DD2 wants to do Duke of Edinburgh bronze and already has a tight schedule. Would you recommend?

[NigellasGuest]

she is in Year 10 and dances every night (has a scholarship for ballet training). Nevertheless she is very organised and totally up to date with all school work, revising for tests etc (ok it's early days, being September, but she is driven and is likely to carry on in this manner).

She says she really wants to do DOE as well. Could anyone tell me if they think this sounds feasible? Older DD says not, but she is lazy a completely different kettle of fish. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

BreakfastCricket - how about a book review then? Obviously not something from the Mr Men series, but if there is a book being studied for GCSE, then your DC might be able to do book reviewing as a skill? You'd probably need to check it with the leader, but if extreme ironing is included, I can't see that book reviewing should be a problem.

PBB - you're on to something - although extreme ironing now has more appeal.

LOL, I was thinking that too. Can't wait for mine to start. They'll be doing extreme ironing, cleaning, car washing & lawn mowing!!!!

The skills list does include 'Reading'. Presumably there would have to be a bit more to it than saying, yup, I read The Beano/Hello/ every week for 6 months

Your daughter sounds ideal for it op as she's focussed.

My son, on the other hand.

So far, he's supposed to have submitted his plan thingy with the names of his assessors. That's all. He hasn't managed to even log onto the website yet.

I fear he only signed up for the expedition.

IME - and in that of just about every other lecturer I know who's ever had anything to do with admissions - DoE awards are irrelevant to university selection processes. Do them for the intrinsic benefits. Their UCAS value is negligible.

I know I'm going against the tide, but if she's very busy already I'd advise her to get the criteria for what is/isn't allowed towards hours in each section carefully explained. As long as much can be allowed that she is already doing that's fine, but if she has to start completely new skills that maybe don't interest her, or new volunteering that takes lots of hours I'd not bother .

DD1 took on a saturday charity shop job and loved it, for her volunteer work. she was singing at cathedral for many hours as her skill (did this anyway) but the sport was the thing she just couldn't fit in.

That's such a shame Theas. Was she not doing any sport at school? Usually, as long as the PE teacher is happy to sign off that the particpant has been attending regularly and has improved over 6 months, that should suffice.

I am not sure whether it helps with Uni applications really. Every uni open day we have been to say they don't give a stuff about voluntary work in Cambodia, grqde 8 violin or climbing Kilimanjaro- only stuff realted to the discipline they are applying for.Ability and passion for the subject is what they want.
That said I think on a personal level the kids can get a lot out of doing Dof E

Having helped run a scheme, the only thing I'd advise is to make sure if she does it (which I think is quite achievable), get the expedition dates in the diary early, as they can't be rearranged very easily. Our co-ordinator was driven to distraction by year 10s who suddenly remembered they couldn't miss their ballet exam/netball tournament on the same weekend as the expeditions.

all very interesting and useful - thanks for posting, everybody!

DD not particularly thinking of using DOE towards uni application - she may not even go to uni, as she (atm) has her sights set on a vocational dance school for 6th form (the pathway there is that you then apply to dance companies at age 18).

We already have "weekend" dates - I assume that means for expeditions. I am therefore able to get those in the diary now and give advance warning to the ballet place that she won't be dancing those Saturdays. I will update after our DOE info evening next week. I now feel quite pre-informed!