Request ID: FOI-4517-2324 Date published: 05 April 2024
You asked
1. The number of individuals who took the Knowledge of London (KOL) exam. The number of individuals who successfully passed the KOL exam.
2. The average scores achieved by the exam takers.
3. The average number of times each exam taker participated in the examination, if possible, separately for those passing and failing.
4. The number of exam takers transitioning from the "all London" test to the "suburban" test.
5. If possible, the average length of time from starting the course to taking the test, preferably separately for those passing and failing.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-4517-2324
Thank you for your request of 7th March 2024 asking for information about the Knowledge of London exam. Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked: “We kindly request information for each year within the period of 2010-2018, pertaining to the Knowledge of London (KOL) exam. Specifically, we are interested in the following details: 1. The number of individuals who took the Knowledge of London (KOL) exam. The number of individuals who successfully passed the KOL exam. 2. The average scores achieved by the exam takers. 3. The average number of times each exam taker participated in the examination, if possible, separately for those passing and failing. 4. The number of exam takers transitioning from the "all London" test to the "suburban" test. 5. If possible, the average length of time from starting the course to taking the test, preferably separately for those passing and failing.” I can confirm that we hold the information you require. However, I am afraid that it is not possible to source the information to answer your questions within the costs limit for responding to requests, as set out under section 12 of the Freedom of Information Act. Under section 12, TfL is not required to provide information if it would cost more than £450 to determine if that information is held, and to then locate, retrieve or extract it from elsewhere. This is calculated at a rate of £25 per hour, equivalent to 18 hours work.
In this instance the exemption applies because the precise information requested has not been collated before and there is no automated, quick or efficient way of doing so. For example, to provide the average number of tests taken and the average scores achieved by Knowledge of London candidates we would have to review individual marking sheets which have been scanned onto our system for each candidate’s appearance over the course of their assessments. Given the numbers involved over the 8 year period in question, this is not possible within the £450 limit.
In order to bring your request within the costs limit you may wish to reframe it to narrow it’s scope. Note that in response to another recent request we published historical figures on the number of Knowledge of London applicants, which you may find useful.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely,
David Wells FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
