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Posted
Go on then, show me it works.

 

You would like us to submit an FOIA request then compile the results on your behalf, for free? That's going to be a "hell no".

 

But, the fact we, some of the people responsible for responding to requests, have suggested this method bodes well for it getting a response.

Posted
Go on then, show me it works.

 

You do realise it would be faster for you to test this yourself... you have your questions... you have the contact details for some random sample schools for a test run...

Posted

I have to say, I find it interesting that I have provided several suggestions to you @bmaloney, but you've not responded to any of them - instead focusing on passive aggressive responses to others trying to help you.

 

Can you please outline at this stage, what is your goal in this thread? We've provided numerous explanations, suggestions and reasons for doing things differently. You've not accepted any of it.

Posted (edited)

As others have said use a well known site like Google Forms or Survey Monkey.

 

We use Survey Monkey here every time there is a survey in school as it records and produces graphs etc for you.

 

With Survey Monkey you can make it so that the link can be only answered once which would solve your problem of Schools forwarding it on to others.

 

As others have said, please use our insider knowledge to your advantage to succeed with your data gathering

Edited by hardtailstar
Posted
Clicked 'No...' just to add some more colour to your chart.

 

But you clicked on the link! That proves that all schools must now be forced to also click on the link :D

Posted (edited)

thanks @Bedders , i was beginning to regret no turning on address collection and facing the prospect of living with never knowing who'd done it!

 

and just so you can see the colours

 

results3.jpg

Edited by pubgrub277
  • Thanks 1
Posted
Would anyone be willing to test it for me? Volunteers only, no cash prizes.

 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdTcPOSdDjplB77Jm7gGyhM_Z77FzDJ3Et64SnppwDOBvvZxg/viewform?usp=sf_link

 

0/10 no foxes! ;)

 

TBH I'd treat a Google Form just as cautiously (anyone can make one after all), except it makes the request look less spammy and more likely to go for the forward icon than the delete key. You have a matter of seconds to persuade the receptionist to take it seriously as they flick through the daily torrent of spam, use it.

Posted
But you clicked on the link! That proves that all schools must now be forced to also click on the link :D

 

Well, yes, but we trust the source of the link and the context with which it has been given.

I wouldn't have clicked the link if it had been emailed to me by Mr. A. Rando unannounced :p

 

@bmaloney, I can't help but feel like at this point you're more concerned with proving to everyone that you're right than you are with actually getting useful information.

We've tried to help you, but you seem adamant that you're not going to work with us to resolve the issue.

Emailing a link, or emailing a file, will cause you problems. Maybe not everywhere, but it will. If you're serious about this, you should aim to minimise any potential disruption before you even start.

 

The 100% surefire way to get your results is to ask the questions in simple plaintext within the body of an email. That is simply the fact of the matter. You can accept it, or, clearly, you can not.

 

You're asking 20,000+ organisations for a lot of information. You're going to have to put some effort in to sort through all of that. You do not get to offload the statistical analysis because there's lots of it. You got what you asked for.

You need to get a bunch more people to help you do the data sorting/cleanup/analysis (who, more than likely, aren't going to do it for free, regardless of whether you feel they should or not, because time and effort costs money) or you need to drastically limit the data you're going to collect.

 

Or you can spend 6 years doing it all solo and by the time you're finished it'll all be out of date.

 

Again, I point out I am entirely sympathetic to what I think you're trying to achieve, but at this point, it feels like I'm banging my head against a brick wall.

So I'm out.

 

GG no re

Posted

Your request doesn't include an address for correspondence. These are the questions:

2. Total Number Of Pupils On Register

3. Number of Pupils Where Both Natural Parents Details Are On Record

4. Number of Pupils Where Only Mother's Details On Record

5. Number of Pupils Where Only Father's Details On Record

 

There is validation code which ensures 3+4+5 is less than or equal to 2. The response cannot be submitted if the numbers don't make sense. I've explained Google Forms itself does not provide this, please show me how you would do this in Google Forms?

 

Your sample is a captive sample of people on this forum. This is not a sample of schools receiving an unsolicited email with a link.

Posted
TBH I'd treat a Google Form just as cautiously (anyone can make one after all)

 

Not relevant. Anyone can make an FOI too.

 

except it makes the request look less spammy

 

Exactly.

Posted
Your request doesn't include an address for correspondence. These are the questions:

2. Total Number Of Pupils On Register

3. Number of Pupils Where Both Natural Parents Details Are On Record

4. Number of Pupils Where Only Mother's Details On Record

5. Number of Pupils Where Only Father's Details On Record

There is validation code which ensures 3+4+5 is less than or equal to 2. The response cannot be submitted if the numbers don't make sense. I've explained Google Forms itself does not provide this, please show me how you would do this in Google Forms?

Your sample is a captive sample of people on this forum. This is not a sample of schools receiving an unsolicited email with a link.

Once again, you have been told time and time again, if you want this data, it will generate some work. You cannot have everything perfect - the perfect world of perfect data does not exist! Time for you to accept this, formulate your request in compliance with the law, and move on!

Posted
Your request doesn't include an address for correspondence

 

Doesn't need one. It isn't an FOI request.

 

There is validation code which ensures 3+4+5 is less than or equal to 2. I've explained Google Forms itself does not provide this, please show me how you would do this in Google Forms?

 

You don't do it in the Form, you do it in the spreadsheet behind it. Add a column which has the formula =if(B3+B4+B5>=B2),"yes","no" (or whatever the correct syntax is), then use conditional formatting to colour them differently. You can then visually skim them or use filter to trim the list just to the "no", then you know which schools to contact for clarification if you wish.

Posted
i was beginning to regret no turning on address collection and facing the prospect of living with never knowing who'd done it!

 

I bet you wish you'd asked us some more interesting questions now, could be quite a good read!

Posted
Your request doesn't include an address for correspondence. These are the questions:

2. Total Number Of Pupils On Register

3. Number of Pupils Where Both Natural Parents Details Are On Record

4. Number of Pupils Where Only Mother's Details On Record

5. Number of Pupils Where Only Father's Details On Record

 

There is validation code which ensures 3+4+5 is less than or equal to 2. The response cannot be submitted if the numbers don't make sense. I've explained Google Forms itself does not provide this, please show me how you would do this in Google Forms?

 

Your sample is a captive sample of people on this forum. This is not a sample of schools receiving an unsolicited email with a link.

 

Personally I'd write a script to run the validation that google forms can't do, and that script could also handle chasing schools for corrected answers. This isn't that difficult - if you can set up a website by yourself then you can certainly figure that out.

Posted (edited)

A couple of thoughts. Using a pdf document is a bad idea. You need software installed on a PC that might not be there to open and edit it so they won't get filled in. I get asked to send information back in MS Excel format - but that's proprietary software so there is no requirement to meet the formatting demand.

 

Have you stopped and thought about what you are trying to achieve with this data? Is there a better way to meet your objectives? Questions 7-13 maybe better directed at LA's. It won’t be a complete picture but it will probably be better than going to each school individually.

 

The idea of a pick list for Qu 1 & 6 doesn't really work with FOI requests in this instance. What you are asking for is a judgement or interpretation of a ‘woolly’ school policy document. What you should be asking for is the document itself, as that and its contents are subject to the FOI and not the schools opinion as to whether the policy covers e.g. “information sharing” in your request.

 

This is just my opinion and yours may well differ – hence why questions 1 & 6 IMO need a re think.

Edited by Banjo
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