School Closure / School merger - what happens to SIMS data?

[PotNoodleTech]

Hi All I am completely out of my depth here as I have only ever worked in one school and never had to deal with anything like this.

 

My school is closing.  The pupils that would have gone to my school in Sept are all going to the school up the road.  Thats easy to understand.

 

I've been asked what happens  / what should we do to SIMS data on my school once it closes, particularly safeguarding/exam etc data which may need to be somehow kept for future use by exam boards, gov agencies etc.

 

So heres the big Q for you guys that have been through closures/mergers.  What do you do with the SIMS data from the old school?  Do you transfer all historic parent/pupil/exam/link docs over the the new school?  Di you just let the old SIMS DB end?

 

Were on SIMS connected now so someones got to pay somewhere or that data is going to dissapear at some point.

 

What are the laws on what an old non existant school that's been closed, needs to keep?

 

Cheers

[paulkerton]

If you're in a MAT and that MAT is continuing, I believe it's the MAT's responsibility - otherwise I'd have presumed it is the responsibility the LA, as they're effectively the provider of last resort?

[Simcfc73]

I'm going through similar but they've said I'm no longer needed after the 8th July when we close. 

 

They've said the insolvency firm will handle IT (HA) and then last week they've said I need to be careful doing any consultancy in case it affects my notice payments.

 

I am the only person on site doing IT... and always have been so its all up in the air.

[PotNoodleTech]

It's LA school not a MAT thanks.

 

There's no insolvency firm here.

 

The more replies the better!  Thanks!

[msi_school]

As I understand it the Head is ultimatly responsabe until the school closes when it becomes the LEAs responsability.

 

I would send the Head and Datamanager etc and email asking for guidance and keep a copy.

[PotNoodleTech]

Thanks.   It's the head and Data Manager I am helping out - none of us have been through anything like thisbefore or ever had to think about it really!

[Koldov]

I guess it's the LEA who are closing the school, so surely the onus is on the LEA to preserve the data for that school, it can't just disappear... I presume historic data on current pupils would have to be sent to the 'new' school somehow, but I don't deal with data or admissions, so not sure what the transfer CTF files hold.

Although as it's SIMS I'm guessing you will need to find other ways to output any other previous historic data as you can't keep it in the SIMS database (unless the LEA have a SIMS contract?).

 

Give it time (I'm not sure how much time you have), as there must be someone on here that has been through this...

Edited May 16, 2025 by Koldov

[mthomas08]

Silly question but shouldn't the HT be asking the DfE these kind of questions? They should have a full process for schools to follow.

 

I sit here thinking about if we had to shut...   well... what about our servers.. our data..  the MIS is Bromcom Cloud.

 

Assuming all the data is to be wiped after the important bits are transferred to other schools. Generally when kids leave here, their data is sent to the other school then put offrole, we don't send work areas to other schools. We disable and delete their accounts (non MIS).

So technically.. there's your answer. Data Manager will set them to offrole and once all students are done I would wipe the systems. With Bromcom Cloud, the school will probably be disabled > deleted after the contract expires etc.

[Pottsey]

When my last Trust shut down we archived the schools data to some external storage company. I think the LA or who ever was in charge of shutting the trust down dealt with that. As IT I was asked to help provide the data but the decisions and responsibility for this was at the highest level of management.

 

The entire thing wasn't smooth, everyone in the central team was made redundant but in typical fashion everyone "forgot" about IT staff having not informed us about anything despite being part of the central team.

Edited May 16, 2025 by Pottsey

[supportman]

Just archive the data to the cloud of external disks. Job done.

[drutt]

I would ask the LEA or whatever authority is managing the process and if they can't give a clear answer; back-up what I can to some external drives with appropriate encryption then pass it on to the Headteacher with them signing a handover document and wash your hands of it. It won't be your responsibility to worry about anymore so why stress over it, just focus on the job hunt and move on.

[Roberto]

On 16/05/2025 at 10:32, mthomas08 said:

Silly question but shouldn't the HT be asking the DfE these kind of questions? They should have a full process for schools to follow.

 

I sit here thinking about if we had to shut...   well... what about our servers.. our data..  the MIS is Bromcom Cloud.

 

Assuming all the data is to be wiped after the important bits are transferred to other schools. Generally when kids leave here, their data is sent to the other school then put offrole, we don't send work areas to other schools. We disable and delete their accounts (non MIS).

So technically.. there's your answer. Data Manager will set them to offrole and once all students are done I would wipe the systems. With Bromcom Cloud, the school will probably be disabled > deleted after the contract expires etc.

Yes, I'd be asking the DfE about this. From a technical point of view, "back everything up, hand it to whoever is taking over" is easy enough. Perhaps this might be ok for pupils' work areas.

 

But I'd be far more concerned about data protection issues here - if the school that is the data controller ceases to exist and this isn't a simple case of a MAT that is already the data controller simply changing what sites it offers services from, then you may well not be able to transfer any personal information you hold about students to the new school - your agreement with the pupil/their parents probably didn't include "transfer personal data to random schools" and the new school will have no agreement in place with the pupil/parents to hold that data or do anything with it until they've established their own relationship. 

Edited May 19, 2025 by Roberto

[psydii]

Pupil records including SEND and Safeguarding should go to the new school as per the regulations

Quote

(3) Subject to paragraphs (6), (7) and (8), when a pupil ceases to be registered at a [F4school maintained by a local education authority] (the “old school”) and becomes a registered pupil at another school (the “new school”), the governing body of the old school or, where this has been agreed between that governing body and the local education authority, that authority shall transfer the pupil's common transfer file and educational record to the responsible person of the new school no later than fifteen school days after the day on which the pupil ceases to be registered at the old school.

The Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005

 

From what I have seen,  the LA steps in to support closing schools since there maybe a gap between a school closing and the everybody getting a new school place. They also ensure the data is retained appropriately. 

 

Finance and HR records should go to the LA. (unless there is some transfer of employment between institutions in which case HR records flow as TUPE regs)

 

That's even what happens when a Trust closes. Record keeping and retention information for academies and academy trusts - GOV.UK

Pupil records

For pupils who are transferring to a new educational setting, academies should follow the statutory guidance on keeping and maintaining records and transfer the records to the new school or academy. If pupils transfer to a college or sixth-form, the pupil records must be retained by the academy.

Pupil records that are not following the pupil to a new educational setting should be transferred to the relevant local authority for that area where the records will remain accessible. This can include when a pupil has reached the end of compulsory education.

Safeguarding and SEND records

Safeguarding information should be shared with a new school or college in line with Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE) 2021 paragraphs 105 to 113.

Transition arrangements for pupils with SEND should be managed in line with paragraphs 6.42 and 6.57 of the SEND code of practice.

Staff, building and governance records

Staff and building records are to be retained by the local authority of the area in which the trust head office is located. If staff are transferring to a new educational setting, the ICO guidance on disclosure of employee information under TUPE should be followed.

The records of staff from the academy who are continuing their employment with the trust should be retained by the trust.

Governance and ‘school history’ records should be offered to the local authority’s archive service or local record office for permanent preservation.

Finance records

Finance records should be retained by the trust as per His Majesty’s Revenue and Custome (HMRC) and Companies House retention periods.

The Department for Education (DfE) are entitled to request and receive financial information to enable the final accounting of how the trust spent the public money it received. Details can be found in the Academy Trust Handbook.

[Rob_D]

23 minutes ago, Roberto said:

then you may well not be able to transfer any personal information you hold about students to the new school - your agreement with the pupil/their parents probably didn't include "transfer personal data to random schools" and the new school will have no agreement in place with the pupil/parents to hold that data or do anything with it until they've established their own relationship. 

But in-year transfers happen all the time, so there is clearly a precedent and a pre-existing procedure for this. (current students who are moving to a new school should be the easy part)

[nicholab]

Suggest a read to start Record keeping and retention information for academies and academy trusts - GOV.UK

[PotNoodleTech]

Hi All thanks for the replies.  I've got 3 months left till my contracts terminated so I don't mind helping out as frankly none of us asked for this we're all just passengers.

 

It does appear that most suggestions and things I've read and the post here mean that any pupils that are here now and will be going to the other school just need their data transferred as per the usual way (CTF etc).

 

Ex pupils and historic data from my school appear to become the responsibility of the LA (not the new school).

 

Sadly as the LA moved us to SIMS connected we no longer have access to our own database etc, so me doing the backups to USB drives as suggested is no longer possible.  The LA may have to keep the ESS contract running side by side until they have transferred everything or possibly engage ESS in a transfer/migration process of some sort.

 

keep your suggestions coming in!!

Edited May 19, 2025 by PotNoodleTech

[sefton]

On 19/05/2025 at 08:32, supportman said:

Just archive the data to the cloud of external disks. Job done.

You can't do that, the data has to go to the responsible authority, either the LA for a grant maintained or a Multi-Academy Trust. The one I don't know is if a SAT closed, as their responsible body is the DFE.

[psydii]

Trust -> LA who cover the area in which the Trust Head Office is registered.