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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-20 | Etio Reports | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for the total spending and expense breakdown for Etio reports by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture, but all information was withheld. | ||
| 2025-04-25 | School Self Reviews and Evalutions | All information sent |
| The requester asked for School Self Review Evaluations (SSRE) and anti-bullying policies for four specific schools. The Department of Education provided the SSRE for one school directly, directed the requester to public websites for the other three schools citing Section 20 of the Act, and shared links to both the overarching departmental anti-bullying policy and individual school policies. | ||
| 2025-04-22 | Context and SEN Funding - IOM Primary Schools 23/24 and 24/25 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought detailed Context and SEN funding data for all Isle of Man primary schools for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 financial years. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture released the information but redacted specific data points to protect the privacy of individual pupils. | ||
| 2025-04-10 | Student grants | Not required to fulfill request |
| The requester asked for confirmation that the Department of Education, Sport and Culture adheres to the 2019 Act regarding independent university student grants. The authority refused to fulfill the request, stating it was not required to answer questions or provide opinions, and that the information was not adequately described to be located. | ||
| 2025-04-08 | Employee suspensions | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for suspension statistics, templates, and guidance from the Department of Education, Sport and Culture resulted in the disclosure of disciplinary procedures for teachers and lecturers, while statistical data was withheld due to privacy exemptions and no standard template was found. | ||
| 2025-04-02 | Kewaigue Primary School | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for current and projected student numbers and capacity data for Kewaigue Primary School. The Department of Education refused to provide the information, citing that it is already reasonably accessible via a previous Freedom of Information response. | ||
| 2025-04-01 | St Ninians Upper School | All information sent |
| The request sought confirmation of asbestos presence and inspection frequency at St Ninian's Upper School. The Department of Education confirmed asbestos-containing materials exist and are managed, with full surveys conducted every ten years and annual visual inspections now in place. | ||
| 2025-03-31 | Headteachers' Reports to Governing Bodies (Selected Schools) | Upheld - partial |
| The request sought Headteachers' Reports for Island Secondary and Executive Primary Schools for the 2023-24 academic year, and the response partially upheld the request by disclosing the January 2024 report for Castle Rushen High School. | ||
| 2025-03-24 | IOM Primary Schools: Pupil Progress - Data & Analysis 22/23 & 23/24 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought pupil progress data and performance analysis for Isle of Man primary schools for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 academic years. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture released partial information, including specific progress statistics for Andreas, Ballacottier, and Ballasalla schools, while withholding some data under exemptions. | ||
| 2025-03-19 | Ballakermeen - numbers of EAL and SEN pupils | Some information sent but part exempt |
| A request for EAL and SEN pupil numbers, staff details, and budget for Ballakermeen High School was partially fulfilled, with specific roll and language data provided while EAL/SEN counts and budget figures were withheld due to unavailability. | ||
| 2025-03-19 | Henry Bloom Noble School- numbers of EAL and SEN pupils | All information sent |
| The request sought detailed statistics on EAL and SEN pupils, staffing, and budgets at Henry Bloom Noble School for September 2024 and early 2025. The Department of Education provided pupil counts, new joiner data, and native language breakdowns, but withheld nationality data due to lack of records and redacted specific language counts for small groups to protect privacy. | ||
| 2025-03-19 | Cronk Y Berry School- numbers of EAL and SEN pupils | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought detailed statistics on EAL and SEN pupils, class sizes, staffing, and budgets for Cronk Y Berry School. The Department of Education provided pupil counts and class sizes but withheld specific nationality data and new joiner figures due to lack of records or privacy exemptions. | ||
| 2025-03-19 | Scoill yn Jubilee- numbers of EAL and SEN pupils | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought detailed statistics on EAL and SEN pupils, staffing, and budgets for Scoill yn Jubilee, resulting in partial disclosure of current roll numbers, staffing levels, and specific budget figures while some data was withheld or redirected to public sources. | ||
| 2025-03-19 | St Mary's - numbers of EAL and SEN pupils | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought detailed statistics on EAL and SEN pupils, staffing, and budgets at St Mary's School for 2024-2025. The Department of Education provided current pupil counts and class sizes but redacted specific data on new joiners and certain nationalities to protect privacy, while noting that no dedicated EAL teacher exists. | ||
| 2025-03-18 | School statistics | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for reception class numbers and out-of-catchment student statistics for Anagh Coar and Ballacottier Primary Schools for the last three years and 2025. The authority provided 2025 expected numbers and directed the requester to a public website for historical data, citing that such information is already reasonably accessible. | ||
| 2025-03-12 | Numbers and capacity of Island secondary schools | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for the total capacity and current pupil numbers for all Isle of Man secondary schools. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture did not provide the data directly, citing that it is already reasonably accessible via a published PDF link. | ||
| 2025-03-11 | Kewaigue Primary School capacity | All information sent |
| A request was made for current and projected student numbers and capacity details for Kewaigue Primary School. The Department of Education disclosed specific enrollment figures and overall capacity but refused to provide year group capacity data, citing that it is already reasonably accessible via published guidance. | ||
| 2025-03-07 | School pupil intake | All information sent |
| The request sought pupil intake and out-of-catchment acceptance figures for Onchan and Ashley Hill Primary Schools, as well as island-wide out-of-catchment data for the past three years. The Department of Education provided specific reception intake numbers for the two schools but did not include the requested out-of-catchment statistics in the response. | ||
| 2025-03-03 | Pupil characteristics 2024/25 | All information sent |
| The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded to a request for pupil characteristics across Isle of Man schools for the 2024/25 academic year, disclosing data on Free School Meals, Additional Educational Needs (AEN), and English as an Additional Language (EAL). The response provided detailed breakdowns by school and support category, though some specific classifications like neurodivergence were not explicitly detailed in the provided tables. | ||
| 2025-02-27 | Dress down days | All information sent |
| The request sought financial details on funds raised by Isle of Man high schools during dress-down days over the last two years, including spending breakdowns and holding accounts. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed specific fundraising totals, charity donations, and student support allocations for five high schools, confirming funds are held in school accounts pending distribution. | ||
| 2025-02-21 | Year 7 Baseline Assessment Tests 2024-25 | All information sent |
| The request sought Year 7 baseline assessment data for Island secondary schools for the 2024-25 academic year, including reading ages and cognitive ability test results. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed all requested information, providing a detailed dataset of individual student scores across verbal, quantitative, non-verbal, and spatial domains. | ||
| 2025-02-20 | Fire Risk Assessments in Schools | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for fire risk assessment reports and fire extinguisher discharge statistics for all island schools. The Department of Education withheld the risk assessments citing safety exemptions but provided discharge data for secondary schools only. | ||
| 2025-02-20 | Policy on Charitable Donations in Schools | Information not held |
| A request was made to the Department of Education, Sport and Culture regarding a central policy on charitable donations in schools following an incident at St Ninians High School. The authority responded that no such central policy is held, though they provided a link to a related Tynwald written question response. | ||
| 2025-02-19 | Growth | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| A request was made for details on growth areas identified in external validations of Isle of Man high schools and the support provided, but the Department of Education, Sport and Culture withheld all information citing exemptions related to audit functions, policy formulation, and the conduct of public business. | ||
| 2025-02-19 | SPC Opening Hours | Information not held |
| The requester asked for a breakdown of Specialist Provision Centre (SPC) opening times and the policy rationale for variations, but the Department of Education, Sport and Culture stated it does not hold the specific policy or equality impact assessment requested. | ||
| 2025-02-17 | School capacity | Upheld - partial |
| A requester sought data on school capacities, mobile classroom usage, and replacement plans across the Isle of Man, resulting in a partial disclosure of mobile classroom inventories but withholding specific capacity figures and strategic planning details. | ||
| 2025-02-11 | Spending per pupil in both primary and secondary phases | All information sent |
| The requester asked for the formula and precise figures used to calculate the reported £8,700 per-pupil spending in secondary education and equivalent data for primary education. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded by sending all requested information held. | ||
| 2025-02-04 | University College Isle of Man Monitoring Documents | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for investigation reports and action plans regarding University College Isle of Man's compliance with union monitoring document obligations between June 2022 and February 2025. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture withheld all information, citing exemptions related to the conduct of public business and confidential information. | ||
| 2025-02-03 | Off Island School Trips on Steam Packet Crossings | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on off-island school trips affected by revised Steam Packet Company adult-to-child ratios, including planned trips, cancellations, risk assessments, and correspondence. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed data on planned and cancelled trips for primary and secondary schools but withheld risk assessments and correspondence, citing partial exemptions. | ||
| 2025-01-30 | Castle Rushen High School saga | Information not held |
| A request was made for correspondence between government departments regarding housing development on the Castle Rushen High School site and its impact on Castletown. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture responded that they do not hold the requested information. | ||
| 2025-01-30 | Procurement | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought tender documentation and ticket sales data for Gaiety Theatre pantomimes from 2019 to 2025. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture released the 2018 Invitation to Tender for the 2019-2021 productions but withheld other requested information citing commercial confidentiality. | ||
| 2025-01-28 | External validation reports | Upheld - partial |
| The requester sought full external validation reports and the quality assurance framework for schools, but the Department of Education, Sport and Culture only provided parent information leaflets and links to other government reports. The Information Commissioner upheld the request partially, ruling that the exemptions cited for withholding the full reports were inappropriate. | ||
| 2025-01-27 | Equality Act 2017 - Complaints to DESC/Schools | All information sent |
| The request sought statistics on Equality Act 2017 complaints against the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and its schools. The Department disclosed that Primary Schools had no such complaints, Secondary Schools could not provide data without creating new records, and the Department itself received specific complaints between 2022 and 2024. | ||
| 2025-01-16 | Minutes of QE2 school governors' meeting | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for minutes from a QE2 school governors' meeting where the uniform policy was agreed, likely around June 2023. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture provided the minutes but redacted personal information under an absolute exemption. | ||
| 2025-01-16 | Numbers of year 5 pupils in Primary Schools | All information sent |
| A request was made for the number of Year 5 pupils at four specific primary schools on the Isle of Man, and the Department of Education provided the current enrollment figures for all requested schools. | ||
| 2025-01-15 | Gubay Bursary | All information sent |
| The request sought details on the timeline, fund size, and grant numbers for the Gubay Bursary for Top 10 Universities. The Department of Education confirmed the fund was established in 2006 with £500,000, provided 261 grants totaling £579,000, and is now effectively exhausted with only £10,183.22 remaining. | ||
| 2025-01-14 | Heating in Schools | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought details on heating status, temperatures, internal communications, and parent complaints for Isle of Man high schools during the first week of January 2025. The Department of Education confirmed heating was operational with specific temperature ranges, disclosed summaries of complaints, and provided internal communications with some redactions for personal data. | ||
| 2025-01-10 | Correspondence between DESC and the SPC re adult child ratios | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought correspondence between the Department of Education, Sport and Culture and the Steam Packet Company regarding adult-to-child ratios on vessels. The authority released a policy document detailing the new ratios effective October 2024, though the response was partially exempt. | ||
| 2024-12-31 | Settlement Agreements | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester asked for the total number, reasons, and compensation figures for Settlement Agreements issued by the Department of Education, Sport and Culture since September 2021, along with a blank template. The authority disclosed the total count and annual compensation totals but withheld specific reasons for individual agreements due to data protection exemptions. | ||
| 2024-12-31 | Access Arrangements - External Examinations 2023-24 Part 2 | Some information sent but not all held |
| The request sought detailed statistics on approved access arrangements and modified examination papers for Level 2 and 3 exams across Isle of Man schools. The Department of Education provided partial data for specific schools like Ramsey Grammar and Queen Elizabeth II High School, while withholding information for others due to the requirement to create new data or to protect pupil anonymity. | ||
| 2024-12-17 | University destination data | All information sent |
| The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed a list of university destinations and course types for Isle of Man students receiving financial support for the 2024-2025 academic year. The response provided full details across 24 pages, covering institutions ranging from local colleges to international universities. | ||
| 2024-12-12 | Selected Primary Schools - Funding Formulae and Budgets FY 2023-24 | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The requester sought detailed budget derivation, funding formulae, and income/expenditure data for seven specific Isle of Man primary schools for FY 2023-24. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed the general funding formula, staffing calculations, and context funding weightings but withheld specific school-level financial details, resulting in a partial exemption outcome. | ||
| 2024-12-10 | Kensington arts | Not upheld |
| The requester asked for details on inclusivity for disabled children at Kensington Arts and copies of any equality impact assessments. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture confirmed that no such assessments exist for the service, and the internal review upheld the refusal to provide them. | ||
| 2024-12-09 | Review of SPCs | Information not held |
| The request sought details on independent inspections of Specialist Provision Centres (SPCs) and terms of reference for a review into Additional Educational Needs (AEN). The authority provided links to validation reports for seven schools but stated it does not hold information regarding the specific AEN review details requested. | ||
| 2024-12-05 | School On Roll Data | All information sent |
| The request sought combined school on-roll data and SEN-specific information for all schools on the Isle of Man. The Department of Education provided the combined on-roll data and primary school SEN data, while secondary school SEN data was deemed reasonably accessible via a previous FOI response. | ||
| 2024-12-04 | CRHS playing fields and ground source heat array | Some information sent but part exempt |
| The request sought cost breakdowns and operational details for Castle Rushen High School's new playing fields and ground source heat pump system. The authority disclosed installation dates and the system's current non-operational status but withheld specific cost figures, citing that the information was already publicly accessible or would require excessive research. | ||
| 2024-12-03 | External Validators | Upheld - partial |
| A requester asked for full external validation reports and the quality assurance framework used by Tribal for Manx schools since January 2024, but the Department of Education, Sport and Culture only provided parent summaries. The Information Commissioner upheld the complaint partially, ruling that exemptions for personal data and future publication were incorrectly applied to the withheld documents. | ||
| 2024-12-03 | Access Arrangements - External Examinations 2023-24 | Upheld - partial |
| A request was made for access arrangement policies and statistics for external examinations across Isle of Man secondary schools for the 2023-24 academic year. The Department of Education partially upheld the request, providing some policies and data while citing that certain information was not held or was already publicly accessible. | ||
| 2024-11-27 | Teacher Pay Scales | All information sent |
| The request sought the Isle of Man teacher pay scales for the 2024-25 academic year and details on remuneration for additional responsibilities. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture disclosed all information, providing full pay scales including London Fringe and IOM weighting, as well as specific criteria and amounts for Teaching and Learning Responsibility (TLR) payments. | ||
| 2024-11-20 | Inclusive Education Guidance Documents | No information sent - all held but exempt |
| The requester asked for a copy of inclusive education policy guidance documents. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture did not send the documents directly, citing that the information is already reasonably accessible via a public website link. | ||
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