Co-location of St Thomas school to Vallajeelt

Summary

A Freedom of Information request sought details on the co-location of St Thomas's school to Scooil Vallajeelt, including pupil postcodes, enrollment projections, and traffic analysis. The Department of Education disclosed the first four digits of pupil postcodes but refused to provide future enrollment projections or traffic analysis data, citing that the information was not held.

Key Facts

• The Department disclosed the first four digits of postcodes for pupils attending St Thomas's school.
• St Thomas's school is an open catchment school, allowing parents to register children regardless of residence.
• Future enrollment projections for 2018-2028 were refused because the Department does not hold this information.
• It is anticipated that a maximum of 100 pupils would be accommodated at the new site in any queried year.
• The Department stated that it is the responsibility of parents to transport their children to and from school.

Data Disclosed

• IM1 1
• IM2 1
• IM2 4
• IM9 1
• IM1 2
• IM2 5
• IM9 5
• IM1 3
• IM2 2
• IM9 6
• IM1 4
• IM2 7
• IM2 3
• IM3 4
• IM3 6
• IM4 4
• IM4 6
• IM4 7
• 2017-07-03
• 2017-07-28
• 2018-19
• 2019-20
• 2022-2023
• 2027-2028
• 100 pupils
• section 11(3)(a)
• 0301994B
• January 2004
• February 2004
• 20 June
• 21 June
• 4 classrooms

Exemptions Cited

• Section 11(3)(a) of the Act (Information not held)

Data Tables (2)

Full Response Text

28th July 2017

Re: Freedom of Information Request – Reference Number IM93918I

Your Request:-

Please confirm:

1) Please disclose the first 4 digits of the postcode of each pupil attending St. Thomas’s school i.e. IM1 1— 2) Please disclose what projections and working constraints have informed analyses of: a) the likely numerical headcount of St. Thomas’s school at the proposed relocation site of Scooil Vallajeelt; b) the likely place of residence of St. Thomas’s pupils at start of academic year 2018/19, 2019/20 and the commencement of the 5th and 10th academic year after the move occurs i.e. 2022/2023 and 2027/2028. 3) Please disclose the information considered (if any) and any analysis undertaken by the Department relevant to the means by which journeys to and from a relocated St. Thomas’s school would be made, with reference to: a) the current pupil headcount and their places of resident b) the information provided in response to question 2. 4) What consultation has taken place with DOI Highways and with what information were they provided to inform a traffic analysis? What been the DoI response to the proposals? 5) What consultation has taken place with DOI Public Transport? What proposals are there for public transport to serve the site? 6) Has a traffic analysis of the effect on Meadow Crescent and the environs of Scooil Vallajelt been undertaken relevant to the proposed move? What information was provided to those undertaking such analysis? 7) What information does the Department hold relating to traffic constraints and considerations relevant to Scooil Vallajeelt operating with an increased local catchment area such as to establish a local catchment headcount in excess of 200 pupils and/or at its maximum ‘in catchment’ headcount? 8) Please confirm if the JMP Transportation Statement dating from January or early February 2004 and considered as part of approved planning application 0301994B informed the decision of the Department or its submissions to DoI or any other transport analyst relevant to the proposed relocation? Department of Education and Children

Rheynn Ynsee as Paitchyn

Note:planning application 0301994B related to a two storey extension to main building and revised traffic arrangements at Scooil Valljelelt including additional access, staff parking, parent drop off facilities and emergency access gate alongside Meadow Crescent 9) On what basis was it decided who would be eligible to attend the meetings arranged for 4:30pm on Tuesday 20 (St. Thomas) and Wednesday 21 June (Scooil Vallejeelt)? 10) Did the Department or either school actively decide to limit the initial round of consultation or was no consideration at all given to the question of consultation with neighbouring properties to Scooil Vallajeelt or those parents living in the catchment area with children who would be required to attend Scooil Vallajeelt should they continue to reside in the catchment area. 11) When was the Departmental decision taken to proceed with the proposed relocation and which Members and officers were in attendance? 12) What information informed the Departmental decision to relocate 13) For how long is it projected that the St. Thomas’s school is going to be limited to 4 classrooms within the current Scooil Vallajeelt building and on what basis would any further expansion of class room numbers occur? 14) What admission criteria are currently applied by St. Thomas school and any scoring system in place? What criteria will be applied after any relocation and will those criteria be relaxed compared to those in force at present?

Department Response:-

1. In response to question one of your Freedom of Information request for the first 4 digits of the postcode of each pupil attending St Thomas’s School please see below;

IM1 1 IM2 1 IM2 4 IM9 1 IM1 1
IM2 1 IM2 4 IM9 5
IM1 2 IM2 1 IM2 5 IM9 6
IM1 3 IM2 2 IM2 5 IM9 6 IM1 3 IM2 2 IM2 5 IM9 6 IM1 3 IM2 2 IM2 5 IM9 6 IM1 3 IM2 2 IM2 5

IM1 4
IM2 2 IM2 5

IM1 4 IM2 2 IM2 5

IM1 4 IM2 2 IM2 7

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM2 7

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM2 7

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM3 4

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM3 4

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM3 6

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM3 6

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM4 4

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM4 6

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM4 6

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM4 7

IM1 4 IM2 3 IM4 7

IM1 4 IM2 4 IM4 7

1. Please disclose what projections and working constraints have informed analyses of:

a)
the likely numerical headcount of St. Thomas’s school at the proposed relocation

site of Scooil Vallajeelt. b)
St Thomas School is an open catchment school and therefore, parents can

register their children at St Thomas School or at their catchment area school.

The information requested for the start of the academic year 2018-19, 2019-20 and the commencement of the 5th and 10th academic year after the move occurs i.e. 2022-2023 and 2027-2028 is not currently held. As St Thomas’ has an all Island catchment area it is not possible to project the likely numerical headcount although it is anticipated that a maximum number of 100 pupils would be accommodated in any of the years queried. This part of your request is therefore refused as a practical refusal reason applies under section 11(3)(a) of the Act (the public authority does not hold the information requested).

1. a)
   It is the responsibility of parents to get their children to and from school and this

aspect has not been specifically analysed other than a preliminary discussion at

one of the meetings for parents about the possibility of having a bus service

available for relocated St Thomas’ pupils. There has been no discussion with Bus

Vannin at this stage.

b)
It will continue to be the responsibility of parents to get their children to and

from school on all the dates considered, but this has not been considered

formally.

As with question 2 above the Department does not hold the information requested and a section 11(3)(a) practical refusal reason therefore applies.

1. I can advise that there has been no consultation with DoI Highways in respect of a traffic analysis following the decision to re-locate St Thomas’ pupils from September 2018 and consequently there is no response available to be published.

2. I can advise that there has been no consultation with DoI Public Transport and consequently there is no response available to be published.

3. I can advise that there has been no traffic analysis of the effect on Meadow Crescent and the evirons of Scoill Vallajeelt in relation to the relocation of St Thomas’ pupils and consequently there is no response available to be published.

4. I can advise that the Department holds no information which is required to be published under the Act regarding traffic constraints relevant to Scoill Vallajeelt and an increased catchment area. The information held by the Department dates back to 2004 which pre-dates, and is therefore outside the scope of, the Act pursuant to the provisions of section 4 (‘The Act applies in relation to information created on or after 11 October 2011’). It was not considered necessary to review or undertake further traffic analysis as the occupancy levels at Scoill Vallajeelt (including the revised school roll taking account of the re-located St Thomas’ pupils) are well within the school’s designed permanent capacity.

By way of advice and assistance you may be interested to note that in 2004 there were 270 pupils on the school roll at Scoill Vallajeelt and the latest projection of pupil numbers on the school’s roll is 199 for the September 2017 term (against a permanent school capacity of 350 pupils). The co-location decision taken will therefore still put Scoill Vallajeelt well within its designed occupancy levels and assists the Department in maximising the efficient and effective use of its resources.

1. Whilst held, I can confirm that there has been no consideration of the above-mentioned 2004 Transportation Statements or planning applications to inform the recent decision taken by the Department. There have been no submissions to DoI or any other transport analyst relevant to the re-location decision.

2. It was agreed within the Department of Education and Children that Senior Officers should invite parents whose children were already in attendance at both schools to attend meetings to discuss the co-location.

3. I can confirm that no consideration has been given to consult with those living in properties neighbouring Scoill Vallajeelt or those parents living in the catchment area with children who would be required to attend Scoill Vallajeelt should they continue to reside in the catchment area. I would draw your attention to the school occupancy levels in the answer to question 7 above.

4. The Departmental decision to proceed with the relocation of St Thomas’ pupils to Scoill Vallajeelt was taken on 3rd May 2017 (as evidenced in the minutes published in our response to FoI request ref. IM91608I).

The Members and Officers in attendance at the Department meeting of 3rd May 2017 are as below:

3rd May 2017: Attendees

Mr Graham Cregeen, MHK Minister for Education and Children Mr Geoff Corkish, MBE MLC Department Member Mrs Ann Corlett, MHK Department Member Mr Lawrie Hooper, MHK Department Member Professor Ronald Barr Chief Executive Officer Mr Geoff Moorcroft Director of Education Mrs Sue Mowle Director of Inclusion and Safeguarding Mr Andrew Shipley Legal and Administration Manager Mr Paul Bridson Head of Sport and Recreation Mr Richard Collister Director of Estates (in attendance for presentation of report) Mr Andy Wade Head of Corporate Services Apologies

Mrs Yvette Mellor Director of Strategy & Corporate Services Mr Glenn Shimmin Director of Finance Ms Joanne Overty Communications Partner, Cabinet Office

1. Whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible, the Freedom of Information Act 2015 makes provision for public authorities to refuse to release information on grounds where the information is absolutely exempt information or where a qualified exemption may apply.

Your request to be furnished with the above information is therefore refused as an absolute exemption applies under Section 20 (2) (b) of the Act (information accessible to applicant by other means - available on the internet or from any other reasonably accessible source) as this information has already been published by the Department in our FoI response ref. IM91608I.

By way of assistance this information is accessible at https://www.gov.im/media/1357822/closure-transfer-of-st-thomas-primary-school.pdf

1. I can advise that there are no plans to extend provision of St Thomas’ use of school classrooms beyond the proposed four classroom allocation. Plans to extend beyond this are not proposed and have therefore not been considered.

2. Whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible, the Freedom of Information Act 2015 makes provision for public authorities to refuse to release information on grounds where the information is absolutely exempt information or where a qualified exemption may apply.

Your request to be furnished with the above information is therefore refused as an absolute exemption applies under Section 20 (2) (b) of the Act (information accessible to applicant by other means - available on the internet or from any other reasonably accessible source)

For your information details of the admission criteria for St Thomas’ School can be found at https://stthomas.sch.im/pages/index/view/id/27/Admissions

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 Review/Complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post to:
Mr Andrew Shipley, Legal and Administration Manager, Hamilton House, Peel Road, Douglas, Isle of Man, IM1 5EZ.

An electronic version of our Review/Complaint form can be found by going to https://www.gov.im/about-the-government/freedom-of-information/

Your Review/Complaint 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 conducted.

Appeal Process

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; 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 rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at https://www.inforights.im/contact-us/

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