Does the school have to provide this information if I request it.

[fircones]

I'm looking for clarification. I have asked at parents evening for my dd's current assessment levels and they have said they will not do so. My understanding is that if a parent requests this information it needs to be provided.

Can anyone let me know where I stand on this.

any particular reason why you want them or are you just curious?

I'm getting mixed messages about progress. I understand assessment - I know it goes up and down. It seems reasonable that once a year we should be able to request this information particularly if certain areas are being raised by the school. I want an overall picture.

I think they have to provide his school records if you ask for them (although they are allowed to remove any sensitive info).

I don't think they have to provide you with his current assessment levels. In fact I don't even think legally he has to have a current assessment level.

But I might be wrong about any or all of the above :)

they have to provide the records, if you are having difficulty getting hold of them get intouch with parent partnershiip and they may be able to help

The way I understand it as a teacher, we shouldn't record anything we wouldn't be prepared for parents to see. Twice a year the parents at school are given their child's NC targets sheet for reading/writing/maths so that they can see where their child is exactly. Their school reports state whether they are working towards, meeting or exceeding year group expectations for each subject area.
In short, I'm surprised a school wouldn't be prepared to provide this information, because I don't see what the big secret is.
Maybe your child's school doesn't want parents worrying unnecessarily. They should be honest with you about your daughter's progress though.

You can request all information held
(under terms of DPA), but this is a fairly nuclear option, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you think your relationship with the school is badly broken already.

No our relationship with the school is not at all broken. Though this has had an impact on the way I feel about the school.

We just enquired about the current assessment level and were told it was not policy to give parents the levels. It has always been openly discussed by teachers at my children's other schools. I am surprised that it is not being provided when we have specifically asked. If they don't want to bring it up then fine - but we asked and were told no. That does not stack up.

I want to know if the school can have a policy of not providing information about my child when we have specifically asked them for it and they are indicating that something is not going well.

How old is your child?

Our child is eight.

Maybe the parent governor at the school might be a good go between? There will also be a teacher governor who might be able to raise the issue. If your child's class teacher won't provide the information you should raise it with someone else. Providing you are polite etc I see no reason why that should cause any problems. You should be able to see the headteacher too if you make an appointment.
It might not be their policy to give the levels but you are a parent and have every right to know how your child is doing- freedom of information and all that!
I remain bemused by their attitude!

See here

Governor's are not able to act as 'go-betweens'.

They play a strategic role.

If you want this info request it. If you get no joy complain to the HT. Then if you still get no joy you can complain to the governors.

But besides that, governors cannot help you.

So I said it in the wrong order. I just meant talking to someone else with access to and knowledge of school policy would be a good idea. Governors decide school policy after all. I would have thought having an informal chat with the parent governor might shed some light on why the school has this policy. I don't think the OP wants to 'complain', just request what she has a right to see on behalf of her child.

Actually thinking about it, you are right Indigo, it wouldn't be the right way to go. Governors should remain out of individual concerns. I am confusing my personal experience with general advice, apologies.

Governors deal with general policy though. If the school has a general policy of never giving out NC levels apart when statutory, then it is appropriate for governors to discuss this.

Our school used to have this policy, but has now changed and NC levels are reported at the end of the year. In fairness, under the previous regime, teachers would give out NC levels if asked at parents evening, but would not offer them.

I am glad that the policy has changed, because the previous reporting regime of Good, Excellent, Working Within meant that pushy interested parents were playing guess the NC level from the comments given.