Publication - FOI/EIR release

Data about George Watson's College: FOI release

Published: 7 August 2017
Directorate: Learning Directorate
Topic: Education, Public sector

Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.

FOI reference: FOI/17/01591
Date received: 11 July 2017
Date responded: 4 August 2017

Information requested

All data from any source or discovered by any means about George Watson's College that is held in any form by Education Scotland, including by HMIE, the Registrar for Independent Schools, Education Ministers and their office or any other internal division, agency, or representatives of any kind.

Response

I enclose some of the information you have requested.

However, while our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information requested because an exemption under section 38(1)(b) (personal information) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested.

The reason why this exemption applies is explained below as well as in the enclosed schedule.

I can also advise that Education Scotland does not hold any information in relation to the Registrar of Independent Schools. The office of the Registrar can be contacted at the following email address, independentschools@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk to obtain further information.

Q1: Any complaints (current or previous).

Q2: The handling of any and all complaints made to, about, or against them from any source including HMIE.

Q3: The outcome of any and all complaints made to, about, or against them from any source including HMIE.

Answer: Please find attached complaints we have received between 2013-2017.

Q4: Bullying of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q5: Assault of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q6: Antisocial behaviour of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q7: Neglect of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q8: Personal injury of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q9: Disability discrimination of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q10: Discrimination or prejudice of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q11: Child abuse of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q12: Sexual abuse of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q13: Health and safety breaches of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q14: Data protection breaches of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q15: Dismissals, reprimands, conditions, or sanctions of any kind (including accusations) by current or previous Governors, management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member affecting current or previous Governors, Management, staff, parents or pupils or any other school member or external agent.

Q16: Any George Watson's College policy reviews, failures, inadequacies or breaches including any recommendations made for improvement or to reach compliance with expected standards or practices since 2003.

Answer: While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Education Scotland does not have the information you have requested for the above questions (Q4-Q16), therefore these are exempt under section 17(1) of FOISA.

Q17: Any George Watson's College Inspections, full or partial, or HMIE visits since June 2016. We know there was a visit in 2017 by HMIE, their link inspector we believe, to review their new Child Protection Policy perhaps amongst other things. We would like full details of this visit please, its purpose, any recommendations or outcomes and any data associated with this including all correspondence and replies.

Answer: Please find attached information on the role of the link HM Inspectors, with the process and purpose of the annual engagement visits and a file note in relation to an annual engagement visit by HM Inspectors on 15 February 2017.

Reasons for not providing information

Section 38(1)(b) - personal information

An exemption under section 38(1)(b) of FOISA (personal information) applies to some information which has been redacted from the enclosed documents. This exemption applies because the information is personal data of a third party and disclosing it would contravene the data protection principles in Schedule 1 to the Data Protection Act 1998.

This is because releasing this information could lead to the identification of staff members.

This exemption is not subject to the 'public interest test', so we are not required to consider if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses