Freedom of Information

Access to information held by the Trust and its schools

The Trust and our schools aim to be open and transparent about how we operate.

The Freedom of Information Act gives members of the public the right to request recorded information held by public authorities, including schools and academy trusts.

This page explains what information you can request and how to make a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

What is a Freedom of Information request?

A Freedom of Information (FOI) request is a request for recorded information held by the Trust.

This might include information about:

Trust policies and procedures
financial information
governance and decision-making
statistics or reports

FOI requests are different from requests for personal information. If you are asking about information relating to yourself or your child, you should refer to our Data Protection Policy instead.

Information we already publish

Before making a request, please check whether the information is already available on our Trust or school websites.

We regularly publish information such as:

policies and procedures
governance information
financial statements
statutory reports

Details of information we publish can be found in our Freedom of Information Publication Scheme.

How to make a Freedom of Information request

You can make an FOI request by contacting the Trust in writing.

Please include:

your name and contact details
a clear description of the information you are requesting
any helpful details that will help us find the information

You can submit a request by:

email to dpo@abbeytrust.org
letter to: FOI Requests, Abbey Multi Academy Trust, Moyes Centre, Bishops Way, Seacroft Leeds LS14 6NU‍

Submit an FOI Request - email dpo@abbeytrust.org

What happens next

When we receive your request:

we will acknowledge your request
we will review the information requested
we will respond within 20 school days or 60 working days, whichever is earlier (as required by law)

In some circumstances, we may:

ask you to clarify your request
apply an exemption where information cannot be disclosed
provide advice or help to refine your request

If we cannot provide the information, we will explain why.

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Internal review and ICO rights

If you are unhappy with our response, you can ask for an internal review.

If you remain dissatisfied after this, you have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Need help?

For help with Freedom of Information requests, please contact our Trust’s Data Protection Officer.
Email: dpo@abbeytrust.org

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