Duke of Edinburgh - Freedom of information requests

Title or Description: Duke of Edinburgh
FOI Number: 552
Date Received: 06/06/2022
Type of Request: FOI
Request or Question: Please could you provide me with the following information for all secondary schools in the Borders: * did you (or do you plan to ) run a Duke of Edinburgh course(s) in academic year 2021/22?* If 'yes' how much was each pupil charged to take part in each course (i.e. Bronze, Silver and Gold)? (please disregard exceptional cases of school support where pupil/family unable to pay)
Response: * All pupils who are engaged with DofE pay for their participation place, at a rate set by DofE themselves.
* Some schools have access to funding to enable pupils from low income backgrounds to sign up to DofE for free.
*Most schools add a small (c.£10) contribution cost to sign up to cover the repair/replacement of expedition equipment that they loan pupils.
* Most schools add a small expedition specific charge if they intend to use fee paying campsites etc., or need to hire transport to get to/from the start/end of an expedition.
* Some schools have lost experience expedition delivery staff over the last few years, and are in a position whereby they need to hire in Outdoor Education Instructors to deliver expeditions – this cost is passed on to pupils in the same way that any other out of school excursion would be, and there are mechanisms to help out pupils from low income backgrounds in the same way as there are for other out of school excursions.
*Schools who have identified own staff who are keen to lead expeditions, rather than hire Outdoor Education Instructors, also need to train their staff up (first aid, leadership training, National Governing Body awards etc.) – these all come at a cost, and schools pass some of this on to pupils.
*If staff are required to deliver expeditions during school time, then there may also be a cost associated with engaging supply teachers to cover their classes – again, this cost may be passed on to pupils in the same way that it is for other out of school excursions.