Information Commissioner's Office

Office for Standards in Education

24 September 2008, Education (College)

The complainant requested copies of Evidence Forms completed during an inspection of St Patrick’s Primary School, Bristol. The public authority refused the request, citing sections 33 and 41. The Commissioner finds that section 33 is not engaged, primarily as a result of the public authority having previously notified participants in inspections that their contributions may be subject to disclosure through the Act. In respect of some of the information the Commissioner further finds that section 41 is not engaged. Having reached these conclusions on the exemptions cited by the public authority, the Commissioner has also considered section 40 and has concluded that some of the information in question constitutes personal data of various individuals, including teachers. The Commissioner finds that the exemptions provided by sections 40(1) and 40(2) are engaged in respect of some of the information constituting personal data. The public authority is required to disclose to the complainant the information identified to the public authority separately from this notice. Information Tribunal appeal (EA/2008/0086) has been withdrawn.

FOI 33: Upheld FOI 41: Partly upheld FOI 40: Partly upheld