Ridiculous security request

[Aposterhasnoname]

DH has a new job, they’ve brought a security company in to do back ground checks. Way over the top for the type of job, but whatever. Having been asked for, and miraculously providing, the contracts and resignation acceptance letters for his last four jobs, they are now asking for “proof of school years”, WTF, it was over 40 years ago, they already have his O level certificate.

Anyone got any experience with this, what’s likely to happen when he can’t provide anything? It was a bog standard secondary, it’s not like he’s claiming he went to Eton or anything.

Does his job require Security Clearance? I am SC cleared and i had to go through a whole load of questions. Some like this i couldn't provide the info. Still got clearance!

Nope, it’s a sales job. He’s emailed back and said he’s not got anything. Lets see what they say. Thanks everyone, very reassured to know it’s not just us that thinks this is OTT.

DH had similar demands for info he didn't have with an American security firm.
Who the fuck has resignation acceptance letters or school acceptance letters?

I did wonder whether the company was American since they talk about graduating from school, which is very much an American thing.
He can't provide something that doesn't exist and can't be created, so I wonder what they're going to do?

I saw this on TikTok today and thought of this thread.

I have all my school reports for my secondary school years. Does your dh have his as proof of school years?

Why would anybody keep a letter offering a place at secondary school, unless it was confirming a place at somewhere like Eton on a full scholarship? In any case, letters like that are addressed to the parents or guardians, not the pupil, so why would you expect the now adult pupil to have such a letter? Absolutely bizarre.

I don't know how I'd fare with a question like that one. All three of the schools I went to have since been demolished!

Crikey, I left secondary school in 2001/2 (can't even remember which year!) and would have nothing to prove I ever went there other than a few disposable camera photos!
I've got job offer letters via email for my last couple of roles (but all within the same company I'm currently with as I've been promoted twice since being there) but that's it!

I'd have no chance of producing what they are asking for and this seems way OTT!

You'd fail their checks, as would I. I've had arguments as a reference contact with them (not because I've been named by an older applicant, because they've taken my details from somebody else's reference request, a breach of GDPR in itself) before - the fact that UK law only requires the holding of information regarding secondary school attendance until the age of 25 and you're supposed to have a schedule for the destruction/erasure of records after that point doesn't seem to compute.

I don't think I can ever afford to risk applying for a job anywhere else nowadays. I'd never pass the checks.

How crazy. I was security cleared for a relatively high level civil service job - got asked a lot of questions but nothing I couldn’t answer like this. Only proof of school I have (other than GCSE certs) is photos of me in school uniform at various ages 😆.

It does all sound bonkers and not attuned to UK! However just to say, if you have to get proof of attendance at a now-demolished school you'd need to contact the education authority (county council or unitary authority) - they'd have the records.

And exam boards can provide duplicate certificates for a small fee.

DH has kept his school reports from the 1970s, has he got any of those? Years ago people just went to the catchment school depending on whether you passed your 11 plus or not, I can't recall there was a choice so there probably wouldn't be any official paperwork.

And as to the adoption data request!!! Again, I bet that's always available in American adoptions.

Has he explained why he hasn't got them (e.g British schools don't issue graduation certificates) in his responses? Is there an actual person dealing with it or is it automated?

I know I shouldn't have chucked out all that old school stuff of adult DS's which he didn't want...

Maybe a bit obvious but has he contacted the school to ask if they can give him a letter?

If the school still exists, do you reckon they're going to have kept paper records for every student from 1980? That would mean having storage for somewhere around 4000 files (with a population of 1000 every five years, assuming zero in year leavers or joiners) until computerised systems became more common in 2000. And GDPR states that you should only keep records where necessary - they couldn't possibly predict the invention of the internet and US based companies being appointed to demand items that don't exist in the UK education systems two generations later.

Completely over the top. I needed to get SC level clearance for my current job and didn't have to provide any of this information regarding work or education, just named references for last 5 years of work.

I said 'if they can'. Everything you said is valid but without asking you don't know for certain. It helps his case if he can send proof that he has asked but the school doesn't keep the records that far back.

NC for this comment obvs ..

I have DV clearance because I work in SOC world. ( It's hugely invasive but don't do the job if not prepared for this ) They ask for schools but only the names .. which I can obviously give and it's up to them to check it out. - that is literally why they are a security clearance organisation... there is absolutely no way I possess 'proof' from pre IT world in 1969 !!

Give them the names and let them earn their money !

It is not unheard of. I have had to produce O level certificates for employers, sometimes within a couple of years of the last time I showed them. Even when they still have the copies they took last time.

I would struggle to remember which O levels I took. I know I got 11 of them in total but can only remember 5 of the subjects.

Where are your certificates? What do you do if an employer wants to see them?

Daft, isn't it? Still never mind. The MoD seemed happy with the checks they did on me... 😂