School Commencement Date
Dear North Lanarkshire Council,
Could you please provide me with the following information in respect of each primary school in your area; for every year from (and including) 2010 to (and including) such future year as information exists?
1) The “school commencement date” and if different, the “appropriate latest date” (both as defined in the Education Scotland Act 1980) on or before which a child must attain the age of five years in order to come within the category of children whom your local authority consider of sufficient age to commence attendance at that primary school on that school commencement date;
2) A description of the decision-making process and factors taken into consideration by your local authority when deciding on the “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” together with copies of any relevant guidance and policies used to inform or guide the decision;
3) Details of decision maker(s), who has been consulted including advisers in relation to the decision-making process on the “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” together with information and copies of documents relevant to such consultations and copies of such advice;
4) Details of the timeframe for the decision-making process and dates when the “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” were (or in relation to future years will be or are expected to be) fixed for each year;
5) The documents in which the “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” were (or in relation to future years will be or are expected to be) officially recorded and fixed for the purposes of section 32 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 and the documents or location where they were (or in relation to future years will be or are expected to be) published or made known to the public;
6) Details of any changes made to any “school commencement date” and/or “appropriate latest date” under subsections 32(2)(b) or 32(5)(b) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, the reasons for such change and details of any consultations carried out on changing the school commencement date (or dates) in respect of schedule 1, paragraph 6 of the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 since its commencement on 5 April 2010.
Yours faithfully,
D. Brisbane
Dear Sir / Madam
I acknowledge receipt of your email which is receiving attention.
I shall contact you again when I am in a position to respond more fully to your request.
Yours sincerely
Neil McKay
Freedom of Information Co-ordinator
Democratic and Legal Services
North Lanarkshire Council
Civic Centre
Windmillhill Street
Motherwell
ML1 1 AB
Tel : 01698 302 484
Dear Sir/Madam
Request for Information
I refer to your email of 22 January seeking information in relation to
School commencement dates.
In the first instance, I should acknowledge that this response falls
outwith the statutory deadline outlined in the Freedom of Information
legislation and for this I apologise.
Having investigated, my response to your queries numbered 1) to 6) is as
follows: -
1) & 5) Information relative to these parts of your query is publically
available on the Council’s website and Section 25 of the Freedom of
Information (Scotland) Act 2002, provides an absolute exemption for
information which is already accessible. For ease of reference the direct
link to the relevant page of our website is as follows: -
[1]https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/inde...
2), 3), 4) & 6) School commencement dates are set when school holiday and
term dates are agreed. Decision making and the setting of School Holiday
arrangements are agreed by the Joint Secretaries through the Joint
Negotiating Committee and previously have been set on a 2 year cycle.
North Lanarkshire Council also consult with neighbouring authorities to
ensure consistency.
I can advise that North Lanarkshire Council, having regard to the
provisions of Section 21 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act
2002, has established a procedure whereby any person who has requested
information and is in any way dissatisfied with the decision on that
request, can within forty working days require a review of that decision
by writing to the Head of Business for Legal and Democratic Solutions,
Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, Motherwell ML1 1AB. Accordingly, if
you are dissatisfied with this decision and seek such review please write
to the Head of Business for Legal and Democratic Solutions.
I would advise, also, that in terms of Section 47 of the Act a person who
is dissatisfied with a notice given by the local authority under Section
21 of the Act - ie. a notice following a review of a decision by a local
authority, or by the failure of a local authority to give such a notice -
may make application to the Scottish Information Commissioner for a
decision as to whether, in any respect specified in that application, the
request for information to which the requirement relates has been dealt
with in accordance with the Act. Such an application must be made within
six months of the review decision and be in writing or in another form
which, by reason of it having some permanency is capable of being used for
subsequent reference. The application must state the name of the
applicant, and provide an address for correspondence. The application must
also specify the request for information to which the requirement for
review relates, the matter which gave rise to the applicant’s
dissatisfaction with the original decision of the local authority and the
matter which gives rise to the applicant’s dissatisfaction with the
decision on review by the local authority or the failure of the local
authority to issue such a decision. The Scottish Information Commissioner
can be contacted as follows:-
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St. Andrews
KY16 9DS
email: [2][email address]
Appeals to the Scottish Information Commissioner can also be made online
via the following link: -
[3]www.itspublicknowledge.info/Appeal
I hope this information is sufficient for your purpose. If, however, you
require further information – or I can assist in any other way – please
let me know.
Yours Sincerely
Neil McKay
Freedom of Information Co-ordinator
Democratic and Legal Services
North Lanarkshire Council
Civic Centre
Windmillhill Street
Motherwell
ML1 1 AB
Tel : 01698 302 484
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