How it works
From everyday effort to earned recognition.
Earn Your Stripes is a whole-school character education programme — two parallel schemes that share the same look and safeguarding, but model achievement to suit the age group. Here’s how each works.
The whole programme in 60 seconds.
At a glance
Two schemes, compared.
| Earn Your StripesSenior · Year 4+ | Tiger StripesJunior · Years 1–3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Year groups | Year 4 and up (≈ ages 8–14) | Years 1–3 (≈ ages 5–8) |
| Approach | Depth — sustained challenges | Breadth — lots of small wins |
| What you do | One challenge in each of 3 dimensions | Any 3 activities in each of 6 categories |
| Verified by | Named third party + form tutor | Parent-logged, light teacher touch |
| Tiers | Bronze · Silver · Gold (≈6/12/24 weeks) | Bronze (3) · Silver (5) · Gold (all 6) |
Senior · Year 4 and up
Three dimensions of character.
From Year 4, children take on one sustained challenge in each dimension. The activity is theirs to pick — here are a few that schools and families have run.
Community
Showing up for other people — volunteering, helping, contributing.
- Volunteering at a community garden or food bank
- Helping run a younger pupils’ reading or sports club
- Organising a charity fundraiser or collection
Consistency
Sticking with something over weeks — a habit, a practice, a streak.
- Practising an instrument three times a week
- Keeping up a daily reading or fitness streak
- Training regularly for a sport or performance
Capability
Getting good at something real — a skill stretched and proven.
- Learning to cook a full meal from scratch
- Building a website, model or working gadget
- Improving a swimming stroke or climbing grade
Then: log it, verify it, earn it.
Every challenge follows the same three steps — and recognition is only awarded once a named adult has confirmed the effort was real.
1. Log the effort
A child (or their parent, for under-13s) records what they did and adds a photo or short note. On-device guidance keeps it activity-focused, and every upload is moderated before anyone sees it.
2. Get it verified
A named coach, instructor or community leader signs off through a single-use link — no account needed. Consistency is witnessed by a parent.
3. Earn the stripe
Once all three dimensions are approved, the form tutor awards the tier. A digital certificate is instant; a printed certificate and premium pin badge are a tap away.
The deeper the commitment, the higher the tier.
Each tier asks for a longer stretch of effort across all three dimensions. Children carry their progress forward as they move up.
Bronze
Around 6 weeks of sustained effort in each dimension.
Silver
Around 12 weeks of sustained effort in each dimension.
Gold
Around 24 weeks of sustained effort in each dimension.
Trusted sign-off
Verified by the people who were there.
Recognition only means something if it’s real. Across both schemes, effort is confirmed by a named adult — not self-reported — before anything is awarded.
- Single-use verification links — no account, no faff
- A parent witnesses the Consistency streak
- The form tutor gives the final sign-off
- Every step is recorded in a tamper-evident audit log