Out of area School Pupils

Summary

The requester asked for data on out-of-catchment pupils and free transport costs for all schools on the Isle of Man. The Department of Education, Sport and Culture refused the request, stating it was not required to create or derive information by analyzing individual pupil files.

Key Facts

• The request was received on 2025-06-20 and responded to on 2025-06-23.
• The authority determined that fulfilling the request would require creating or deriving information.
• Compliance would necessitate opening files for 32 primary schools and 5 secondary schools.
• The Department is not obliged to undertake the analysis required to answer the specific questions.
• The requester was advised to submit a fresh request in simplified terms.

Data Disclosed

• 2025-06-20
• 2025-06-23
• 32
• 5
• 4740409

Exemptions Cited

• Not required to create or derive information from held data
• Not required to undertake analysis of information

Original Request

Please can you provide the following information. For each school on the Island, how many pupils live outside the catchment area of that school? Do any of these pupils receive free transport to School? If so, what is the cost?

Data Tables (1)

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: 4740409 23rd June 2025

Dear ###,

We write further to your request received 20 June 2025, which states:

"Please can you provide the following information.

For each school on the Island, how many pupils live outside the catchment area of that school?

Do any of these pupils receive free transport to School? If so, what is the cost?"

Our response to your request is as follows:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance, complying with your request for information would require the Department of Education, Sport and Culture to create or derive information from information that it holds as well as undertaking analysis of information that it holds. Which the Department of Education, Sport and Culture is not required to do under the Act. By way of advice and assistance the request in its current form would require 32 primary schools and 5 secondary schools to open each pupil’s file to check their current address and transport arrangement. For this reason the Department of Education, Sport and Culture is not obliged to comply with your request. Should you wish to submit a fresh request in simplified terms please complete and submit the required form available on our website at: https://www.gov.im/about-the- government/freedom-of-information/make-a-freedom-of-information-request/
Please quote the reference number 4740409 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.