Department of Education, Sport and Culture
617 FOI requests | Full disclosure rate: 38.1%
The Freedom of Information requests to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture reveal an authority deeply entangled in the controversy of the St Thomas' Primary School co-location proposal. A significant portion of the casework (over 14 related cases) focuses on this issue, where the Department frequently employed a 'practical refusal' or 'already public' defense to withhold decision-making correspondence (e.g., 354839, 354847), while simultaneously disclosing granular data on pupil catchments (354959) and the fact that the school paid no rent (467435). This pattern suggests a strategy of transparency on operational metrics but obstruction on political and strategic deliberations. The data also exposes a complex relationship between the state and religious groups; while the Department confirmed regular visits by the Child Evangelism Fellowship (354861), it actively blocked access for the abortion reform group HEAR (354831), highlighting a selective gatekeeping of external influences in schools.
Key Cases
Case 354861 — Reveals the systematic presence of the Child Evangelism Fellowship in Isle of Man schools, providing a detailed breakdown of visit frequencies, which raises questions about the separation of church and state in public education.
Case 354831 — Discloses a specific incident where the abortion reform group HEAR attempted to access pupils at St Mary's School and was declined, offering a rare glimpse into the Department's vetting of controversial external groups.
Case 361143 — Highlights a significant administrative error and subsequent correction regarding public objections to the St Thomas' co-location (initially 403 signatures, corrected to 413), demonstrating the volatility of the consultation process.
Case 467435 — Confirms that St Thomas' School paid zero rent to the Department for the building, parking, and playgrounds over three years, a crucial financial fact in the debate over the school's viability and the co-location proposal.
Case 354883 — Discloses that eight unqualified teachers were employed in training roles across four secondary schools, raising concerns about the quality of education and staffing standards during the 2016/17 academic year.
Related FOI Stories
The St Thomas' Co-location Saga — #354839, #354847, #354849, #358135, #354867
Home Education and Legal Enforcement — #354833, #354857, #354875, #358137, #354911
School Performance Data and Statistical Gaps — #354791, #354801, #354809, #354815, #354925
Religious Influence and External Visits — #354851, #354831, #354861, #354877, #512133
Staffing, Employment, and Discipline — #354805, #354813, #354883, #354945, #354947
All (617)
All information sent (235) ·
Some information sent but part exempt (116) ·
Some information sent but not all held (110) ·
Information not held (56) ·
No information sent - all held but exempt (48) ·
Upheld - partial (17) ·
Not upheld (15) ·
Upheld - full (8) ·
Not required to fulfill request (8) ·
Request lapsed - requested information not provided (1) ·
Repeated request (1) ·
Neither confirm or deny information held (1) ·
Information Notice (1) ·
| Date | Title | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2019-06-13 | School numbers | All information sent |
| 2019-06-12 | KS1 Attainment & Cohort Data 2015-2018 | All information sent |
| The request sought Key Stage 1 attainment percentages and cohort sizes for Isle of Man primary schools for academic years 2015-2018. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed all requested information, providing detailed data tables for 2015 and 2016 covering reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, and science. | ||
| 2019-06-10 | Use of Proceeds - Sale of Nunnery | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for details on how the Department of Education, Sport and Culture used £5.5m from the sale of the Nunnery and a £500k transitional payment. The Department disclosed that the £5.5m was not held by them but credited to the Consolidated Loans Fund, while the £500k remains unspent within their Capital Programme. | ||
| 2019-06-10 | Training Handover from DfE | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the budget and staff transferred from the Department for Enterprise to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture for training services, along with spending breakdowns for 2018/2019. The authority disclosed that £1,795,346 and five staff members were transferred, and confirmed the entire budget was spent on specific vocational and skills schemes. | ||
| 2019-06-10 | Nunnery Maintenance Costs | Some information sent but not all held |
| 2019-06-10 | UCM Nunnery Contract | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the total cost of using the Nunnery for UCM teaching facilities and the contract end date following its sale. The Department disclosed the total spend to date and the contract end date but stated it did not hold specific capital spend data via GTS, noting that IT infrastructure costs were covered by ICT Limited. | ||
| 2019-05-01 | External Moderation of Primary School Teacher Assessments | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought details on external moderation of primary school teacher assessments, including policies, visit numbers, and specific grading results over three years. The authority provided sample moderation letters for Science and Maths but withheld specific statistical data and results, citing partial exemptions. | ||
| 2019-04-29 | Sections in the Education Bill 2019 for HE - not consulted | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for details on sections of the Education Bill 2019 affecting home educators and confirmation of their inclusion in consultations. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded with a partial disclosure, providing the consultation document but indicating not all requested information was held. | ||
| 2019-04-24 | (i)GCSE Grade C(+) attainment from known KS2 starting point | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester sought detailed analysis of pupil progression from specific KS2 starting points to GCSE Grade C+ attainment across English, maths, and science for 2016-2018 cohorts. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed that it does not hold data in this specific format for most schools, citing FOI exemptions against creating new information, but provided existing data for Queen Elizabeth II High School for the 2018 cohort. | ||
| 2019-04-16 | Home Education Numbers | Upheld - partial |
| The request sought current home education statistics and details on children removed from the register, including ages and compulsory school status. The Department disclosed total family and child counts but withheld specific age data for removed children due to prior deletion of records following parental requests. | ||
| 2019-04-15 | DESC SLT meeting held on or around 19 September 2018 | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester sought documents regarding a Department of Education, Sport and Culture Senior Leadership Team meeting held on 19 September 2018, including agendas, minutes, and correspondence. The authority responded with a partial disclosure, providing a section of an email dated 18 September 2018 containing draft legislative text on parental duties and compulsory school age, while noting that not all requested information was held. | ||
| 2019-04-02 | Education data | All information sent |
| A request was made for statistics on educational enforcement actions (Notices to Satisfy, School Attendance Orders, and fines) between 2011 and 2019, separated by home education and school register status. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed that while 4 Notices to Satisfy were issued to home educators and 63 fines to school-registered children, no School Attendance Orders were issued to either group. | ||
| 2019-03-18 | Northern Swimming Pool Lighting | All information sent |
| The requester asked for all correspondence between the Northern Swimming Pool and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture regarding LED lighting changes since January 1, 2015. The authority responded by releasing extracts of the relevant correspondence, with redactions applied to remove personal and third-party information. | ||
| 2019-03-11 | Value Added KS1-2 & related SSRE Assessment | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made for Value Added KS1-2 progress data and SSRE assessment definitions for Isle of Man primary schools over the last five years. The Department of Education disclosed that most schools do not collate the specific 'more than 6 sub levels' progress data, though limited statistics were provided for Andreas, Ballasalla, and Bunscoill Ghaelgagh. | ||
| 2019-03-05 | Setting & Achievement at KS3 (2018-19 Academic Year) | All information sent |
| The requester asked for updated 2018-19 data on Key Stage 3 assessment methods, setting policies, and pupil achievement levels across Isle of Man secondary schools. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded by releasing all requested information via enclosed documents. | ||
| 2019-02-28 | Student numbers taking GSCE and A Level foreign language | All information sent |
| The request sought student numbers for modern foreign languages at GCSE and A Level across Isle of Man schools from 2011 to 2019. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed all requested data, providing breakdowns by school and year for GCSE, AS, and A Level qualifications. | ||
| 2019-02-25 | Drafting instructions for the new Education Bill | Upheld - partial |
| A request was made for drafting instructions, correspondence, and legal advice regarding the new Education Bill, specifically concerning increased departmental powers and human rights impacts. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture partially upheld the request, releasing extracts of drafting instructions, correspondence, and draft bill text, while withholding specific legal advice and impact studies. | ||
| 2019-02-15 | Achievement at KS4 in English and Maths | Upheld - full |
| 2019-02-04 | Home education in the new Education Bill 2019 | All information sent |
| 2019-01-17 | DESC GCSE Analysis by Subject | All information sent |
| 2019-01-10 | Achievement at KS4 Against Prior Attainment at KS2 2018 | All information sent |
| The Department of Education, Sport and Culture released KS2-4 value-added performance data for 2018, detailing progress percentages and averages in English and Maths for all Island secondary schools. The response included specific cohort statistics for each school alongside overall Isle of Man figures. | ||
| 2019-01-07 | Secretary | All information sent |
| A request was made for data on primary school secretaries and non-teaching headteachers in the Isle of Man. The Department of Education disclosed that there are 38 administrators with a total cost of £728,000, but clarified that no headteachers are classified as non-teaching. | ||
| 2018-12-12 | Potential Changes to GCSE Maths Exam Board & iGCSE Maths Results | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought documentation regarding concerns over iGCSE mathematics and data supporting a Minister's statement on exam results. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture released some information after a final decision on the exam board was made, but redacted personal names under FOI exemptions. | ||
| 2018-12-03 | Information required | Information not held |
| A request was made for lesson timetables and a list of teachers for class 1AP at Castle Rushen High School from September 1974. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded that the information is not held as records were disposed of under retention policy and the class no longer exists. | ||
| 2018-11-27 | Plastic Water Bottles | Some information sent but not all held |
| A request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture regarding single-use plastic policies and water bottle usage across five secondary schools. The authority disclosed that no specific departmental policy exists but provided detailed statistics on bottle sales, tap water availability, drinking fountain counts, and reusable bottle promotion for each school. | ||
| 2018-11-07 | GCSE attainment at KS4 - 2017/28 | Upheld - partial |
| The requester asked for detailed GCSE attainment statistics for 2017-18 across Isle of Man secondary schools, specifically excluding half-GCSEs and breaking down results by the number of passes (5 to 11+). The Department of Education provided aggregate Level 2 qualification data (including GCSEs) for 5 passes but refused the request for specific breakdowns of 6 to 11+ passes, citing that the information does not exist and creating it would require substantial analysis. | ||
| 2018-10-22 | sayle gallery | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for details on how government funds invested in the closed Sayle Gallery were spent. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded that it does not hold this information because the gallery is a separate legal entity, though it provided links to Arts Council award data. | ||
| 2018-10-18 | Key Stage 1&2 Attainment Averages 2018 | All information sent |
| The requester asked for exact Island-wide average attainment figures for Key Stage 1 and 2 students in 2017-18 across five subjects. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed all requested data, providing specific percentages for Level 2+ and Level 3+ (KS1) and Level 4+ and Level 5+ (KS2) achievements. | ||
| 2018-10-04 | Sick Leave, Early Retirement & Application Numbers - Teaching Staff | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought year-on-year data on teaching staff sick leave, early retirement, and recruitment applications for the Isle of Man Department of Education. The authority provided detailed statistics for sick leave days by reason, staff leavers by category, and recruitment figures, though some specific data points were withheld or aggregated. | ||
| 2018-09-24 | Out of catchment - child budget allocation | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked how per-child budget allocations are handled when students are approved for out-of-catchment school transfers late in the year. The Department of Education clarified that no specific financial figure is allocated to each child, meaning no surrender or reallocation of funds occurs between schools during the year. | ||
| 2018-09-24 | Year 11 GCSE/iGCSE results 2017-18 | All information sent |
| 2018-09-20 | Student Data breaches in IOM High Schools - further data required | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought details on student data breaches in Isle of Man high schools, specifically regarding Castle Rushen High School. The authority disclosed a single incident from the 2013/14 academic year involving lost meeting notes containing one pupil's name, noting that no disciplinary action was taken as the responsible staff member had already left. | ||
| 2018-09-20 | End of 2017-18 Academic Year Pupil Numbers | All information sent |
| The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided full disclosure of pupil numbers for all island primary schools at the end of the 2017-18 academic year, covering Reception, Year 2, and Year 6 cohorts. | ||
| 2018-09-11 | IOM Arts Council Funding Decisions | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought IOM Arts Council funding decisions for performing arts from 2015-2018, resulting in partial disclosure where some data was already public and individual names were redacted. | ||
| 2018-09-06 | Student Awards - Post-Graduate Study | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the number of students funded for post-graduate qualifications in the last three years who had previously received similar funding. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture confirmed that no such students received financial support during this period. | ||
| 2018-08-30 | Capacity of Victoria Road Primary School and Castle Rushen High School | All information sent |
| A request was made for the current enrollment and full capacity figures for Victoria Road Primary School and Castle Rushen High School in Castletown. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed the specific pupil numbers on roll for the 2018/19 academic year and the official capacity limits for both institutions. | ||
| 2018-08-24 | What herbicides does the department use? | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture regarding the use of glyphosate herbicides, but the information was refused because the department does not hold it. | ||
| 2018-08-23 | A-Level results for each subject and secondary school for 2018 | All information sent |
| A request was made for 2018 A-Level grade distributions across six Isle of Man institutions, and the Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided all provisional results for the specified schools and subjects. | ||
| 2018-08-23 | Pupil Data Reported by Primary Schools to the DESC | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester sought details on directives and data types regarding primary school pupil attainment and characteristics reported to the Isle of Man Department of Education, Sport and Culture. The authority disclosed specific submission requirements for Key Stage 1 and 2 attainment data and pupil characteristics, while confirming that Year 6 pupil characteristic information is not submitted as part of the attainment data. | ||
| 2018-08-22 | Primary School assessment guides | All information sent |
| The requester sought the latest assessment guidance documents for Literacy, Mathematics, and Science in Isle of Man primary schools. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture confirmed that all requested information was provided via 7 attached documents totaling 108 pages. | ||
| 2018-08-17 | Data breach in high schools | Some information sent but not all held |
| The requester asked for the number of student data breaches by Isle of Man high school staff over the last five years. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture confirmed that there was exactly one such data breach during that period. | ||
| 2018-08-07 | Annual school budgets | All information sent |
| A request was made for annual school budgets, student numbers, and full-time equivalent staff counts for the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 academic years. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded by providing all requested information in an attached table. | ||
| 2018-07-24 | Salary Increase Teachers | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture regarding the cost of a 3.5% salary increase for all teachers. The authority responded by disclosing the total annual cost of this increase. | ||
| 2018-07-24 | Privacy Notice | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for a copy of the Department of Education, Sport and Culture's privacy policy, but no information was sent because the document is already reasonably accessible online. | ||
| 2018-07-23 | supply rates of pay | All information sent |
| A request was made to determine the pay rates for supply teachers working half-days in Isle of Man primary schools. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed that daily rates range from £118.00 to £173.00, calculated pro-rata based on hours worked. | ||
| 2018-07-23 | Gender of primary school teachers. | All information sent |
| A request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture for gender and employment status breakdowns of primary school staff in the Isle of Man. The authority disclosed all requested data covering teachers, TLR positions, deputy heads, and headteachers as of the end of the summer term 2018. | ||
| 2018-07-23 | Pubic funding provided for off Island Sports Competition | All information sent |
| A request was made for detailed public funding data for off-island sports competitions across three financial years, broken down by age and role. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided total travel funding figures by sport but stated they do not hold data subdivided by age or specific administrative roles. | ||
| 2018-07-17 | Royal Hall hire costs for community church | All information sent |
| The request sought annual revenue and per-event hire costs for Living Hope Community Church using the Royal Hall at Villa Marina. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed detailed billing records for events between 2015 and July 2018, including room hire, equipment charges, and applied charity discounts. | ||
| 2018-07-02 | Primary School Out of Catchment Requests | All information sent |
| The request sought the number and reasons for successful primary school out-of-catchment applications since January 2017. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed that 118 applications were successful and listed the specific criteria and reasons used for approval. | ||
| 2018-06-26 | Achievement Against Prior Attainment KS2 | Upheld - partial |
| A request was made for Key Performance Indicators, SSRE classification methods, and three years of primary school achievement data against prior attainment. The Department of Education partially upheld the request, explaining the value-added metrics and providing school-specific data for the requested period. | ||
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