  

  

 Thank you for your request for information concerning Retention periods
 and disposal controls for pupil records, SEND, exclusions and EOTAS.

  

 Your request has been recorded and your reference number is FOI_10599,
 please quote this reference should you need to contact us.

  

 The Council is aware of the importance for dealing with these matters as a
 priority and will provide available information within 20 working days,
 unless, exceptionally, there is a need to consider whether the information
 is exempt from disclosure.

  

 We will contact you again soon in connection with your request.

  

 [1][email address]

 [2]A black background with red letters Description automatically generated

  

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Jamie Halliday <[FOI #1399712 email]>
 Sent: 08 February 2026 01:15
 To: Solicitor - Freedom of Information
 <[email address]>
 Subject: Freedom of Information request - Retention periods and disposal
 controls for pupil records, SEND, exclusions and EOTAS

  

 ***This message originates from outside your organisation. Do not provide
 login or password details. Do not click on links or attachments unless you
 are sure of their authenticity. If in doubt review the guidance at Report
 Phishing***

  

 Dear Sir/Madam,

  

 Please treat this as a request for information under the Freedom of
 Information Act 2000.

  

 This request concerns records retention and disposal arrangements for
 education records, especially pupil files, SEND, exclusions, and education
 otherwise than at school (EOTAS), including home tuition and alternative
 provision.

  

 1. Retention schedule entries and retention periods Please provide the
 recorded retention schedule entries (or equivalent documented retention
 rules) used by the council for the following categories, including the
 retention period and the trigger point (for example, DOB plus X years,
 closure of case, end of academic year, end of financial year):

  

 a) maintained school pupil file / educational record

 b) records held by the local authority relating to an individual pupil’s
 education

 c) exclusion records (fixed-term and permanent), including panel or
 decision paperwork

 d) SEND records held by the local authority (assessments, notes,
 decisions, panel minutes, plans)

 e) EOTAS / home tuition / alternative provision records, including
 placement decisions and commissioning referrals

 f) education finance and commissioning records relating to alternative
 provision or tuition (purchase orders, invoices, provider contracts,
 budget monitoring)

  

 2. Version in force 2010 to 2014

 If your retention schedule has changed since 2010, please provide either:

 a) the version that was in force between 1 January 2010 and 31 December
 2014 for the categories above, or

 b) a change log that clearly states what changed and when, for those
 categories.

  

 3. Disposal process and audit trail

 Please provide the council’s recorded procedure or policy for secure
 disposal of education records in scope of section 1, including:

 a) who authorises disposal

 b) what audit trail is kept (for example, destruction logs, certificates)

 c) whether third-party shredding or disposal contractors are used, and how
 compliance is evidenced

  

 4. Maintained schools, oversight and information rights Please provide any
 recorded information or guidance the council uses that explains:

 a) what education records are held by the council versus held by
 maintained schools

 b) the council’s role in ensuring maintained schools comply with records
 retention expectations and information rights requests, including SARs and
 Educational Record requests

  

 Format

 Please provide the information electronically.

  

 If any information is withheld, please cite the specific exemption(s)
 relied upon and explain why they apply.

  

 Yours faithfully,

  

 Jamie Halliday

  

 -------------------------------------------------------------------

  

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 [3][FOI #1399712 email]

  

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 us using this form:

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