Religious visits in schools

Summary

A request was made for data on religious group visits to schools and parental exclusions over three years, but the authority only provided information for the 2017/18 academic year due to record retention policies.

Key Facts

• Visitor record books are retained for only one year before destruction, limiting data availability.
• Headteachers determine which community figures are welcomed into schools.
• Religious education must be of a broadly Christian character under the Education Act 2001.
• Parents have the right to request exclusion of their children from religious education or worship.
• The response included a partial table listing specific groups and exclusion numbers for primary schools.

Data Disclosed

• 2018-06-21
• 2018-07-18
• 2017/18
• 3 years
• 1 year
• 4
• 2
• 512133
• Section 12(2)(b)
• Section 12(2)(c)
• Section 14

Exemptions Cited

• Information not held due to records retention policy (visitor books destroyed after 1 year)

Original Request

Which and how many religious groups have attended the island's schools in the past 3 years both primary and secondary? How many, if any, parents/guardians have asked for their children to be excluded or removed from any visits from religious groups into schools?

Data Tables (3)

Full Response Text

Corporate Services Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Hamilton House Peel Road, Douglas IM1 5EZ Telephone: (01624) 685808
Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im
Our ref: 512133 18 July 2018

Dear ###

This request is being handled under the Freedom of Information Act 2015.

We write further to your request which was received on 21 June 2018 and which states:

"Which and how many religious groups have attended the island's schools in the past 3 years both primary and secondary? How many, if any, parents/guardians have asked for their children to be excluded or removed from any visits from religious groups into schools?"

Basis of information held/not held 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. This is because some of the information in the attached table (how many groups & which groups) was obtained from analysis of the various schools’ visitor record books and related documents. Under the Department’s records retention policy (which extends to schools), visitor books are normally only retained for a period of 1 year before they are destroyed.
Therefore the information supplied in the attached table relates only to the 2017/18 academic year. Community engagement, Religious Education and the Education Act In order to improve engagement with the community, Headteachers welcome community figures into schools. It is Headteachers, themselves, who determine which members of the community are welcomed into school and all such visitors would be accompanied during their visit. Their engagement with young people is limited, carefully monitored and also subject to the provisions of the Education Act 2001. Section 12(2)(b) and (c) of the Education Act 2001 says:-

(2) The religious education given to any pupils at a provided school pursuant to subsection (1) – ………………. (b) shall be wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character; but (c) shall not include any catechism or formulary which is distinctive of any particular religious denomination.

The Education Act also outlines parents’ rights as to religious education and worship, including requested exclusion from religious education and/or worship:- Section 14 - Parents’ rights as to religious education and worship (1) If the parent of any pupil at any provided school or maintained school requests that he be wholly or partly excused from attendance at — (a) religious education in the school, (b) religious worship in the school, or (c) both religious education and religious worship in the school, then, until the request is withdrawn, the pupil shall be excused from such attendance accordingly. Please quote the reference number 512133 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

DESC response to FoI request ref. 512133, July 2018 Which and how many religious groups have attended the island's schools in the past 3 years both primary and secondary? How many, if any, parents/guardians have asked for their children to be excluded or removed from any visits from religious groups into schools? Primary schools (How many groups) (Which groups) (Number of children excluded by parental request)* Anagh Coar School 4 • Leprosy Misson • Scripture Union (Lifepath) • Child Evangelism Fellowship • Braddan Church 2 Andreas School 4 • Child Evangelism Fellowship • Open the Book Assembly Team (ecumenical group) • Church of England
• Scripture Union Ministries Trust None Arbory Primary School 5 • Church of England • Open the Book – Interdenominational • SUMT – Scripture Union • LHCC – Living Hope • Child Evangelism Fellowship None Ashley Hill Primary School 3 • Open the Book group • Scripture Union • Child Evangelism Fellowship 1 Ballacottier School 3 • Child Evangelism Fellowship • Braddan Church • Lifepath None Ballasalla Primary School 2 • Scripture Union • Child Evangelism Fellowship None Ballaugh Primary School 2 • Open the Book group • Child Evangelism Fellowship None Braddan Primary School 1 • Child Evangelism Fellowship None Bunscoill Ghaelgagh 2 • Open the Book group • Child Evangelism Fellowship 6 Bunscoill Rhumsaa 10 • St. Paul’s Anglican Church • The Bethel Church • Ramsey Baptist Church • Living Hope Community Church – North • Child Evangelism Fellowship • Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church • St. Olave’s Anglican Church • Ramsey Methodist Church • Ramsey Elim Church • Scripture Union Ministries Trust – Independent/Interdenominational 5 Cronk-Y-Berry School 3 • Open the Book group • Scripture Union • Child Evangelism Fellowship 1 Dhoon Primary School 4 • SUMT 0

• Church of England • Open The Book group • Child Evangelism Fellowship Foxdale Primary School 4 • Methodist • Church of England • SUMT • Child Evangelism Fellowship None Henry Bloom Noble 4 • Open the Book group • Child Evangelism Fellowship • Elim Church • St George’s Church 2 Jurby Community Primary School Information not currently available Information not currently available Information not currently available Kewaigue School 3 • Child Evangelism Fellowship • Scripture Union Ministries Trust • Braddan Church – Open the Book None Laxey Primary School 4 • SUMT • Church of England • Open The Book group • Child Evangelism Fellowship 2 Manor Park Primary School 4 • Child Evangelism Fellowship • St Matthew’s Church Vicar • Scripture Union • Open The Book Group None Marown Primary School 1 • Representatives from local Anglican Church (Marown Church) 2 Michael School 2 • Open the Book group • Child Evangelism Fellowship 1 Onchan Primary School 2 • Open the Book group • Child Evangelism Fellowship None Peel Clothworkers Primary School 4 • Methodist Evangelical Christian church, Peel • Grace Baptist church • Church of England (St Paul’s Church, Foxdale) • Community Church 3 Rushen Primary School 2 • Open the book • Church of England 1 Scoill Phurt Le Moirrey 5 • Church of England • Child Evangelism Fellowship • Open the Book group • SUMT – Lifepath lesson • Methodist Minister 3 Scoill Vallajeelt 1 • Child Evangelism Fellowship 38 Scoill yn Jubilee 1 • St Ninian’s Church Open the Book group 1 St John's Primary School 5 • Open the Book for a monthly assembly – C of E • Methodist Minister

• Elim Church • Scripture Union • Lifepath St Mary's RC School 1 • Open the Book for assemblies None St Thomas's C of E School 3 • Open The Book Christian Group • Lord Bishop • Church of England None Sulby Primary School 2 • Open the Book group • Child Evangelism Fellowship None Victoria Road Primary School 6 • Life path visitors - Scripture union • Stars day - Scripture union • Methodist Minister • Child Evangelism Fellowship • Open the book - Scripture union • Followers - Salvation army None Willaston Primary School 2 • St Ninian’s Church Open the Book group • Child Evangelism Fellowship 2 Secondary schools (How many groups) (Which groups) (Number of children excluded by parental request) Ballakermeen High School 1 • SUMT – Scripture Union 1 Castle Rushen High School 2 • SUMT - Scripture Union • Gideons 3 Queen Elizabeth II High School 1 • SUMT – Scripture Union Data not held (but likely to be very small numbers) Ramsey Grammar School 1 • Scripture Union None St Ninian’s High School 3 • Scripture Union • Love Life • Gideons None Notes Section 12 of the Education Act 2001 (the Act) outlines provision for religious education Section 14 of the Act outlines parents’ rights to request exclusion from religious education and/or worship