An award scheme pioneered by a teacher at Gordonstoun has “come home” to the Moray-based school.
The Junior Duke Awards are the brainchild of a teacher from Glasgow, who felt that there should be a junior version of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award to encourage primary-aged children to learn life skills.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award was inspired by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip’s experiences at Gordonstoun School in Moray, where he undertook a series of challenges in order to win a ‘Moray Badge’. Hundreds of thousands of children all over the world have followed in his footsteps through the Duke of Edinburgh programme and undertaken confidence-boosting challenges.
The Junior Duke Awards are based on the same principles and encourage younger children to try new experiences, develop independence and become more confident.
The Junior School at Gordonstoun will adopt the scheme and offer the Junior Duke Awards to Years 5 and 6. Those taking part must complete a series of challenges including confident swimming, learning how to budget, learning to cook dinner or baking bread, fixing a puncture, planning a trip, demonstrating computer skills, music or drama performances and caring for others.
Welcoming the development, the inventor of the Junior Duke Awards, Dawn Waugh from Hutchesons’ Grammar School, said: “The Duke of Edinburgh Awards are based on challenges pioneered by Gordonstoun so it is lovely to see that my junior version of the awards has been taken up by the school where the idea began. Since I began Junior Duke Awards in 2006, thousands of children have learned new skills such as planning trips, cooking, performing and caring for other people. I hope this will inspire more schools to join in!”
Josh Holtby, the Head of Gordonstoun’s Junior School, said: “Our children have already begun their Gold and Platinum Junior Duke Awards and are really enjoying doing new things. I can see their independence and confidence growing, and we are delighted to support an award programme which encourages more children to benefit from the educational approach of Gordonstoun which focuses on developing skills for life, not just for exams.”