Junior Duke Awards

This year we have launched a new initiative at Hayes Primary School - The Junior Duke Award. The awards are designed for children from 5 to 11 years old to learn and practice a large variety of life skills. It is aimed at increasing their independence, confidence, resilience and self-motivation - whilst giving them a sense of pride at completion.

Each award level has a selection of 10 challenges, and in order to complete a level, the children need to finish 7 of these successfully. The tasks are designed to be completed at home with the help of friends and family. These include skills such as first aid, eco-awareness, drama, ICT, music and sport, as well as life skills such as cookery, puncture repair, washing bedsheets and litter picking.

On completion of a level, a well-earned badge and certificate is awarded and presented in an assembly. The children should aim to finish their challenges by the end of the school year, so they can move on to the next level. However, they can carry it on into the next year if they have not yet completed them all.

Children that sign up to be part of the awards for that year receive a booklet in October, with all of their challenges for the level they are participating in.

Once a challenge is completed, many of the challenges require a teacher to assess them - which is a read through of their booklet and self-reflection, look at the photos, or maybe taste the food created and a conversation with the child.

Each half-term we host a “Junior Duke Day”, where children can bring their booklets into school for assessment, and there is a drop in before school, at lunchtime and after school on that day.

The cost per child is £10 and this includes the booklet, badge and certificate.

The awards are now closed for the academic year 23/24.