Transferring Pupil Records

Transfer of pupil data between schools - end of 2023/24

Background Information

"Headteachers of maintained schools, including maintained special schools, must ensure the statutory requirements for the transfer of records between schools are fulfilled, including the completion of the CTF. This requirement is set out in the Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 200577, as amended.

If a pupil moves to another school in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, the pupil's CTF and educational records must be passed to the new school. Academies are not subject to this requirement but are expected to adhere to the following protocols as a matter of good practice.

Schools should arrange to exchange data by another secure method if transferring information to a school outside England, where school to school (SCS)78 is not available. Information must be transferred within 15 school days of the pupil ceasing to be registered at their previous school. 

Assessment and Reporting Arrangements 2024

The effective management of the transition of pupils from one school to another is a key responsibility of schools, and of the Local Authority. A consistent county-wide approach to the transfer of information is especially important for schools which draw their intake from a large number of schools, and for those which send pupils to several different schools.

National and local surveys have identified pupil transfers as particularly successful when schools:

• have established curriculum liaison and cross-phase trust
• ensure that there is agreement within and across schools about what information should be passed on
• have procedures in place to ensure the right information gets to the right people in good time
• use such procedures for passing information internally as well as to and from other schools and sources
• read the information received, and discuss it where appropriate, prior to the start of the new school year
• use the information received to provide appropriate challenge and support for each pupil
• provide information which focuses on significant aspects of learning and identifies pupils' strengths and areas for development.
• provide information on any pupil intervention or catch-up programme which has taken place

The procedures outlined represent the minimum amount of information required. The dates that schools should send their CTF files to the new schools are detailed below.

Files are transferred using Common Transfer File (CTF) format, Anycomms Plus secure data transfer system, or s2s (via the DfE's Secure Access Portal).

Guidance on statutory requirements can be found in the Assessment and Reporting Arrangements for the appropriate key stage, published by the STA, and available from the DfE's website 2024 Key Stage 2 Assessment and Reporting Arrangements ARA.