DofE Assessment - E3Adventures

Understanding the ‘Assessment’ part of the Qualifying Expedition is key to a successful expedition. In our DofE Handbook (you can download a copy from the page on the right) that will have been given to you by your school there is a page showing what you will be assessed on.

One way to think of your assessment is a bit like a driving test, you are not expected to be an expert in everything and you are working as a team so you can make a number of ‘minor’ mistakes and still pass your assessment. However there would be some things that might be considered a ‘major‘ mistake and just like with a driving assessment would mean that you would have to take the assessment again.

Minor Mistakes

How do I show I planned the expedition?

The assessor will want to see your Route Card and your Map. Although different members of the team will be better navigators than others it is expected that everyone knows where they are, where they are going and the route they will take.
– If the assessor was to ask you the name of the campsite you are staying at and you don’t know this might suggest you didn’t play your part in the planning of the expedition.
– If you were to ask the assessor ‘How long is today’s route?’ this might suggest to the assessor that you didn’t play your part in the route planning.

Will the assessor look at my equipment or ask me to empty my bag.

Maybe – it is part of the supervisors role but also part of the assessment process to ensure you have suitable equipment for the expedition you have planned.

Will the assessor watch me cook?

Your cooking skills are not part of the assessment, however you should have bought sufficient food for the expedition and be cooking a hot and nutritious meal in the evening. Your assessor might want to see your evening meal. Whilst you can use food packets or boil-in-the-bag meals for expedition, we highly encourage you to be adventurous and creative in your meal choices. You won’t fail for being a bad cook however your assessor will want to know that you bought sufficient suitable food to last you for the length of the expedition.

How much water should I bring?

Every participant should set out each day with enough water to see them though that day; this means usually carrying at least two litres of water with them, more if it is a hot day. If necessary, this can then be topped up by the Supervisors, for example on very hot days or where teams are running late. (see P73 of the expedition guide and DofE Expedition FAQ)

Major Mistakes

Do we need to stick together in our group?

Yes. Unless you are in an emergency situation where you need to split the group to go and get emergency medical help. The general rule is that you are not allowed to split up or join another group. Not only are you assessed as a team on your ability to work together but splitting the group would be considered a serious safety issue.

What happens if I break something?

Putting up a tent in windy conditions can sometimes lead to damage, and how you cope with this is all part of the DofE experience. However purposefully using equipment in a way that it should not be used or neglecting equipment that leads to damage would not be acceptable. Examples of this would be pulling out other groups tent pegs that then leads to damage, pushing your friend onto a tent and snapping the poles, misusing the stoves.

What happens if I get lost?

Getting lost is sometimes part of a DofE Expedition, in most cases you will be able to retrace your steps to a location you were sure of and this is not a problem. However willful trespass, for example climbing over a fence and walking through private property to get to where you want to go to would not be acceptable.

If in doubt think to yourself, ‘Would I be allowed to do this at school?’ or ‘Would I do this if my parents were here watching me?’ – if the answer is NO then don’t do it!