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Original poster

How can I get my primary school records from 30yrs ago?

93 replies

Zssn · 30/12/2023 19:03

Dear all,

I hope you are well.

I am in a huge predicament, due to no fault of my own.

Does anyone know how I can get my entire primary education records, from my birth until now please?
This is 34 years of education record please.

Any help greatly appreciated

OP posts:
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MrsMoastyToasty · 30/12/2023 19:56

Can you get hold of your secondary school records? It might show which primary school you transferred from.

JudyC26 · 30/12/2023 19:59

This might sound a bit crazy but are you in touch with any of your primary school friends? Im just thinking if so you’ll be on the class pictures. Could you ask if anyone has a class photo or two you could have a copy of? Having a few different class photos with you on them would be evidence that you attended primary school.

AnnieMare · 30/12/2023 20:01

Local newspapers often did a new starters class photo and published it. Can you track it down from the year you started at primary.Now it doesn't name children but back then did.

Original poster
Zssn · 30/12/2023 20:03

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor,

Yes, I speak beyond fluent English, as I am a QTS teacher in English literature and language for A level students.

I got told by an HMPO manager today, if I can't prove on paper, the ages of 0-10 years old of life , then it will be needed.
I have emailed my immigration advisor, hopefully he is wrong.

OP posts:
StarlightLime · 30/12/2023 20:03

You haven't answered the question, op - do you have a British birth certificate?
It seems unlikely that all this would be necessary if you had.

Original poster
Zssn · 30/12/2023 20:03

StarlightLime,

Oh sorry, yes I do.

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 30/12/2023 20:05

If you have a British birth cert why is any of this needed?

titchy · 30/12/2023 20:06

LittleBearPad · 30/12/2023 20:05

If you have a British birth cert why is any of this needed?

Because simply being born in the UK is not sufficient on its own to have British citizenship.

helloisitmeyourelookingfor · 30/12/2023 20:06

Primary school records transfer to the secondary school with the child

Might be worth checking with them but we would ask you to submit a SARs request before we could even tell you if we had records or not

Original poster
Zssn · 30/12/2023 20:07

LittleBearPad,

I would like to know why he said this to me from HMPO too?

Hopefully he has no clue, and my immigration solicitor will at least take one extra thing off my mind.

OP posts:
TheYearOfSmallThings · 30/12/2023 20:08

Did you attend one primary school up to the age of ten? If so I would try contacting them and asking if they can help. I left primary school more than 30 years ago but I know they maintain a roll of past pupils and their years of enrollment.

beetr00 · 30/12/2023 20:12

@Zssn could this help?

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/a?_q=*&_anc=42

JustToBeMe · 30/12/2023 20:15

As an ex Ofsted childminder I have to keep all my records of the children I childminded till the age of 21/25, I digress I still have them...

Papillon23 · 30/12/2023 20:17

My old school keeps archives of school photos - might be worth asking the school about their archives? They might not keep full records but instead keep more "special" bits?

That combined with GP records and immunisation records. Plus maybe dental records as well? Might add up to a clear picture.

Is there anyone you're still in touch with from primary school - maybe via a secondary school Facebook page or something? My secondary school has a Facebook page for people who attended and I know if you asked on there I think people would help - especially if you @ed "everyone" on it so they go a notification.

KateyCuckoo · 30/12/2023 20:20

JustToBeMe · 30/12/2023 20:15

As an ex Ofsted childminder I have to keep all my records of the children I childminded till the age of 21/25, I digress I still have them...

Not anymore you don't.

Xenia · 30/12/2023 20:21

Good ideas above. I am on a facebook group for my school from age 4 - 10 by the way and if your school has one you could contact them. do you remember names of teachers? If so the teacher might have records - I have some school photos of my mother's class of pupils (she was a teacher) from the 1950s for example.

Other pupils in the class - they probably bought the school photo year after year and you are probably on it. Modern software can even do face identification from young to older people so that might work even if there are no names on the photos.

School magazine. I have a few little stories and poems written by me with my name in in the school magazine from the 1960s.

Possibly certificates - I have exam records for speech and drama at primary school and gymnastics certificates and a few judo things from primary school age all of which would show what I was doing at that school then.

If you did a sport friends at school who also did that might have sports photos.

GP records.
Immunisation records.
NHS records

TokyoSushi · 30/12/2023 20:22

I wonder if the GP might be a better route? The school may/may not have a record, but you should be able to get hold of your medical history which I assume will say that you were seen periodically and had your immunisations?

BirthdayRainbow · 30/12/2023 20:23

A few years ago I got proof I had been at a particular school and all I did was email them.

Summerscoming23 · 30/12/2023 20:29

Were you christened? The Chapel would have your records if so. They also would have any other sacraments if applicable which if are applicable would likely should you in the UK at that time

AdoraBell · 30/12/2023 20:32

Hope you find the records Zssn

GlasgowGal82 · 30/12/2023 20:49

Rather than asking a bunch of random people on the internet, you really need to speak to your immigration lawyer as a first step and act upon their professional advice. I get that it is frustrating that they are shut for Christmas when you need help, but the advice you're getting here is not great. Many of the places that you are likely to need information from are also going to be closed, and you will be in a much better position if you speak to your lawyer first and find out exactly what you need before firing off a series of random requests. From what I know of the immigration system the HMPO will be looking for hard evidence that you were in the UK during a certain period, so school photos, news articles etc may not suffice because that only proves you were there on a particular date. They are more likely to be looking for registration dates that show you were continuously enrolled in a school from x date until x date. People here have the best of intentions, but your case is clearly particularly complicated, the demands of the HMPO are particularly rigorous and you don't want to go wasting lots of people's time requesting the wrong information (especially if you're going to need to go back to them later requesting the right information!).

MumblesParty · 30/12/2023 20:56

Birth certificate
hospital birth record
GP records

CyberCritical · 30/12/2023 20:59

Does your GP surgery use Systmonline or another online system that you can access?

I've just logged into mine and can see vaccination dates going back to the year I was born and then all the primary school booster, if you have something like that then would that be enough evidence.

Although like others I confused about why your birth certificate isn't sufficient.

How can I get my primary school records from 30yrs ago?