Pupil records
Accessing pupil records
All state schools must keep educational
records on their pupils, which should include copies of the reports you will
have been sent on their achievements, as well as other records about those
achievements. It should include exchanges of letters you may have had with the
school and other information the school has on your child's education which
comes from the local authority. There may be
other records kept, such as details of behaviour and family background, but
this is not compulsory. The educational record does not include the notes that
a teacher makes for his or her own use only.
You have a right as a parent to see or to have a copy of your child's
educational record. You should write to the school to ask for this and
they should respond within 15 school days. If you have asked for a copy, the
school may make a small charge for the cost of copying. There may be some
circumstances where a school will not let you see or give you a copy of some of
the information on it, if they think that to do so might harm the child or
another person in some way. If the school decides to do this, you should ask
them to explain to you why they have taken this decision.
Can I see material the school holds about the behaviour/exclusions,
etc. of my child?
If the material forms part of your child's educational record, then you
should be able to see it, or have a copy of it, if you make a written
request. The school should respond within 15 school days. Sometimes a
school may not show or give you a copy of some of the information on the record
if they think that to do so might harm the child or another person in some way.
If the school decides to do this, you should ask them to explain to you why
they have taken this decision.
Can I still see my child's records if I do not live with him or
her?
Yes, anyone who is defined as a parent in education law can see these
records, unless there is a court order against them, limiting that right. Such
parents include all natural (i.e. biological) parents, whether or not they were
married at the time of the child's birth. It also includes adults who,
while they are not natural parents of the child, have parental responsibility
for or have care of them in the sense that they live with and look after
that child.
