Start with a simple request
For example: “Please send me the current support plan and explain what help my child receives each week.”
You can also ask which policy was used for a decision and request the version that applied at the time.
Ask to see your child’s records
If you do not understand what has happened or what support is in place, ask for the information.
Need personal records?
A subject access request (SAR) is a way to ask for a copy of personal information held about someone. This could include your child’s information in support records, behaviour logs, meeting notes or emails.
It does not automatically give you every document in full.
Ask the school office for the current data-protection contact. Ask the council separately for information it holds.
Give your child’s name, the dates you are interested in and the types of records you want. A focused request can make the information easier to find.
The information belongs to your child. The school may need to check your identity and authority to act for them. Your child’s understanding and wishes matter; their consent may be needed.
A reply is normally due within one month. Some checks or requests for clarification can affect timing, and certain requests can take longer. Ask the school to explain the deadline it is using.
Copy this template into your own document and replace the brackets before sending. Do not put private details into a public comment or social media post.
Subject: Subject access request – [child’s name] Hello, I would like a copy of the personal information you hold about [child’s name, date of birth] for [date range]. This is a subject access request. I am [relationship] and am asking on my child’s behalf. [Explain your authority and include their consent where appropriate.] Please include their personal information in [choose the records you need: support plans, behaviour and attendance records, incident records, meeting notes and relevant emails, including internal emails]. Please send the information electronically, together with the other information required for a subject access response. If you cannot share some information, please explain why. Please confirm receipt and when I should expect your reply. If you need to check my identity or authority, please tell me how to provide this securely. Thank you, [Your name]
What if the reply is late or information is missing?
Write back with the date of your request and list what is missing. Ask for an explanation and a response date. Some information can legally be removed or withheld, for example to protect another person’s information.
If the issue remains unresolved, you can raise it with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which handles data-protection concerns.
Get help from the ICO ↗More detail about records and response times
A SAR is usually free and can be made without special legal wording. It is a request for personal data, rather than a right to every unedited document or answers to new questions.
There is also a separate right for parents to access education records in some school types. Its rules are different. Do not assume its 15-school-day deadline applies to an academy.
ICO: school records ↗ICO: subject access rules ↗
ICO: what to expect and timing ↗
Take the next step
Track the request and reply →
Track the request and reply →