Mr Harry Harris  
Via e-mail: [FOI #11049 email] 
 
 
21 May 2009   
 
 
Dear Mr Harris, 
 
Freedom of Information Request - RFI20090629 & RFI20090761 
 
Thank you for your requests under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (“the Act”) received on 
27 April 2009 and 20 May 2009 seeking the following information: 
 
‘How many people who work for the BBC went to private school?’ 
 
"What percentage of BBC staff on a salary of £80,000 or above attended private schools?" 
 
The BBC has not previously monitored information relating to the educational background of our 
staff.  However, we have recently begun to collect this information for successful job applicants 
(employed on permanent or fixed-term contracts).  For staff who joined prior to 2007, this 
information would only be available from individuals’ application forms held by BBC HR Direct 
Recruitment, which are kept for three years from the date of application and then destroyed.  It is 
likely, therefore, that the educational details for many staff currently employed would no longer be 
held.  
 
For those employees where information about school attended is still held, the BBC does not hold 
information on whether those schools are public or state schools and the Act does not require us 
to create new information in order to answer requests.  I can therefore confirm under section 
1(1) that the BBC does not hold the requested information. 
 
I hope this response satisfies your request. 
 
 
 
 
 

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Your Appeal Rights: 
 
If you are not satisfied with this response you have the right to an internal review by a BBC senior 
manager.  Please contact us at the following address: BBC Freedom of Information, Room 2252, 
White City, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TS, explaining what you would like us to review and 
including your reference number: If you are not satisfied with the internal review, you can appeal 
to the Information Commissioner.  The contact details are: Information Commissioner's Office, 
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF, telephone 01625 545 700 or see 
http://www.ico.gov.uk/ 
 
 
Yours sincerely 
 
 
Mary Geoghegan 
BBC People 
 
 
 
 
 

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