School dinner- cancellations

Summary

The request sought data on the number of children on school dinners at three primary schools comparing the start of the year to the end of the first half term. The Department of Education disclosed ParentPay figures showing a decrease in recorded meals for all three schools, while noting that data accuracy is affected by varying school policies and unrecorded meals.

Key Facts

• Data was provided for Ashley Hill, Laxey, and Onchan schools based on ParentPay records.
• All three schools showed a decrease in recorded school dinners between 3 September and 21 October.
• The response highlighted that daily lunch numbers fluctuate due to individual school change notice policies.
• Not all school meals are logged on ParentPay, including those for late arrivals or students without accounts.
• The authority is currently working to improve the accuracy of school meal data reporting.

Data Disclosed

• 3 September
• 21 October
• Ashley Hill: 123 (start), 101 (end), 22 (difference)
• Laxey: 78 (start), 47 (end), 31 (difference)
• Onchan: 160 (start), 139 (end), 21 (difference)
• Case ID: 5021673
• Freedom of Information Act 2015

Original Request

Can you please let me have the following information about the following primary schools: How many children started the school year (as at Wednesday 3 September) on school dinners, versus the end of the first half term (date of the initial FOI request Tuesday 21 October), in; - Laxey School - Onchan School - Ashley Hill School

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: 5021673 20 November 2025

Dear ###

We write further to your request, received 21 October 2025, which after some clarification on the scope of your request and time periods for information was agreed as:

"Can you please let me have the following information about the following primary schools: How many children started the school year (as at Wednesday 3 September) on school dinners, versus the end of the first half term (date of the initial FOI request Tuesday 21 October), in; - Ashley Hill School - Laxey School - Onchan School"

Our response to your request is as follows:
We can provide the following detail of meals recorded on ParentPay as follows:

3 September 21 October Difference Ashley Hill 123 101 22 Laxey
78 47 31 Onchan 160 139 21

The number of school lunches ordered daily will fluctuate in line with the individual school policy on change notice periods. Most schools allow children to change from school lunch to packed lunch without any notice.

In addition, the use of ParentPay varies across schools and therefore school meals taken may not have been logged on the reports used to extract this data. Work is ongoing to improve accuracy.

Furthermore, school meal figures fluctuate throughout a school year, for a variety of reasons, for example:

• Reception children at some schools do not typically have lunch at school during the first week of the academic year.
• Authorised and unauthorised school absences e.g. sickness and appointments.
• Weather changes resulting in increases and decreases in demand for each meal type.
• End of term, end of year and seasonal events such as Christmas lunch.
• Onsite and offsite class events, projects, competitions, visits or trips etc where a packed lunch is requested • Some school lunches served may not be recorded on ParentPay such as lunches provided for children that arrive late, do not have a ParentPay account or do not have funds on their account.

Please quote the reference number 5021673 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 Information Governance Officer