Obtaining School Records

[Ash]

Does anyone know what the position is about getting access to one's old personal records from school? Not just academic records but any information of a personal nature, e.g discipline, teacher notes, observations, etc.

This would refer to records made before computerisation and pre-1980s. Are schools obliged to keep pupil records? If so, for how long? Would schools and colleges fall under the Data Protection Act? Or some other parameter?

The query does not fall into any abuse or similar area, nor have any litigious purpose.
It would be good to know before making an approach to the institution.

If anyone has obtained pre-1980s school records, it would be useful to hear how to go about it.

Many thanks.

 

[PaddyBloggit]

Records kept until pupil reaches the age of 21.

Pre-1980's ..... most you can hope to get is a look at the roll book.

Written end of year school reports are the norm now but 10 to 15 years ago didn't exist unless a school was very diligent.

Teachers' notes won't be available to you as notes are personal to teacher ... only official reports would be available to you.

But ..... you're talking about 25 years ago ..... so I reckon you'll find nothing there.

Data Protection Act ... schools have to register but don't have to renew each year except for a change of info etc. If material is kept digitally about a pupil this material has to be made available to parents/guardians if requested. Most schools don't keep info digitally about pupils so info need not be provided.

 

[Complainer]

Data Protection Act ... schools have to register but don't have to renew each year except for a change of info etc. If material is kept digitally about a pupil this material has to be made available to parents/guardians if requested. Most schools don't keep info digitally about pupils so info need not be provided.

Don't know anything about schools in particular, but the general Data Protection Acts were updated around 2003 (iirc) to apply to paper records as well as digital records.

 

[PaddyBloggit]

Don't know anything about schools in particular, but the general Data Protection Acts were updated around 2003 (iirc) to apply to paper records as well as digital records.

That's why most schools keep paper records to a minimum and rare to find schools that keep info digitally.

Paper records usually consist of end of year reports, Standardised Tests' Results and Attendance data. Individual teachers wouldn't keep/retain info on individual pupils. The usual retention is until a pupils hits 21 then records are destroyed. Lack of space would also mitigate against holding records indefinitely.

The bottom line for OP is that he/she'll probably only get info on attendance via roll book/register as other info was not kept too well those times.

All my info by the way relates to my knowledge within the Primary School Sector ... no knowledge of other sectors.