Publication Scheme
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 John Ruskin 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 colleges 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
John Ruskin College is a designated sixth form college catering for approximately 1,200 16-19 year olds. In addition, it derives about 17% of its income from vocational courses for adults.
The college is funded by the Learning and Skills Council and subject to statutory regulations which apply to all colleges in the further education sector. As a designated sixth form college the college is part of the Sixth Form Colleges Forum and uses the Sixth Form Colleges Employers Forum (the name soon to be changed to the Sixth Form Colleges Forum) for employment matters including model contracts and pay negotiations.
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.
5.2 Next to each class we have indicated the manner in which the information described will be available. We have also indicated whether charges apply to material in each class.
5.3 To request information available through our publication scheme, please contact:
Belinda Tucker
PA to Principal
John Ruskin College
Selsdon Park Road
South Croydon
Surrey, CR2 8JJ
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. They may charge a fee, which will have to be calculated according to Fees Regulations. They 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 us know. We also welcome 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 below.
Belinda Tucker
PA to Principal
John Ruskin College
Selsdon Park Road
South Croydon
Surrey, CR2 8JJ
7.2 If we are 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/About/FOI
Freedom of Information Act Publication Scheme
| Class | Name of Document/Description | Manner i.e. paper or electronic | No Fee unless stated other-wise |
|---|---|---|---|
Governance |
|||
| Legal framework | Instruments & Articles of Government | Paper | |
| How the institution is organised | Organisation Chart | ||
| Staff job descriptions | All paper | £20 | |
| Information on the institutional context | The Mission Statement (contained in Development Plan) | All paper | |
| The Development Plan | |||
| Quality Cycle Document | £20 | ||
| Management structure | Corporation Members | All paper | |
| Corporation Committees and members | |||
| Minutes and papers of Governing Body, Corporation meetings and Steering Groups. | |||
Financial Resources |
|||
| Finance | Budgets and accounts (Financial Regulations) | All Paper | |
| Contracting (Financial Regulations) | |||
| Goods and services (Financial Regulations) | |||
| Insurance (Insurance policy document) | |||
| Pensions | |||
| Remuneration of senior staff as published in annual accounts | |||
| Travel and subsistence | £20 | ||
| Resource planning | Financial regulations | All Paper | |
| Annual accounts | |||
| Annual budget | |||
| Planning and budgeting procedures | £20 | ||
| Corporate plan/Mission statement | |||
| Annual report | |||
Human Resources |
|||
| Employment and employee relations | SFCEF model contract & conditions of service for teaching staff | Electronic | |
| SFCEF model contract & conditions of service for support staff | Electronic | ||
| Grievance Procedure | Paper | £20 | |
| Disciplinary Procedure | " | £20 | |
| Health and Safety Policy | " | £20 | |
| Public Interest Disclosure Policy and Procedure | " | £20 | |
| Sickness & absence policy | " | £20 | |
| Capability Procedure | Website | ||
| Staff vacancies | |||
| Equal opportunities / Diversity | Equal Opportunities Policy | All Paper | |
| Race Equality Policy | |||
| Disability Statement | |||
| Staff development | Staff Development Policy | Paper | £20 |
Physical Resources |
|||
| Estates | Estates strategy & plan (Programme Maintenance & Capital Budgets) | Paper | £20 |
| Tendering policies (Financial Regulations) | “ | £20 | |
| Catering policy (Tender document) | “ | £20 | |
| Cleaning policy (Tender document) | “ | £20 | |
| Grounds maintenance & upkeep (Planned maintenance programme) | “ | £20 | |
| Building maintenance & upkeep (Planned maintenance programme) | “ | £20 | |
| Map of main site | Website | ||
| Address of main site | Website | ||
| Information on student admission, progression and completion | Prospectus | Paper | |
| ILR (LSC) | |||
| Destination Survey | Paper | ||
| Exam results | Paper | ||
| Student accommodation | N/A | ||
| Student administration | Enrolment procedures | Paper | £20 |
| Prospectus | “ | ||
| Student admission and enrolment | Enrolment form, Enrolment Pack, Prospectus | Paper | £20 |
| Student discipline | Student disciplinary procedure (Student Handbook) | All paper | |
| Complaints Procedures | “ | ||
| Attendance & Punctuality guidelines | |||
| Student learning support services | Learning development and support | Paper | |
| Personal development advice | “ | ||
| Services for students with special needs | Website | ||
| Student liaison | Student Council Constitution | Paper | |
| Student policies | Learning agreement | Paper | |
| Student Handbook | “ | ||
| Student welfare | Student Handbook | Paper | |
| Student Associations and Activities | Student Handbook | Paper | |
Information Services |
|||
| Availability and conditions of use of facilities | Opening hours, eg libraries, helpdesks | Paper / Website | |
| Facilities letting arrangements | Paper | ||
| Health & Safety policy | Paper | ||
| Disaster Recovery Plan | Paper | £20 | |
| Access to/use of Archives back to 1996 | Paper | £20 | |
| Copyright policy | Paper | ||
| Data protection policy | Paper | ||
| Mission statements and related documents | The Mission Statement (contained in Development Plan) | Paper | |
| Policies with regard to data and information | Disaster Recovery Plan | All paper | £20 |
| Data retention and archiving | |||
| Back-up policy | |||
| Procurement and disposal policies | Policies relating to the procurement and disposal of equipment - Asset disposal sheet | Paper | £20 |
| Database of IT equipment | Paper | £20 | |
| Scope of collections held | N/A | ||
Teaching and Learning |
|||
| Academic year dates | College calendar | Paper | |
| Enrolment pack | " | ||
| Further course information | Term dates (Student Handbook) | All paper | |
| Structure of courses (Prospectus) | |||
| Qualifications gained (Exam results) | |||
| Work experience (Prospectus) | |||
| Information on internal procedures for assuring academic quality and standards | Programme specifications in Prospectus and course leaflets | Paper | |
| Self Assessment Report (annual monitoring and review processes) | Paper | £20 | |
| Inspection Report (for accreditation & monitoring reports) | Internet (OFSTED) | ||
| Assessment Procedures | Paper | £20 | |
| Exam timetables | “ | £20 | |
| Student satisfaction survey | “ | £20 | |
| Course amendment form | “ | £20 | |
| Quality Cycle | “ | £20 | |
| Appraisal policy | “ | £20 | |
| Staff access to professional development to improve teaching performance, including peer observation & mentoring programmes | “ | £20 | |
| Use of external benchmarking and other comparators (exam results) | Paper | ||
| Staffing structure | Job titles of staff - organisational charts | Paper | |
| Student assessment strategy | Examinations timetable | Paper | |
| Examination boards | “ | ||
| Tuition fees | Charging policy | Paper | |
External Relations |
|||
| Community liaison | Development Plan (for policies relating to community relations) | Paper | |
| Government and Regulator relations | OFSTED inspection report | Internet (OFSTED) | |
| Reports/returns to funding councils, inspectorates, standard bodies, research councils, professional bodies, government departments etc | Paper | £20 | |
| Marketing and recruitment | Prospectus | Paper | |
| Open Days | Website | ||
| Entry requirements (Prospectus) | Paper | ||
| Widening participation (Development Plan) | “ | ||
| Public relations | Press releases | Website | |
| Prospectus | Paper | ||
| Course brochures | “ | ||
| Newsletters & magazines | “ | ||
| Current information provided to an enrolled student – Student Handbook | “ | ||
