Freedom of Information - Part 1
1. Legal requirement
1.1 Adopting a publication scheme is a requirement of the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This Act promotes greater openness and accountability across the public sector by requiring all 'public authorities' to make information available proactively, through a publication scheme.
1.2 'Public authorities' are defined in the Act and include universities, further education colleges and sixth form colleges.
2. What is a publication scheme?
2.1 A publication scheme is a document which describes the information a public authority publishes, or intends to publish. In this context, 'publish' means to make information available, routinely. These descriptions are called 'classes of information'. The scheme is not a list of the actual publications, because this will change as new material is published or existing material revised. It is, however, the public authority's commitment to make available the information described.
2.2 A publication scheme must set out the classes, or categories, of information published. It must also make clear how the information described can be accessed and whether or not charges will be made.
3. The 'model' publication scheme for further education
3.1 St Helens College has adopted the model publication scheme developed for the Further Education sector and is therefore committed to publishing the information it describes
3.2 This model is designed for Further Education College across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The purpose of the model is to save institutions duplicating effort in producing individual schemes and to assist the public in accessing information from across the sector. However, to reflect the diversity in size and function of institution, a number of optional classes of information are included. As a result, models within the sector will vary slightly. Any optional classes relevant to us have been included in our scheme.
3.3 To assist with the development of the model, a number of institutions across the sector volunteered as pilots. Information about the pilot exercise is available from the JISC (Joint Information Systems Committee) website at: www.jisc.ac.uk/index.cfm?name=mps_overview
4. Who we are
St Helens College is a Further Education College in the Northwest of England, which is a body incorporated by statute. The College has two campuses; the Town Centre Campus and the STEM Centre, Technology Campus. The College offers a broad range of provision which is responsible to local and individual needs and as funded by the Skills Funding Agency.. The College attracts the following primary funding streams:
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- Skills Funding Agency Funding (SFA)
- Young People Learning Agency (YPLA)
- Higher Education Funding Council Funding;
- European Funding
The College also works with a wide variety of partners and has strong links with industry via employer links through the workforce development strategy.
Through a number of core values, the College is committed to:
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- Working in partnership with others to meet the needs of students and to ensure appropriate progression routes are available
- Removing barriers to access to College and services
- Equal opportunities and respect for the individual
- Continually improving quality
- Being a good employer
- Providing value for money
5. Accessing information covered by the publication scheme
5.1 The classes of information we publish are described in the second part of the scheme (Part 2)
5.2 Next to each class the College has indicated the manner in which the information described will be available. It is also indicated whether charges apply to material in each class.
5.3 To request information available through our publication scheme, please contact:
Andrew Allen
St Helens College
Water Street
St Helens
Merseyside WA10 1PP
Tel: 0151 477 5933 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
5.4 Please note that a publication scheme relates to 'published' information. Therefore, material covered has already been prepared in a format ready for distribution.
6. What about information not covered by the publication scheme?
6.1 From 1 January 2005 you will have the right, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, to request any information held by a public authority which it has not already made available through its publication scheme.
6.2 Requests will have to be made in writing and, in general, public authorities will have 20 working days to respond. The College may charge a fee, which will have to be calculated according to Fees Regulations. The College will not be required to release information to which an exemption in the Act legitimately applies. However, public authorities may be required to explain to the applicant why they are not releasing information and they may also have to justify this to the Information Commissioner.
7. Feedback
7.1 It is important that this publication scheme meets your needs. If you find the scheme difficult to understand, please let the College know. The College also welcomes suggestions as to how our scheme might be improved. Any questions, comments or complaints about this scheme should be sent in writing to the Publication Scheme Co-ordinator:
Julia Callaghan
Director of Customer Relations & Marketing
St Helens College
Water Street
St Helens
Merseyside WA10 1PP
7.2 If the College is unable to resolve any complaint, you can complain to the Information Commissioner, the independent body who oversees the Freedom of Information Act:
Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
8. Further information
More information about the Freedom of Information Act is available on the Information Commissioner's website at: www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
Please note that Scotland has its own Freedom of Information Act and Information Commissioner. For more information, please see the Scottish Executive's website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/government/foi
Freedom of Information - Part 2
1. Governance
Introduction
This section covers information relating to the way the institution is governed and how decisions are made. It includes information on the legal status of the institution, which individual member of staff or group within the organisation is responsible for specific functions and where they fit in the overall structure of the organisation. In some instances information from committee minutes will be exempt from disclosure where it contains personal information, information that may damage the commercial interests of the institution or that may threaten the health and safety of specific individuals.
| Class | Description | Manner | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Legal framework |
This class contains information relating to how the institution was established and its standing from the point of view of the law. Legal status conferred by the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. The College is an exempt charity under the powers conferred by the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. Includes:
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The documents within this section are available from the College website or paper copies are available on request to the College. | Free of charge from College website |
| 1.2 | How the institution is organised |
This class contains information relating to how the individual units of the institution are organised and where each unit fits in the overall structure of the institution. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available from the College website or paper copies are available on request from the College. | Free of charge from College website |
| 1.3 | Information on the institutional context |
This class includes information relating to the College's Strategy and Mission. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available from the College website or paper copies are available on request to the College. | Free of charge from College website |
| 1.4 | Management structure | This class contains information relating to how the institution's management structure is organised and the function and purpose of each part of the management structure. Includes:
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The documents within this section are available from the Governance section of the College website or paper copies are available upon request to the College. | Free of charge from College website |
2. Financial Resources
Introduction
This section covers information on the institution's strategy and management of financial resources. The Finance Division provides accounting, procurement and contracting services, helping to make best use of resources and fulfilling statutory responsibilities. Information that may damage the institution's commercial interests will be excluded from publication.
| Class | Description | Manner | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | Finance | This class includes information relating to financial policies and procedures: Includes:
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The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 2.2 | Resource planning | This class includes information that defines how the college undertakes its planning and resource allocation, how it regulates the deployment of resources and how it publishes the outcomes. Includes:
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The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
3. Human Resources
Introduction
This section covers information on the institution's strategy and management of human resources, rather than information relating to individual members of staff which is exempt from disclosure as personal information. The information available covers personnel policies and procedures (including terms and conditions of service including all current versions of the information specified in each class).
| Class | Description | Manner | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Employment and employee relations | This class includes information relating to employment and employee relations. Includes:
Any other policies relating to staff not included elsewhere |
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 3.2 | Equal opportunities/diversity | This class includes information relating to equal opportunities and diversity Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 3.3 | Staff development | This class includes information on staff development and training, including induction programmes, probation and appraisal. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
3. Physical Resources
Introduction
Institutions are often substantial land and property owners in their own right. Classes in this section cover information at a strategic level relating to the institution's management of its physical resources. Information that provides specific details of the institution's future plans to alter its estate (eg proposals to purchase additional property) may be exempt from disclosure where such disclosure would damage the institution's commercial interests
| Class | Description | Manner | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Estates | This class contains information relating to Estates Strategy.
Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
5. Student Administration and Support
Introduction
This section contains information on how the institution manages the administration and progression of their students from admission to course completion, including student support services. Information available within this section does not include specific student personal details, by virtue of being personal information.
| Class | Description | Manner | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | Information on student admission, progression and completion |
This class includes information relating to student admission, progression and completion. Includes:
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The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 5.2 | Student accommodation |
This class includes information relating to:
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The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 5.3 | Student administration |
This class includes information relating to all areas of the maintenance of individual student records, including policies and procedures covering the management of the student records system itself, and the division of responsibilities between central registry staff, college staff and the students themselves. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 5.4 | Student admission and enrolment |
This class includes information relating to the admission/enrolment of new students, including policies and procedures covering the assessment of external qualifications, the creation of student records, the coordination of student funding arrangements and the division of responsibilities between central admissions or equivalent and college staff. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 5.5 | Student discipline |
This class includes information relating to the conduct of disciplinary proceedings against students. Includes:
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The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 5.6 | Student learning support services |
This class includes information on student support services from an academic and learning perspective. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 5.7 | Student liaison |
This class includes information relating to the structure and functioning of staff/student consultative committees or other liaison groups. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 5.8 | Student policies | This class includes a guide to all student policies issued by the institution.
Includes:
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The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 5.9 | Student welfare |
Examples of the type of information in this class include:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 5.10 | Student Associations and Activities |
This class contains information relating to the operation and activities of the Students' Union and other clubs, associations and non-academic activities that are organised for or by the students. Examples of information include: Students' Union Constitution, Code of Practice, List of Officers and any other related documents |
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
6. Information Services
Introduction
This section covers those functions within the institution that provide access to information to the student body and both academic and administrative staff. These include libraries, computing services and information support services. Such functions may be managed separately from each other, or in various combinations. These services routinely explain their facilities (and the conditions of their use) to students, staff and the general public, and it is information of this nature that is included within this section. Information services inevitably hold large quantities of personal data that are exempt from general disclosure.
| Class | Description | Manner | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 | Availability and conditions of use of facilities |
Information in these classes provides details about who can access systems and services and the facilities that they can access. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 6.2 | Mission statements and related documents |
Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 6.3 | Policies with regard to data and information |
Examples of the type of information in this class includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 6.4 | The documents within this section are available by application to the College. |
Information in this class offers assurances that monies are being appropriately spent and assurances that procurement is fair and open. The disposal policies also assure that the institution is making correct and appropriate use of funds. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 6.5 | Scope of collections held |
Examples of the type of information in this class include:
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The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
7. Teaching and Learning
Introduction
This section contains information regarding the management of teaching and learning within the institution including mechanisms for reviewing and ensuring the quality of teaching provided.
| Class | Description | Manner | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 | Academic year dates |
This class includes information on the dates for the current academic year as well as future academic years (as far as is known). - College calendar |
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 7.2 | Further course information |
This class includes information relating to particular colleges, also information relating to programmes and qualifications. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 7.3 | Information on internal procedures for assuring academic quality and standards |
This class includes information about the institution's internal quality audit programmes and annual review. It also includes information on the College's internal procedures for assuring academic quality and standards. Includes: a) Information on programme approval, monitoring and review:
b) Information on assessment procedures and outcomes:
c) Information on student satisfaction with their college experience, covering the views of learners including:
d) Information and evidence available to teams undertaking internal reviews of quality and standards in relation to:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 7.4 | Staffing structure of colleges |
This class includes information about staff roles within colleges, together with organisational charts. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 7.5 | Student assessment strategy |
This class includes information on the regulations and/or policy governing student assessment. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 7.6 | Tuition fees |
This class includes information relating to tuition fees for UK students, EU students and other international students, including information on when tuition fees will be payable and how to pay. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
8. External Relations
Introduction
This section covers information relating to the institution's relationship with its external environment. These include the formal reports the institution is required to provide to its funding bodies, arrangements with other institutions, how it manages its relationship with the local community and how it retains contact with its former staff and students.
By virtue of its nature most institutions will probably find that the majority of these classes are already made available to the public in some means. Members of the public are also likely to find the same or related information is available from the external partners with which the institution has links.
| Class | Description | Manner | Fee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | Government and Regulator relations |
This class relates to the information that the institution is legally obliged to make available to its funding and/or monitoring bodies. Such material may provide information as to how well the institution is performing. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 8.2 | Marketing and recruitment |
This class should include publications relating to student recruitment (UK and International), including the college prospectus. It will also include information related to the learning experience. There will be some overlap with Student Administration and Support. Examples of the type of information in this class include:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
| 8.3 | Public relations |
This class contains information that is created specifically by the College to help publicise its facilities and activities. Includes:
|
The documents within this section are available by application to the College. | Free of charge |
