Could I have copies of any correspondence and communication over the past two academic years ( 2017/18 and 2018/19) between your council and the Department for Education, regional schools commissioner offices and/or Ofsted which relate to your council’s concerns or questions about the exclusion of pupils, off-rolling of pupils or the numbers of pupils being home educated after leaving a school or academy trust in your education authority area.
Whilst there has been discussion in relation to this issue these have taken place at planned meetings, reviews and briefings and not in written communication. We therefore do not hold this information.
Could I have copies of any correspondence and communication over the past two academic years ( 2017/18 and 2018/19) between your council and schools or academy trusts which relate to your council’s concerns or questions about the exclusion of pupils, off-rolling of pupils or the numbers of pupils being home educated after leaving a school or academy trust in your education authority area.
We may hold information relating to correspondence with schools or trusts about individual pupil exclusion, however as this identifies individuals and therefore breaches their Data Protection rights we consider it is exempt under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Section 40(2) Personal Data.
All schools have to notify the Local Authority when a child leaves the school and provide onward destination if known. We do record how many children leave each school without the need for further communication. Details for each school were provided in a response to a previous request.
When a high number or percentage of pupils leaving a school is queried (which have the potential to be off-rolling but may also just be house moves out of the school catchment area or participation in overseas exchange projects) we either review our own recorded information as outlined above or follow up with the school at the next face to face visit rather than in written communication.
Numbers of pupils being home educated after leaving schools and academy trusts in the Devon County Council area are available in responses to previous Freedom of Information request.
Home education – age, gender, ethnicity, religion and special educational needs