School Debts ( Exc School Meals ) - Freedom of information requests

Title or Description: School Debts ( Exc School Meals )
FOI Number: 15884
Date Received: 07/12/2021
Type of Request: FOI
Request or Question: I would like to make a Freedom of Information request regarding school-related debts - not including debts related to school meals. In particular, I would like to know:1. Are there school-related debts incurred by pupils and their families, e.g. for course materials in school?2. If so, can you detail the categories of these school-related debts?
3. What is the total value of these other school-related debts, broken down by category?
4. Can you provide breakdowns for each of these categories for the past five years?
5. How far back in time does the total amount of school-related debts extend?
6. When, if ever, school-related debts are written off.
7. Does the school or local authority refer families with school-related debts to money advice or other similar local services?
Response: Scottish Borders Council have no recorded debt as these services are payable upon booking.
If a school is aware that a family has financial pressures, the school would normally act to make sure that financial debt does not accumulate. For example, a school residential – the school would look at grants or fundraising to prevent putting a family into debt.

Schools are proactive at raising awareness about financial help, with promotional emails explaining what help is available. With expensive items such as a residential trips, families routinely pay in instalments before hand – in this regard, we do allow prepayment. Schools routinely offer preloved school uniform, PE kits and such like and do as much as possible to help and are proactive to prevent any debt building up in the first place.