Secondary School Deployment of Cover Supervisors (KS4: 2024-25)
| Authority | Department of Education, Sport and Culture |
|---|---|
| Date received | 2025-11-19 |
| Outcome | Some information sent but not all held |
| Outcome date | 2025-12-16 |
| Case ID | 5099765 |
Summary
The request sought detailed statistics on Cover Supervisor deployment and policies for Isle of Man secondary schools for the 2024-25 academic year. The Department of Education provided partial data for Castle Rushen and Ramsey Grammar schools, while other schools cited lack of data or excessive workload to withhold information, and confirmed no central policy exists.
Key Facts
- No central policy exists for the use and deployment of Cover Supervisors across secondary schools.
- Ramsey Grammar School employed 3 Cover Supervisors and provided detailed lesson coverage statistics by subject for Years 10 and 11.
- Castle Rushen High School employed 7 Cover Supervisors and reported 470 Year 10 and 269 Year 11 lessons covered.
- Ballakermeen High School had up to 8 full-time and 4 part-time Cover Supervisors, though specific lesson data was not held.
- St Ninians High School and QEII refused to provide specific data due to the substantial compilation required or lack of data collection.
Data Disclosed
- 2024-25
- 8 Full time cover supervisors
- 4 part time Cover Supervisors
- 7 cover supervisors
- 470 Y10 lessons
- 269 Y11 lessons
- 3 Cover Supervisors
- 251 lessons (Year 10 Ramsey)
- 188.8 hours (Year 10 Ramsey)
- 151 lessons (Year 11 Ramsey)
- 124.6 hours (Year 11 Ramsey)
- 5099765
- 2025-11-19
- 2025-12-16
Exemptions Cited
- Information not held or cannot be found after reasonable steps
- Substantial compilation or collation of information required (excessive cost/workload)
Original Request
I seek that information held which details the number of KS4 lessons (by subject and Year Group) that were overseen by a Cover Supervisor in the 2024-25 academic year together with such other statistical data held relating to Cover Supervisors (e.g. number of hours of lesson coverage by subject for each year group, the number of Cover Supervisors (full and part time) engaged by each school etc. Additionally I request a copy of each school's (or central DESC if applicable) policy for the use and deployment of Cover Supervisors.
Data Tables (1)
| Year 10 | Year 11 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of lessons covered | Total in hours | Number of lessons covered | Total in hours | |
| English | 68 | 56.6 | 49 | 40.2 |
| Maths | 12 | 9.9 | 14 | 11.6 |
| Science | 32 | 26.6 | 28 | 23.3 |
| Drama | 4 | 3.3 | 1 | 0.8 |
| Music | 3 | 2.5 | 8 | 6.6 |
| Global Perspectives | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.8 |
| Global French | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Business Studies | 3 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Rural Science | 15 | 12.5 | 5 | 4.1 |
| PE | 9 | 7.5 | 1 | 0.8 |
| Practical Cookery | 53 | 44.1 | 23 | 19.1 |
| Product Design | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 1.6 |
| Spanish | 3 | 2.5 | 2 | 1.6 |
| French | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.5 |
| RMPS | 3 | 2.5 | 3 | 2.5 |
| Media Studies | 3 | 2.5 | 0 | 0 |
| Computer Science | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| History | 7 | 5.8 | 5 | 4.1 |
| Geography | 11 | 0 | 3 | 2.5 |
| Art | 13 | 0 | 3 | 2.5 |
| Totals | 251 | 188.8 | 151 | 124.6 |
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: 5099765 16 December 2025
Dear ###
We write further to your request, received 19 November 2025, which states:
"I seek that information held which details the number of KS4 lessons (by subject and Year Group) that were overseen by a Cover Supervisor in the 2024-25 academic year together with such other statistical data held relating to Cover Supervisors (e.g. number of hours of lesson coverage by subject for each year group, the number of Cover Supervisors (full and part time) engaged by each school etc.
Additionally I request a copy of each school's (or central DESC if applicable) policy for the use and deployment of Cover Supervisors."
Our response to your request is as follows:
Ballakermeen High School While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested.
By way of advice and assistance during 2024/2025 Ballakermeen High School had up to 8 Full time cover supervisors plus, by the end of the year, 4 part time Cover Supervisors. 3 of the 4 were training as teachers, so had timetabled subjects and one, as a qualified teacher with the relevant subject specialism, was covering a long term absence.
Castle Rushen High School
7 cover supervisors in the academic year 2024-25.
Lessons covered:
• 470 Y10 lessons
• 269 Y11 lessons
Number of hours of lesson coverage by subject for each year group
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested.
QEII
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public
authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of
the information that you have requested.
By way of advice and assistance QEII do not hold the data for the academic years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025.
Ramsey Grammar School
Year 10 Year 11
Number of lessons covered Total in hours Number of lessons covered Total in hours English 68 56.6 49 40.2 Maths 12 9.9 14 11.6 Science 32 26.6 28 23.3 Drama 4 3.3 1 0.8 Music 3 2.5 8 6.6 Global Perspectives 0 0 1 0.8 Global French 0 0 0 0 Business Studies 3 2.5 0 0 Rural Science 15 12.5 5 4.1 PE 9 7.5 1 0.8 Practical Cookery 53 44.1 23 19.1 Product Design 3 2.5 2 1.6 Spanish 3 2.5 2 1.6 French 3 2.5 3 2.5 RMPS 3 2.5 3 2.5 Media Studies 3 2.5 0 0 Computer Science 6 5 0 0 History 7 5.8 5 4.1 Geography 11 0 3 2.5 Art 13 0 3 2.5 Totals 251 188.8 151 124.6
Ramsey Grammar School had 3 Cover Supervisors for the 2024/25 academic year.
St Ninians High School
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance, complying with your request for information would require St Ninians High School to undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds and undertake research into, or analysis or, information that it holds. Which Department of Education, Sport and Culture is not required to do under the Act. For these reasons Department of Education, Sport and Culture is not obliged to comply with your request.
By way of advice and assistance St Ninians do not ordinarily collect this data as it would create a significant workload and take a significant amount of time for a member of the schools team to interrogate the school cover system and collate the data in this form.
Additionally I request a copy of each school's (or central DESC if applicable) policy for the use and deployment of Cover Supervisors While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the public authority does not hold or cannot, after taking reasonable steps to do so, find some of the information that you have requested.
By way of advice and assistance there is no central policy for the use and deployment of Cover Supervisors. Secondary Schools employ staff in these roles, they are appointed via the normal recruitment procedure with a job description and person specification detailing the duties of the post on Jobtrain, like all other Public Services recruitment.
Please quote the reference number 5099765 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.