Dropping out of DoE award

[EauDeChlorine]

DD signed up to do her DoE award a few months ago. Unfortunately and without going in to specifics DD now strongly feels that she wants to drop out. (Her father has since become very unwell amongst a few other things) DD suffers from anxiety and feels the DoE and the commitment it takes is too much pressure. I have today approached the school, explained and asked if DD could withdraw and if I could get some of the monies we had already paid refunded considering no activities had started yet. Unfortunately all I got from the school’s finance department was “no, we don’t refund monies that have already been paid” and then when I asked for contact details of the relevant DoE department so I could contact them directly and see if they would be prepared to help the school didn’t want to provide that information either. I don’t think this question is unreasonable bearing in mind we have paid £250 and activities don’t start until June. If DoE don’t want to arrange the refund than so be it but at least I should be able to ask them.

Any advise greatly appreciated. Thank you

Did you ask to read the Ts and Cs before you signed up or paid anything ? If your daughter is known to your GP it will take him minimal time to knock up a letter which obviously he will charge you for so no problem to the NHS .

If your child is too ill to go on the trip you need to involve the GP. If the trip is paid for and they can't give the place to someone else then what should they do except claim on the insurance? Or you lose the money.

All the letter said was that the monies were to be paid in to an account towards the trip and the length of time we had to make the payments, what the options were in terms of instalments etc.. there is nothing in the paperwork that mentions that the monies paid are not refundable. The first time we heard was when we asked to drop out.

Have you asked if she can defer until next year .

Yes she can defer to next year. That way we wouldn’t lose the£50 deposit but the money towards the trip which is the large outgoing would still be lost. After this experience think we will give DoE a miss.

But if the school have paid for the trip why would you expect to get the money back?

Just do the award!! It's not a big deal, the expedition is easy.

I don't think you can expect any money back personally

Yeur DD should continue with DoE

It will do her good to be in regular activities with her dad being so poorly.

She needs to step up and ask rtereeacher for information and sort out what she needs to do. Thas's partly the point of the pogramme, to equip young people with life skills.

Considering she has done nothing towards her DoE I don't really see how "the commitment it takes is too much pressure."

Most kids are already doing activities that qualify (swimming, dance, music,football, helping at school clubs) and they just get an adult to sign itoff . If she really isn't doing any extra activities outside school, she should easily be able to find opportunities.

I would suspect that it wouldn't be easily refundable on the grounds that it would otherwise give the pupils an opt-out.

DS state school charges £250 per pupil for Gold ( a bit less for silver and bronze). Documentation says it is non-refundable. School provide trangias and maps but we have to provide rucksack first aid kit, compass, tent, cooking fuel, pay campsite fees on top. There are a very few tents and rucksacks to borrow for those that are struggling, but none left when we asked. Parents also have to volunteer to organise the paperwork for each group. There is no transport provided to drop off and pick up points, that is all down to parents to share with each other and pay petrol costs themselves... which can mean a 250 mile round trip. Plus on expedition, often parents have extra petrol costs to drive up there for a day (some pay accommodation overnight) and meet the group at checkpoints with water. I think the £250 we pay to school must go on the registration fee to D of E, and training, petrol and expenses for assessors (volunteers themselves). Also the six weeks or so of training meeting and first aid/navigation each group does before the first practice. I have been shocked by the cost of D of E overall. With fees to school, outdoor gear, tent, boots (feet keep growing!), food for expeditions, petrol and fees for sports and activities, it must have come to around £2,000. Not a huge sum for what they get out of it, but has been a big drain to find the £. Hope you get a refund or can defer, OP.