The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award is a globally recognized challenge undertaken by young people all over the world. The award looks to develop students’ character and personalities outside of the classroom environment. The award has been an established part of the Year 10 experience at QIS for years and has proven to be a highlight of the academic year.

The award is undertaken in 4 sections. The first 3 are completely independent activities that the students undertake themselves. They must complete 3 months of Skill, Service and Physical Recreation. Within this, they must search for assessors to track their progress and set themselves SMART goals for each activity. The final section is the Adventurous Journey, a night out in the desert where the students become self-sufficient. Accompanied by volunteer QIS staff members from both Secondary and Primary, the students must navigate, camp, cook and care for each other for a 2-day exploration that tests both physical and mental toughness.

Students who complete the award often discover new passions and pastimes, and the skills they develop throughout the award serve them well as they navigate their IGCSE’s and A-Levels. The process instils lifelong traits and often gives the students their first sense of self accomplishment, to have completed such a large undertaking independently. 

For more details and information on the award, please email QIS’s award Coordinator Ms Houlsby at houlsbyk@qis.org