Freedom of Information

Guide to Information

Freedom of information (FOI) law requires Scottish public authorities to produce and maintain a publication scheme. Authorities are under a legal obligation to: 

• publish the classes of information that they make routinely available

• tell the public how to access the information and what it might cost.

Ardfern School is a Scottish public authority under FOI law and it has adopted the Model Publication Scheme produced by the Scottish Information Commissioner. View the Model Publication Scheme at www.itspublicknowledge.info/mps

The purpose of this Guide to Information is to: 

• let you to see what information Ardfern School publishes under each class of the Model Publication Scheme

• tell you how to find the information easily

• tell you about any charges for the information

• give contact details for enquiries and help with accessing the information

• explain how to request information we haven’t published

Availability and formats
The information we publish through the Model Publication Scheme is, wherever possible, available on our website. We offer alternative arrangements for people who do not want to, or cannot, access the information online or by inspection at our premises. For example, we can usually arrange to send information to you in paper copy (although there may be a charge for this). 

Exempt information
We will publish the information we hold that falls within the classes of information below. If a document contains information that is exempt under Scotland’s freedom of information laws (for example sensitive personal information or a trade secret), we may remove or redact the information before publication but we will explain why. 

Copyright
Ardfern School has adopted the Open Government Licence (OGL) for the information it publishes through this Guide. You can view the OGL here: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/. This sets out what you can and cannot do with our published information where we are the copyright holder.
Where Ardfern School does not hold the copyright in information we publish, we will make that clear in this guide.

Class 1

Class description: 

Information about Ardfern School, who we are, where to find us, how to contact us, how we are managed and our external relations

1.1 Location and Contact Details

Ardfern School,
Units C-F
Floors Street Industrial Estate
Floors Street
Johnstone
PA5 8PE

Tel: 01505 331 898
Emai: foi@ardfernschool.org.uk

1.2 Hours of Operation

Monday to Thursday: 8am – 5pm
Friday: 8am – 3pm

1.3 School Structure

TBC

1.4 School Holidays

TBC

1.5 How to make an information request to the school

Information requests can be made to the school in the following formats:

Email
Please contact our Freedom of Information email address: foi@ardfernschool.org.uk

Post
Tricia MacLeod
Head Teacher
Ardfern School
Unit C-F
Floors Street Industrial Estate
Floors Street
Johnstone
PA5 8PE

Requesters are asked to include: Their full name, address, telephone number, and email address. Requesters should provide as much information about their request as possible, this will assist us on dealing with the request. Please indicate: the information being requested, the purpose of the request, and the format in which it is required.

We aim to respond to all requests within 20 working days.

1.6 Charges

There is no charge to view information on our website or at our premises.
We may charge for providing information to you e.g., photocopying and postage, but we will charge you no more than it actually costs us to do so. We will always tell you what the cost is before providing the information to you.
Our photocopying charge per sheet of paper is shown in the table below:

Size of paperPence per single sided copy (black and white)Pence per single sided copy (colour)A410 Pence30 Pence

Information provided on CD-Rom will be charged at £1.00 per computer disc.
We will recharge any postage costs at the rate we paid to send the information to you.
When providing copies of pre-printed publications, we will charge no more than the cost per copy of the total print run.
We do not pass on any other costs to you for our published information.

1.7 Legal Framework

Children (Scotland) Act 1995.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1995/36

The Data Protection Act 1998.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/29/contents

The Education Act 1996.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/part/I/chapter/III/crossheading/general-functions

The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2002/13/contents

The General Teaching Council For Scotland (GTC).
http://www.gtcs.org.uk/

Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC).
http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/Young-People/gettingitright

The Human Rights Act 1998.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/42/contents.

1.8 Accountability

Complaints Procedure

If you have a complaint or wish to speak formally with a senior staff member regarding any issues or uncertainties, then please contact the following staff in the first instance:

Janis Logue
Centre Manager
Ardfern School: Johnstone
Units C-F
Floors Street Industrial Estate
Floors Street
Johnstone
PA5 8PE

Phone: 01505 331 898
Email: janislogue@ardfernschool.org.uk

Andrew Telford
Centre Manager
Ardfern School: Lomond
Unit 1 Block 1,
Lomond Industrial Estate
Duncryne Road
Alexandria

Phone: 01389 755 794
Email: andrewtelford@ardfernschool.org.uk

If you are not happy with the outcome of the initial complaint then you are able to contact our Head Teacher or Director:

Tricia MacLeod
Head Teacher
Ardfern School: Johnstone
Units C-F
Floors Street Industrial Estate
Floors Street
Johnstone
PA5 8PE

Phone: 01505 331 898
Email: triciamacleod@ardfernschool.org.uk

Jim Telford
Director
Ardfern School: Lomond
Unit 1 Block 1,
Lomond Industrial Estate
Duncryne Road
Alexandria
G83 0TL

Phone: 01505 331 898
Email: jimtelford@ardfernschool.org.uk

If you are still dissatisfied after progressing through our internal complaints procedure, you may further your complaint to the appropriate local authority or regulatory body.
Please contact Ardfern School and you will be provided with contact information in order to do this.

Education Scotland
As an independent school, Ardfern School receives regular visits from Education Scotland. This I    ncludes being part of their ongoing inspection model.
Ardfern School’s most recent inspection reports can be found at the following address:
https://education.gov.scot/reports/renfrewshire/8680140

Education Scotland can also be contacted at the following address:

Education Scotland
Denholm House
Almondvale Business Park
Almondvale Way
Livingston
EH54 6GA

1.9 Advisory Bodies

Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS)
Ardfern School is a member of the SCIS. Our information can be found on their website at:
http://www.scis.org.uk/schools/ardfern-school/
SCIS
61 Dublin Street
Edinburgh
EH3 6NL

Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)

Ardfern School is an accredited school, where the qualifications offered are overseen, and verified by the SQA.

SQA
58 Robertson Street
Glasgow
G2 8DQ

General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)

Teaching staff at Ardfern School are registered with the GTCS. The school takes additional support and guidance from the GTCS.

GTCS
Clerwood House
96 Clemiston Road
Edinburgh
EH12 6UT

Cornell University

Ardfern School embeds the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention for Schools (TCIS) framework developed by Cornell University. Ardfern School have two onsite trainers.

Information on TCIS can be found at the following address:
http://rccp.cornell.edu/tci/tci-1_system.html

Class 2

Class 2: How Ardfern School Delivers Our Functions and Services

Class description:

Information about our work, our strategy and policies for delivering functions and services and information for our service users.

2.1 About Us

Please see the About Us section of this website.

2.2 Reports on the school 

Education Scotland

As an independent school, Ardfern School receives regular visits from Education Scotland. This Includes being part of their ongoing inspection model.

Ardfern School’s most recent inspection reports can be found at the following address:

https://education.gov.scot/reports/renfrewshire/8680140

2.3 How the school charges for its services

Information regarding pricing and charges can be gathered by contacting the organisations Director, Jim Telford.

Jim Telford
Director
Ardfern School
Units C-F
Floors Street Industrial Estate
Floors Street
Johnstone
PA5 8PE

Email: jimtelford@ardfernschool.org.uk

2.4 Services provided by the school

Please visit our Curriculum page for more information on the services we offer.

2.5 School Improvement Plan

Please click here to view Ardfern School’s Improvement Plan for 2016-17.

2.6 Information for service users

Please click here to view Ardfern School’s Prospectus.

Please visit Our Approach page, or contact us for further information.

2.7 School Newsletter

Our school newsletter is available on our News page.

Additional information can be found on the school’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Class 3

Class 5