Schools in the UK
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Created by a teacher
Welcome!
I’m so glad you have found The Junior Duke Award. It’s brilliant fun for every age group and the perfect addition to everything your school already offers.
Alongside an incredible feeling of achievement upon completion, the Junior Duke Award aims to increase children’s independence, confidence, and resilience as they move through the challenges.
Each level of the award comes with a selection of potential challenges, of which children need to complete between seven and ten (depending on which level). Each challenge has been designed through my 28 years of experience as a primary school teacher and aims to fill the skills gaps.
As the award is typically completed during the school year, here’s how the process works:
- Schools sign up their children as near the beginning of the school year as possible
- Workbooks, with details of all the available challenges for each level, will be sent out as soon as your order is paid for
- Children then have until the end of the summer term to work through their level.
Some children will love the challenges so much that they will work through them at break-neck speed and finish their level in a matter of weeks.
Others will take the full year… and a little bit of prodding from their teachers and schoolmates along the way!
Challenges and choice
In total, there are nearly 140 age-appropriate challenges from preschool to Year 8 / Senior 2. The challenges are split into 10 progressive levels – one for each school year group.
Although some schools choose to teach the Award as part of the school week, we all know that the curriculum is fit to burst so these challenges are designed to be completed at home with the help of parents and family. We find that parents have a really positive response to the Award and are really positive about how much their children learn and how they manage new skills.
However, the challenges can also be completed in school! We find some schools prefer to run the Award as an after-school club or an afternoon year-group or extracurricular activity.
The challenges require a teacher assessment once they are completed. This requires minimal time or work for your staff. It can be as simple as a quick read of the pupil’s self-reflection, a look at their photos, or maybe even a taste of the food he or she has made.
New this year is our online portal which means children can complete the tasks in a paperless version. Great to have choice!
The challenges cover a huge range of skills. First aid, domestic challenges, budgeting for packed lunches, fixing a puncture, building a fire, washing sheets, public speaking and making PowerPoints, knitting, litter-picking…children learn all manner of things to help them in later life!
How to take part
To get involved, interested schools hold an assembly early in the school year and then alert the parents.
Most often, the minimal cost is covered by each family and this covers the cost for the workbook (or portal access), certificate, and badge. However, some schools have used PTA fundraising, PEF funding, or their budgets to cover the costs. One school even applied for a Green Grant and their materials were fully funded because they are on a flight path and every level of the Award has an Eco themed challenge and most have an additional Sustainability challenge.
Next steps
Whilst creating an account with us, you are required to agree to our Terms and Conditions, after which you will then gain access to some of the resources required to run the Award in your school.
These resources massively reduce any admin required from your school, and include things like:
- Parents’ information
- Assembly plans and videos
- Pre-set spreadsheets (all you need to do is add your pupils’ names)
- Ambassador information etc
No Deadlines
There used to be a deadline date for orders - however, that is no longer the case. We suggest that you place your order as early in the school year as possible, so that students have ample time to complete their challenges without any stress.
You can also order at any time before the next school year begins, to get early access to your resources and have plenty of time to prepare before the Junior Duke adventure begins!
Once you place your order, I will send out a box with the workbooks, certificates, and badges. Then, you and your staff get started running the Award in the most appropriate way for your pupils.
I cannot tell you how incredible the Junior Duke Award has been for the children in our school this year. We have enjoyed every success and seen huge improvements in independence and self-esteem. I am sure it will be of no surprise to learn that we are fully invested in continuing to offer this opportunity to our children next session
The Junior Duke Award online shop
The Junior Duke Award is completed at no cost to schools. Each child pays a small fee and we send the resources directly to you, ready to be distributed to the young challengers.
Our shop is home to everything you need to get your school involved. You can purchase packs for every age group, each one containing a colourful interactive booklet, certificate, and badge.
There is a new option to use our online portal for all levels of the Award if yours is a virtual school or are looking to go paperless.
The final two levels include access to our Senior Duke portal, plus a certificate and badge.
And stay tuned – we will be stocking accessories and apparel soon!
