Admissions statistics for History (V100)

The request was refused by University of Warwick.

Dear University of Warwick,

I would be grateful if you could provide admissions statistics for the following categories, please:

(1) A percentage breakdown of the predicted grades of successful applicants for the History course.

For example, hypothetically, 35.4% of applicants given offers for History had predicted grades of AAA.

(2) A percentage breakdown of the achieved grades of successful applicants that put down Warwick University as their 'firm' choice, for the History course.

The most recent statistics would be preferable, please.

Yours faithfully,

Cecelia Knight

infocompliance, Resource, University of Warwick

Thank you for your email which has been received by the University's
Information and Data Compliance Team. 

The University undertakes to respond to Freedom of Information requests
within 20 working days and to Subject Access Requests within 40 calendar
days.

Information and Data Compliance Team.

infocompliance, Resource, University of Warwick

Dear Ms Knight

Thank you for contacting us asking for information from the University of Warwick. Unfortunately, the University is unable to provide the information requested for part of your FOI.

Information regarding exam results, predicted or final, is held individually for each applicant within the University’s systems. The University’s admission team does not have the software or the expertise to collate exam performance into the requested groupings. Each qualification for an applicant is presented as a single entry, therefore, to determine what A-level subjects the applicants took or the grades attained it would be necessary to conduct a manual search of each line for each applicant to ascertain each grade, which the University estimates would exceed the cost limit.

Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act states that a public authority is not obliged to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would exceed the appropriate limit. This is currently £450, which equates to 18 hours of staff time calculated at £25 an hour as set out in the Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2004.

To determine what one individual's total collection of grades and/or subjects was we need to analyse and manipulate the data line by line, to check each individual record the University believes that it would vastly exceed the cost limit set out under the FOIA. This is also excluding the export of the raw data, plus additional work such as checking for possible identifying combinations, exclusion of those not studying A Levels and also looking into the situations where a student takes more than the three A Levels you have suggested below.

Therefore, to provide you with the figures for just one year for admissions, even only for those who have chosen Warwick as "Firm Choice", would exceed the cost limit.

The University is obliged to offer guidance as to what would be manageable under the costs limit so with that in mind, it may be able to provide the number of applicants who applied, were made an offer, who accepted their offer but without the breakdown of the predicted or achieved grades.

If this information / refinement would be of interest to you then please submit a refined request stating what you would like the request to cover, including the Academic Year(s) of application or entry you are seeking to find. We look forward to hearing from you. Please note we will close your request in 20 working days if we receive no reply.

Kind Regards

Information and Data Compliance Team

show quoted sections

infocompliance, Resource, University of Warwick

Dear Ms Knight,

Thank you for your email dated 30^th March 2018 requesting information
about the University of Warwick. Your request is being considered under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000. Please find below your original
request and our response.

I would be grateful if you could provide admissions statistics for the
following categories, please:

(1) A percentage breakdown of the predicted grades of successful
applicants for the History course.

For example, hypothetically, 35.4% of applicants given offers for History
had predicted grades of AAA.

(2) A percentage breakdown of the achieved grades of successful applicants
that put down Warwick University as their 'firm' choice, for the History
course.

The most recent statistics would be preferable, please.

The University has communicated with you regarding your request (email
dated 4^th April 2018), advising that from its preliminary assessment, in
its current format your FOI request would be likely to exceed the
appropriate costs limit under section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information
Act 2000. As explained, information regarding exam results, predicted or
final, is held individually for each applicant within the University’s
systems. The University’s admission team does not have the software or the
expertise to collate exam performance into the requested groupings. Each
qualification for an applicant is presented as a single entry, therefore,
to determine what A-level subjects the applicants took or the grades
attained it would be necessary to conduct a manual search of each line for
each applicant to ascertain each grade.

Due to the reasons outlined above and in our previous email, dated 4^th
April 2018, the University estimates that it would take in excess of the
18 hours allowed under the Freedom of Information Act to provide you with
the information requested therefore the cost of complying with the request
would exceed the appropriate limit.

The University offered guidance as to what would be manageable under the
cost limit, noting that it may be able to provide the number of applicants
who applied, were made an offer, who accepted their offer but without the
breakdown of the predicted or achieved grades.

Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act states that a public
authority is not obliged to comply with a request for information if the
authority estimates that the cost of complying with the request would
exceed the appropriate limit. This is currently £450, which equates to 18
hours of staff time calculated at £25 an hour as set out in the Freedom of
Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations
2004.

As the University has not received any communication containing a refined
request, which would not exceed the appropriate costs limit, the exemption
under Section 12(1) of the Freedom of Information Act is engaged.

If you are unhappy with the way in which your request has been handled by
the University of Warwick, you can request an internal review and in the
first instance you are advised to follow the procedure outlined here:
[1]http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/legal...

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint,
you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:

The Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Phone: 0303 123 1113

Website:

[2]https://ico.org.uk/

There is no charge for making an appeal.

Yours sincerely,

Ian Rowley

Ian Rowley | Director of Development, Comms & External Affairs| External
Affairs
University House | University of Warwick | Coventry | CV4 8UW

References

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1. http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/legal...
2. https://ico.org.uk/