Requesting school file - how do you do it?

[bjkmummy]

Is there a standard letter etc. I have already done the request from the LA file and it transpires emails from the school to the LA complaining about how the LA are handling my sons case were deleted as they said they were 'information' emails

So I now need to request the school file to track down these emails to see exactly what was said. The head has now gone on maternity leave. I know she was very good at keep recording so hopefully she will have kept the.mthe vast majority of the school file I probably already have and I have seen some of the emails between the school and LA that the head has forwarded to me. This is going to tribunal and it's starting to get nasty. 1st working document has out the OT needs in part 2 and 3 but then the actual therapy into part 6!!!!

So if anyone can show me where I can get the information to request the school file I'd be really grateful as I need to ideally hand the letter in today as we have only 3 weeks of the school term left

Dear Sirs

Name of Child DOB
Request for School Information
The Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005 SI 1473.

We ask for a copy of the whole school record for the above named child in accordance with paragraph 5 of the above regulations. We note that under para 5[2] you should supply the records within 15 school days from the receipt of this request.

We would ask you to note that this is not a request under the Data Protection Act/ Freedom of Information Act and does not require conformance to the additional safeguards contained within those acts.

For the avoidance of doubt, we require full copies of the following;

1. Copy of all records from any previous school attended
2. All correspondence, including letter and email, in connection with the child sent and received by the school
3. All records including special education needs records, IEP/IBP/PSP, a copy of all of the Statements of SEN and annexes.
4. Any reports on the child by any party
5. Disciplinary records
6. Head of Year reports
7. Administrative records
8. Attendance records
9. Memoranda
10. Electronic records
11. Any other material pertaining to the child.

We specifically do not want copies of any course work unless it is being used to support a further report.

For ease of reference, we would ask that the records be presented in date order.

It is not necessary to put individual reports into plastic wallets.

It is possible that the information will be further copied and so we would ask that it be single sided.

We do not wish to view the records at this time though reserve the right so to do so at a later stage.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of any further help or if you believe that you will not be able to make the statutory deadline.

Yours faithfully

Hope this helps

I think you are entitled to this under the 'Freedom of Information Act' and certainly under the 'Data Protection Act' - You have to quote either of these acts in your letter and make it clear that you are willing to pay reasonable copying charges. I understand that they then have 40 days to comply.

A

Do not use the FoI or the DPA as the processes staff go though are more onerous and it takes longer to respond. Use the Pupil Info Regs.

I did the request earlier and handed it into school - I did it through the pupil info regs.

Excellant.