Uniform & PE Kit supplier arangements with Ballakermeen School

Summary

A request was made regarding Ballakermeen High School's uniform supplier arrangements, specifically questioning financial benefits and selection processes. The school responded that no financial benefits are received, the PE kit change was student-driven for cost reasons, and parents have flexibility in purchasing blazers.

Key Facts

• The school does not require main uniform items to be purchased from a specific retailer.
• Parents can buy blazers from any shop and attach a badge purchased from the school.
• The school does not earn any money from Dangerous Apparel or Promenade t-shirts.
• The PE kit was changed based on student requests for preferred styles and competitive pricing.
• A hardship fund and loaned uniform are available for families struggling with costs.

Data Disclosed

• 2020-08-27
• 2020-09-28
• 2018-19
• 50p
• £1
• 12 new staff
• six months

Original Request

Ballakermeen High School instructs it's pupils are required to have several items of PE kit and they are to be purchased from Dangerous Apparel Ltd. Students also have the option to buy their Blazers through Promenade t-shirts. My request is for the following information: Why did the school decide to change the PE kit? Was the impact of the additional cost to parents assessed? What is the selection process for choosing which companies will supply items? Does Ballakermeen High School earn any amount of money from Dangerous Apparel or Promenade t-shirts? If so is this based on a fixed fee for being the school's supplier or on a percentage/cash back basis for items produced? If yes how much income was earned this way by the school in the last couple of years?

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

1

From:     Sent: 08 September 2020 14:34  To:    Subject: FW: FW: School Uniforms

Hi ,

Sorry for the delay in replying to you, but school started for me last week, inducting 12 new staff and running a summer school.

Which uniform pieces do you require to be bought from a specific retailer? We do not require any item of the main school uniform to be purchased from a particular  retailer. We are mindful of the costs of kitting out a student for school and we are quite flexible  about which shops can be used. Although one retailer sells blazers with the school badge on,  parents may purchase a blazer for any shop of their choosing, buy a badge from the school and  sew it on themselves.

Do you benefit financially from the arrangements you have with retailers? No. 

Why have you chosen this specific retailer?  We changed our PE kit because of request from our students; they were allowed to  choose the style they preferred. At the time, this was the most keenly priced.

What are the consequences of not wearing the correct uniform at your school? In the first instance, we work closely with our families to try and resolve any issues. We have  uniform that we can lend to people and we have a hardship fund for those parents who struggle.

Uniform is important because it re‐inforces who we are as a community, as well as  allowing students to have a sense of pride and self‐respect. In these financially  challenging times, we have tried to be understanding about what we have allowed our  students to wear. In recent years, we have not insisted upon black leather shoes, but do  require footwear to be completely black, with no obvious logo. After our last review, we  gave our parents over sixth months’ notice that at the start of the next school year, shoes  with different colour soles, or with colour flashes, will not be allowed. We would also  expect that the footwear will be sensible and suitable for a school environment.     Time spent challenging students about what they are wearing takes us away from our  core purpose of teaching and learning. Happily, most students follow our expectations  and wear their uniform with pride. 

2 When was the last time you assessed the uniform policy?  We undertook a series of meetings with staff, parents and students about uniform in the 2018‐19  academic year. 

Do you think it is necessary to have a fully branded P.E uniform? Is there any  advantage for every student, opposed to those that just play sports competitively?  I am prepared to open discussions with my PE colleagues about not having branded PE kit, but  when we did the switch from non‐branded kit, the difference in price was between 50 p ‐ £1 for  shorts or t‐shirt.

Thank you,

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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: 1450985 25 September 2020

Dear ###,

We write further to your request which was received on 27 August 2020 and which states: Your request

"Ballakermeen High School instructs it's pupils are required to have several items of PE kit and they are to be purchased from Dangerous Apparel Ltd. Students also have the option to buy their Blazers through Promenade t-shirts. My request is for the following information: Why did the school decide to change the PE kit? Was the impact of the additional cost to parents assessed? What is the selection process for choosing which companies will supply items? Does Ballakermeen High School earn any amount of money from Dangerous Apparel or Promenade t-shirts? If so is this based on a fixed fee for being the school's supplier or on a percentage/cash back basis for items produced? If yes how much income was earned this way by the school in the last couple of years?"

Our clarification request In order to identify and locate the information that you asked for, we needed to understand and clarify which years you have requested the information for in relation to the question "if yes how much income was earned this way by the school in the last couple of years". You advised “I'm happy to receive the information on money earned over two 12 month periods, whichever is easiest to provide depending on how you normally keep such information.

If it is a calendar year then please my I have the information for 2019 and 2018. If it is either financial or academic years then please can I have the 2017/18 info and the 2018/19 information?” Response 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 information that you have requested for the last three questions of your Freedom of Information request. This is because Ballakermeen High School do not earn any money from Dangerous Apparel or Promenade T-Shirts.

I have enclosed copies of the information that is held, which is Ballakermeen High School’s response to a separate request for information about school uniform and PE kit. Redacted content The information received in relation to Ballakermeen High School’s uniform and PE kit contained personal information and under section 25 of the Freedom of Information Act (absolutely exempt personal information) is exempt and has therefore been redacted. The reasons why that exemption applies are that: • The Department is satisfied that the information amounts to personal data of which you are not the data subject; and • The Department is satisfied that disclosure of the information would contravene one of the data protection principles as set out at Article 5 of the General Data Protection Regulation as it applies in the Isle of Man pursuant to The Data Protection (Application of GDPR) Order 2018, namely that the Department of Education Sport and Culture can only disclose the information where it would be fair, lawful and meet one of the conditions for lawful processing in Article 6 and in this case, none of those conditions have been met.

Please quote the reference number 1450985 in any future communications.

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I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely

Freedom of Information Coordinator