outside of the expedition not a lot has changed. Skill is flute which she has done for 7 years on a Saturday. Physical and volunteering are ballet - so the addition of an extra dance class from 3 to 4.

there are online cooking courses for skill, couch to 5k for physical. It’s not that difficult to sign off.

do you think they did the expedition if so that is the only real bit outside of normsl

Opened thread to see if it was about Philip or Edward!

😂Snap!

My DD is close to finishing her Gold DofE and she's worked damn hard for it. And actually I think that's the point. What SHE has learned from it, the experience she has gained, new skills learned, walking 18k in the Brecon Beacons soaked through and freezing cold, in a gale with a team of strangers etc!

Universities don't give toss about it despite what some people claim, so it really is just about the opportunity to learn and grow and develop resilience.

I am super proud of her and most importantly, she is super proud of HERSELF. Frankly, if people want to cheat, it's their loss.

Green eyed monster OP?