Students entering into Higher Education 2010-2020

Summary

The requester asked for the total number of Isle of Man students entering higher education from 2010 to 2020, but the Department of Education, Sport and Culture stated it does not hold exact figures for the entire period. The authority provided partial data including University College Isle of Man enrollment, Student Award statistics, and school leaver destination data for 2016-2019.

Key Facts

• The Department does not hold an exact number of Isle of Man students who entered higher education from 2011 onwards.
• Destination data for school leavers entering higher education is only held for the years 2016 to 2019.
• University College Isle of Man enrollment data is available from the 2011/12 academic year to 2019/20.
• Student Award data excludes students attending University College Isle of Man and self-funded students studying off-island.
• The request was adjusted to cover information created on or after 11 October 2011 due to FOI Act limitations.

Data Disclosed

• 2010-2020
• 11 October 2011
• 2016-2019
• 2011/12
• 2019/20
• 188
• 467
• 1849
• 1189
• 95.7%
• 95.2%
• 110
• 8

Exemptions Cited

• Section 20 of the Act (Information reasonably accessible to the applicant)

Original Request

I would like to request the exact number of Isle of Man students which began Higher Education studies each year, from 2010 until the most recently available figure. Drop-out rates would be of great value to make this information more accurate.

Data Tables (3)

Full Response Text

Corporate Services Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Hamilton House Peel Road, Douglas IM1 5EZ Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im Our ref: 1298577 18 June 2020

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 20 May 2020 and which states:

"I would like to request the exact number of Isle of Man students which began Higher Education studies each year, from 2010 until the most recently available figure. This can be students entering into Higher Education and remaining on the Island as well as those who have chosen to leave the Island to pursue Higher Education. The purpose of this data is to attain the number of students currently at Higher Education institutions who originate on the Isle of Man. Drop-out rates would be of great value to make this information more accurate. To clarify: this is not just the number of Student Awards issued by the IOM Government, this is the total number of students in Higher Education who are associated with the Isle of Man." Following your Freedom of Information request we needed to inform you that a Freedom of Information request can only be made in respect of information created on or after 11 October 2011 and asked you to confirm the date you would like the information requested from. You advised: “I would like to confirm that the date I would like the information from after is the 11th October 2011.” Our response to your request is as follows: While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Department does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find the specific information that you have requested. This is because the Department does not hold an exact number of Isle of Man students who entered higher education from 2011. By way of advice and assistance the following information is held by the Department: Destination Data The Department holds the information about students (school leavers aged 18 and 19 years) entering higher education from 2016 until 2019. Some of this information is already available online therefore under section 20 of the Act we are not required to

provide information in response to a request if it is already reasonably accessible to you, whether free of charge or on payment of a fee. By way of advice and assistance the following web link details students entering higher education from 2016 until 2019. https://signposts.sch.im/pages/index/view/id/59/Post%2018%20Destination%20Data To accompany the information in the above web link the table below details the number of students in years 13 and 14 in schools for the last four years. Academic year Year 13 Year 14 2015/16 356 63 2016/17 382 70 2017/18 356 68 2018/19 327 67

University College Isle of Man information The following table details the number of students attending higher education at the University College Isle of Man from 2011/2012 to 2019/20. University College, Isle of Man – Higher Education data Academic year Number enrolled No. Retained % Retained 2011/12 188 180 95.7 2012/13 358 336 93.8 2013/14 297 270 90.9 2014/15 312 279 89.4 2015/16 312 283 90.7 2016/17 337 313 92.3 2017/18 382 364 95.3 2018/19 467 444 95.07 2019/20 421 401 95.2

Student Awards information The following table details the number of students who have been supported by Student Awards. Please note this does not include any students who attend University College Isle of Man. In addition to this the Department does not hold a record of any students who are self-funded and attend higher education off Island. Academic year Number of students Number of students withdrawn 2011/12 1849 110 2012/13 1848 85 2013/14 1816 82 2014/15 1806 93 2015/16 1190 8 2016/17 1168 30 2017/18 1387 28 2018/19 1370 31 2019/20 1189 8 Please quote the reference number 1298577 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.

In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Coordinator