Dress down days

Summary

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.

Key Facts

• Ballakermeen High School raised £2,064.37 in 2023/24 and £2,702.57 in 2024/25, with remaining funds used for student support or pending finalization.
• Castle Rushen High School holds non-uniform day funds in its main bank account subject to external audit.
• Ramsey Grammar School donated to charities including Rebecca House and Isle Listen between April 2023 and October 2023.
• St Ninian's High School collected £3,867.84 in 2023/24 and £4,992.52 in 2024/25, splitting funds between student rewards and nominated charities.
• Queen Elizabeth II High School used Christmas Jumper day funds immediately for elderly care boxes in Peel, while other charity funds are held until collection.

Data Disclosed

• £2064.37
• £2,702.57
• £3,867.84
• £4,992.52
• £1,290.58
• £388.79
• 2023/2024
• 2024/2025
• 27 February 2025
• 27 March 2025
• 4479342

Original Request

How much money has been raised by each high school on dress down days in the last two years? I also seek a breakdown of how and when this money was spent and where it was held in the intervening period. If the department is unable to supply these figures, I seek publication of the departmental policy on oversight of school collecting money from parents and/or students and how this money is spent.

Data Tables (5)

Full Response Text

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St Johns IM4 3AS

Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im

Our ref: 4479342 27 March 2025

Dear ###,

We write further to your request, received 27 February 2025, which states:

"How much money has been raised by each high school on dress down days in the last two years?

I also seek a breakdown of how and when this money was spent and where it was held in the intervening period.

If the department is unable to supply these figures, I seek publication of the departmental policy on oversight of school collecting money from parents and/or students and how this money is spent."

Our response to your request is as follows:

Ballakermeen High School

Financial Year 2023/2024

Total amount raised: £2064.37

01/04/2023 Manx Hedgehog Conservation £304.73 02/10/2023 Isle of Play £378.26 13/12/2023 Little Piece of Hope £622.03 31/01/2024 Manx Wildlife Trust Annual Subscription £50.00

Remaining funds of £709.35 were used as Student Support to support students who may not be able to afford to attend prom, school trips, Duke of Edinburgh, help with uniform purchases, shoes etc.

Financial Year 2024/2025

Total amount raised: £2,702.57

13/05/2024 Just Giving – Brain Cancer Research £100.00 22/05/2024 Craigs Heartstrong Foundation £691.52 31/01/2025 Manx Wildlife Trust Annual Subscription £60.00

Remaining donations of £851.52 yet to be finalised through end of year.

Funds have been held for the intervening period in the School Fund account.

Castle Rushen High School

Money collected via non-uniform days is held in the school’s main bank account which is subject to external audit.

Ramsey Grammar School

For the period April 2023- present:

Charity
Date
Date paid Amount Note Rebecca House 13/04/2023 13/04/2023 £632.80

Isle Listen 13/06/2023 20/06/2023 £1150.00

Crossroads for Carers
July 2023 11/10/26 £655.02
Delay due to students originally choosing an American Charity so renegotiated with school council.
Red for Racism 18/10/2023 05/12/2023 £641.95

All payments were banked into the School Fund Account.

St Ninian’s High School

Academic Year
Total Collected on Glad Rags Days
Contribution to Student Rewards
Donation to nominated Charities
2023'24
£3,867.84
£2,067.84
£1,800.00
2024'25 to date (07/03/2025)
£4,992.52
£1,949.82
£1,619.15

As we are still within the 2024’25 academic year there is still an amount of £1,423.55 to be allocated. Students still have the opportunity before the end of the academic year to choose whether they put their e-praise points towards a contribution to student awards or donate to one of the chosen charities. At the end of the year, funds are distributed based on the points donated. More information on the community charity list on the Epraise reward system is below:
https://api.epraise.co.uk/api_public.php?school=stninianshighschool&view=donations& bgcolour=ffffff

Monies are held in the School Fund account until paid out towards the end of the year.

Further information relating to the breakdown of how the donations are allocated is available to view via the following Tynwald written question response, in relation to charity donations in schools:

https://www.tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/BusinessHansardIndex2126/W- 202501-1476.pdf

Queen Elizabeth II High School

Academic Year Amount
2023/24 £1,290.58 2024/25 £388.79

The money raised on the Christmas Jumper days in December 2023 & 2024 was used straight away to purchase food and treats to make up the boxes we decorate and fill for the elderly in Peel.

The money raised for Sports Equipment, Hospice and Diabetes is held in the School Fund Account until representatives from the charity can come in and collect the money or it is sent to them by cheque.

Advice and Assistance

By way of advice and assistance please find a link to a recent Tynwald written question response in relation to charity donations in selected schools, including the high schools:

https://www.tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/BusinessHansardIndex2126/W- 202501-1476.pdf

Please quote the reference number 4479342 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.