Can I be really nosy and ask what you paid for Duke of Edinburgh award through school

Mondayforthebin · 2023-02-20T21:56:17+00:00

So DS's was nearly £300 which at the time I thought sounded okay for a 3 day residential & training etc but I've just been speaking to Dsis and her DC only paid £50 (this was a few years ago though). I just assumed that everyone paid the same but it would appear not. As I said just being a bit nosy now to see what others have paid.

Bonelly · 20/02/2023 21:58

Over 400

RenegadeKeeblerElf · 20/02/2023 21:58

I can't remember exactly but I think it was around £40, definitely under £50. That included some basic equipment as well like tents and cooking stoves. This was for Bronze though which is only 2 days/1 night, as you say 3 days is it Silver?

Bonelly · 20/02/2023 21:59

Think it's much cheaper through cadets or guides etc. think the school- you're paying for teacher time

RenegadeKeeblerElf · 20/02/2023 21:59

Sorry just checked and I had misremembered, it was £69

ramonaquimby · 20/02/2023 22:00

Schools often outsource this to specialist outfitters, that’s what you’ll be paying for

twelly · 20/02/2023 22:04

I feel that if the DOE should at least in the state schools be free - fair enough you need to purchase some items eg boots if you do not have one available etc. My eldest plans to sign up for the DOE gold award and we have been told the cost is £180 which includes the travel for the expedition costs ie coach, campsite and I think it probably pays for staff cost. I don' t think this should have been charged as in principle it should be open to all an £150 at the start which was what was required is a lot for some families.

pottshrigley · 20/02/2023 22:04

About £400 when it was outsourced and much less when the teachers ran it but then it felt like we were exploiting them a bit as they gave their time for free.

Beamur · 20/02/2023 22:08

If you can do it through Guides or Scouts it will be much much cheaper.
DD's school outsource to a private company and it was something like £230 for Bronze, £340 for Silver (plus £100 if you didn't do Bronze) and pushing £500 for Gold. Equipment hire on top. Not accessible for students without generous parents. Luckily DD doesn't want to go beyond Bronze!

perenniallymessy · 20/02/2023 22:11

About £250 this year for bronze. They use an external company for the expedition, so a lot of the cost will be that.

YouTarzan · 20/02/2023 22:12

250

Africa2go · 20/02/2023 22:19

£300 For bronze, £420 for Silver then £560 for gold. On top of that we had to pay £300 for the residential "volunteering" week for Gold as couldn't find any free options for the week DC could do. State school.

VegetablesFightingToReclaimTheAubergieneEmoji · 20/02/2023 22:20

£200 for bronze. Haven’t got the kit list etc yet, that will be on top.

Putyourhandsintheair · 20/02/2023 22:29

At my state school we charge a basic amount and subsidise the rest so that all pupils can access it. £25 for bronze

sunshineandshowers40 · 20/02/2023 22:31

State school, £250. Cadets much cheaper but they stopped going.

Basilthymerosemary · 20/02/2023 22:36

twelly · 20/02/2023 22:04

I feel that if the DOE should at least in the state schools be free - fair enough you need to purchase some items eg boots if you do not have one available etc. My eldest plans to sign up for the DOE gold award and we have been told the cost is £180 which includes the travel for the expedition costs ie coach, campsite and I think it probably pays for staff cost. I don' t think this should have been charged as in principle it should be open to all an £150 at the start which was what was required is a lot for some families.

Staff/guide need to be mountain leaders if doing gold. That isn't cheap as you're paying for expertise. Schools don't even have enough money to buy pencils and you suggest DofE should be free? That's never going to happen.

Rainbowshit · 20/02/2023 22:38

£300 for bronze. Silver was £500 and we were having cash flow issues at the time and DS wasn't bothered about it so he didn't end up doing it.

UsingChangeofName · 20/02/2023 22:39

These amounts in their hundreds will be at schools where they have bought in companies to run the scheme. It isn't teacher time you are paying for.

The Scouts / Guides / Cadets can offer the scheme so much cheaper because all the hours that are put in to run the scheme (not just the actual expeditions, but all of the things like Adults doing their First Aid Training, Safety and Safeguarding Training, and all the planning meetings) are given voluntarily.

ChirpyChirpyCheepCheepBeep · 20/02/2023 22:41

State school - bronze - free

ManyManyBiscuits · 20/02/2023 22:41

£120 in DD's state school. That includes a trial run expedition and a final expedition I think.

Whether or not she'll get her act in gear to properly get the skill, the volunteering and the fitness assessed is another discussion.

JessicaBrassica · 20/02/2023 22:43

Bronze:
£180 through school
£. 12 through cadets.

School buy in a provider. You can do the Exped with them as an individual and that is £200.

Dodgeitornot · 20/02/2023 22:44

State school bronze- £30 deposit for kit that was refunded.

CheeseSquared · 20/02/2023 22:59

Good lord that's expensive.

My child is just moving up to explorer scouts so we were tossing up between scouts or school for the actual D of E. She said she fancied doing it with school friends but if the proce is that different we will encourage scouts!

DominoBlue · 20/02/2023 23:00

It's always been a signifier of the wealthy kids, like skiing trips. Only the wealthy can absorb the cost.
That's why it's a shame if it disadvantages them when applying to uni.

aureus3012 · 20/02/2023 23:02

£200 for bronze, £360 for silver and £510 for gold

Scepticalwotsits · 20/02/2023 23:06

I did mine though a mix of places from bronze through gold from school, cadets, outside sports clubs and world challenge.

unoeas it’s changed as long as you have someone to sign off what you have been doing you can often fit a lot of what you might already do, or could do for free I to the time needed.

for the expedition at bronze level it was free at school and even tents were provided. However they were old heavy canvas ones so made it painful to carry.

but I caught the bug and then went and used my weekend job to get the equipment I wanted for silver and gold.

silver expedition was done through a cadets residential week, and gold was the world challenge but did the training expedition via the cadets as well in order for it to be signed off.