HI,
Dux is the academic award given at the end of the school year, which acknowledges effort, and achievement across all subjects. There is only one Dux for the whole of primary school. It is in the senior year, grade 6. Then they do it again at the end of year 12 - final year of secondary school.

You don't apply, you are selected by your teacher, based on overall results across the year.

Whilst I am not status driven, my daughter wants the award, I want to help her succeed in getting it. If she wants it, but is reluctant to work for it, it would be really sad and disappointing for her.

My worry is she is purposely not doing well, as she doesn't want to be seen by her peers as trying to hard, showing off her knowledge, and thereby creating distance between her and them. In the past 5 weeks of school, she's taken a nose dive with the "Start of year" benchmark testing. SHe thinks if she's too far above all the others, no one will like her. SO that's why she has now benchmarked as a C in some subjects, when she finished last year (Grade5 ) on As.

THank you everyone, you have given me great perspective on it. I really do take on your comments, and it's helped me understand a lot.