Request
Dear FOI Officer,
Freedom of Information Request – Staffing Data by Age and Tenure
Dear University FOI Officer,
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am writing to request information relating to staffing demographics, departures, and recruitment within the School, Of Arts and Creative Industries (whether named ACI currently or ADI previously) at the University of East London.
Please provide the following information for each of the past 10 years (or for as many years as records are held):
1. Staff Demographics
The number of academic and academic-related staff employed in School – and the departments of the school – each year, broken down by age bands (e.g. under 30, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60+).
2. Staff Departures
The number of staff who left the School – and the Departments of the School - each year, broken down by:
- age band (as above),
- reason for departure (e.g. resignation, redundancy, retirement, non-renewal of contract, voluntary severance, settlement agreement), and
- the average and median length of service at the time of departure (in years).
3. Recruitment
- The number of new staff appointments in the School – and the Departments of the School – each each year, broken down by age band at the time of appointment.
4. Equality Impact Assessments
Copies of any Equality Impact Assessments or similar analyses undertaken in connection with restructuring, redundancy, or workforce planning exercises in the School/Department during the relevant period.
For clarity:
- I am not requesting personal information about identifiable individuals. Aggregated or anonymised data (as set out above) will suffice.
- If providing all of the requested information would exceed the statutory cost limit, please prioritise points 1–3.
I look forward to your response within the statutory timeframe.
Formatted Response
RESPONSE
Please note for the answers to questions 1, 2 and 3 we can confirm we hold the raw data, however, due to the risk of individuals being identified we have used the Higher National Statistics Agency (HESA) rounding methodology which protects individuals personal data.
In such circumstances sections 40(2) and (3) of the Freedom of Information Act apply. To find out more about this please see the following link section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act
In this case, our view is that disclosure would breach the first data protection principle. This states that personal data should be processed fairly , lawfully, and in a transparent manner. It is the fairness aspect of this principle which, in our view, would be breached by disclosure. In such circumstances section 40 confers an absolute exemption on disclosure. There is, therefore, no public interest test to apply.
Details on the rounding methodology can be found here
Information Requested in relation to the School of Arts and Creative Industries (whether named ACI currently or ADI previously) at the University of East London.
Please provide the following information for each of the past 10 years (or for as many years as records are held):
1. Staff Demographics
The number of academic and academic-related staff employed in School – and the
departments of the school – each year, broken down by age bands (e.g. under 30,
30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60+).
| Age | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| 18-30 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 35 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 30 |
| 31-40 | 15 | 20 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 65 | 70 | 75 | 70 | 75 | 70 |
| 41-50 | 25 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 45 | 55 | 60 | 65 | 65 | 75 | 65 |
| 51-60 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 60 | 65 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 65 | 55 |
| >60 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 30 |
2. Staff Departures
The number of staff who left the School – and the Departments of the School -
each year, broken down by:
age band (as above),
| Age | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| 18-30 | 0 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 25 | 10 | 25 | 15 | 5 |
| 31-40 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 20 |
| 41-50 | 5 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 20 |
| 51-60 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| >60 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
reason for departure (e.g. resignation, redundancy, retirement, non-renewal of
contract, voluntary severance, settlement agreement), and
| Reason | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| End of Contract | 0 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 90 | 55 | 90 | 85 | 55 |
| Involuntary | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Voluntary | 10 | 20 | 10 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
the average and median length of service at the time of departure (in years).
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
| Average | 5.4 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 3.3 |
| Median | 4.0 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 1.4 |
3. Recruitment
The number of new staff appointments in the School – and the Departments of
the School – each year, broken down by age band at the time of appointment.
| Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| 18-30 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 5 |
| 31-40 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 30 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 20 | 30 | 20 |
| 41-50 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 30 | 15 |
| 61-60 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 5 |
| >60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 |
4. Equality Impact Assessments
Copies of any Equality Impact Assessments or similar analyses undertaken in
connection with restructuring, redundancy, or workforce planning exercises in
the School/Department during the relevant period.
As part of the change programme that launched in December 2024, we considered the potential equality impacts of the proposed changes. However, a formal Equality Impact Assessment was not undertaken, as the number of affected staff was small and the specific characteristics of individuals would have been identifiable.
Instead, we focused on identifying and implementing mitigations that addressed any potential impacts arising from redundancies, ensuring that the process remained fair and equitable for all affected employees.
Original Response
RESPONSE
Please note for the answers to questions 1, 2 and 3 we can confirm we hold the raw data, however, due to the risk of individuals being identified we have used the Higher National Statistics Agency (HESA) rounding methodology which protects individuals personal data.
In such circumstances sections 40(2) and (3) of the Freedom of Information Act apply. To find out more about this please see the following link section 40 of the Freedom of Information Act
In this case, our view is that disclosure would breach the first data protection principle. This states that personal data should be processed fairly , lawfully, and in a transparent manner. It is the fairness aspect of this principle which, in our view, would be breached by disclosure. In such circumstances section 40 confers an absolute exemption on disclosure. There is, therefore, no public interest test to apply.
Details on the rounding methodology can be found here
Information Requested in relation to the School of Arts and Creative Industries (whether named ACI currently or ADI previously) at the University of East London.
Please provide the following information for each of the past 10 years (or for as many years as records are held):
1. Staff Demographics
The number of academic and academic-related staff employed in School – and the
departments of the school – each year, broken down by age bands (e.g. under 30,
30–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60+).
| Age | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| 18-30 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 35 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 30 |
| 31-40 | 15 | 20 | 30 | 45 | 60 | 65 | 70 | 75 | 70 | 75 | 70 |
| 41-50 | 25 | 30 | 40 | 50 | 45 | 55 | 60 | 65 | 65 | 75 | 65 |
| 51-60 | 40 | 45 | 50 | 60 | 65 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 65 | 55 |
| >60 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 30 |
2. Staff Departures
The number of staff who left the School – and the Departments of the School -
each year, broken down by:
age band (as above),
| Age | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| 18-30 | 0 | 15 | 10 | 10 | 25 | 10 | 25 | 15 | 5 |
| 31-40 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 20 |
| 41-50 | 5 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 25 | 20 |
| 51-60 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 15 |
| >60 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
reason for departure (e.g. resignation, redundancy, retirement, non-renewal of
contract, voluntary severance, settlement agreement), and
| Reason | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| End of Contract | 0 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 90 | 55 | 90 | 85 | 55 |
| Involuntary | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Voluntary | 10 | 20 | 10 | 20 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
the average and median length of service at the time of departure (in years).
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
| Average | 5.4 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.9 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 3.3 |
| Median | 4.0 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 1.4 |
3. Recruitment
The number of new staff appointments in the School – and the Departments of
the School – each year, broken down by age band at the time of appointment.
| Year | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| 18-30 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 5 |
| 31-40 | 10 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 30 | 25 | 30 | 35 | 20 | 30 | 20 |
| 41-50 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 20 | 30 | 15 |
| 61-60 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 10 | 25 | 5 |
| >60 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 |
4. Equality Impact Assessments
Copies of any Equality Impact Assessments or similar analyses undertaken in
connection with restructuring, redundancy, or workforce planning exercises in
the School/Department during the relevant period.
As part of the change programme that launched in December 2024, we considered the potential equality impacts of the proposed changes. However, a formal Equality Impact Assessment was not undertaken, as the number of affected staff was small and the specific characteristics of individuals would have been identifiable.
Instead, we focused on identifying and implementing mitigations that addressed any potential impacts arising from redundancies, ensuring that the process remained fair and equitable for all affected employees.
If you are dissatisfied with the way the University of East London has handled your request for information, you can request an internal review of this decision by contacting:
E-mail foi@uel.ac.uk
If the review does not address your concerns, you can exercise a right of appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
The Information Commissioner's Office.