Ofsted Document Categories, Retention Periods and Disposal actions

Ofsted Document Categories, Retention Periods and Disposal actions

Pre-school and early years
Category of Document	Contains…	Retention Period	And then…
Regulatory information [RSA]	Notebooks Standard letters Judgements	Duration of registration	n/a
Registration information [Meridio]	Application forms Inspection reports Inbound/outbound custom letters/forms	1 Year	Destroy
		Suitability checks [CRB]	6 months	Destroy
	Registration *Paper Records*	Local Authority registration certificates Related correspondence	Do not retain unless in a weeded long-term storage file with a valid reason for retention.	Destroy
		Suitability checks	Until decision of suitability is made [or within 6 months unless decision is delayed].	Destroy
		Registration notebook	Until submitted to RSA or 3 months after registration if only judgements, actions and conditions are recorded electronically, or after refusal appeal period.	Destroy
	Inspection *Paper Records*	Self assessment form/ parent questionnaire	Until entry into RSA	Destroy
		Identity and personal references	Until suitability decision is made and after appeal period.	Destroy
		Waiver of appeal rights	28 days after issuing the notice of decision.	Destroy
		Inspection notebook	Until submitted to RSA or 6 months after inspection or resolution of any complaint if only judgements; actions etc. are recorded electronically or after any appeal period if conditions are changed.	Destroy
	Investigation *Paper Records*	QA documents	6 months unless still needed for performance management or to support an unresolved complaint about an inspection.	Destroy
		Children's details	Until complaints which involve child protection are resolved or registration variations are ended.	Destroy
		Investigation notebook	Until the matter is closed and any actions are complete or suitability decisions made.	Destroy
		Investigation case files	Until details have been added to the RSA or are deemed not relevant to a provider's case history.	Review
	Correspondence	Email	3 months unless authorised by a senior manager to retain as evidence to support regulatory action.	Destroy
		Amended or non-standard paper letters	Until entered onto the RSA	Destroy
		Letters and faxes (from applicants and providers)	Until the registration decision is made and any appeal period is over, or the relevant matter is resolved.
		Reply slips	Until report is published/actions signed off	Destroy

Education, training and children's services
Category of Document	Contains…	Retention Period	And then…
Education Inspection Evidence	Evidence and observation forms Inspection notebooks Inspection summaries Parent questionnaires Timetables, schedules, tracking spreadsheets. Evidence from surveys and policy evaluation Pre-inspection data and analysis RGI/team inspector assessments School inspection surveys Final report reviews Summary evidence from teacher training (ITT inspections) Evidence from longitudinal inspections	3-months after publication [Note: If any of this information is subject to a complaint, destruction is enacted 3 months after resolution]	Destroy
Education Inspection Evidence		School registered files, monitoring letters (Schools causing concern)	Until coming out of SM/SW	Review
Inspection Complaints	Complaints letters Formal Responses	3-months after all appeal periods have lapsed	Destroy
Published Reports/Letters	Section 5; 10; 8; 3 deemed 10; 8 deemed 5 JAR; youth services; school improvement; independent; area-wide; colleges; ITT etc. Surveys, e.g. ICT; SEN; strategies; NNS; NLS; ISES; GAPs etc. Independent school registration	Permanent (The National Archives)	Export

Complaints and Legal
Category of Document	Contains…	Retention Period	And then…
Staff Complaints - Background	Background material All expired disciplinary warnings	1 Year	Destroy
Staff Complaints -Correspondence	Complaints letters Formal responses	2 Years	Review
Complaints Data	Statistical reports relating to complaints	5 Years	Destroy
FOI Requests	Requests where exemptions have been used or information redacted.	3 Years	Destroy
Legal Documents	Legal casework Policy and legislative development Background papers Correspondence with OGDs	5 Years	Review

Corporate Services
Category of Document	Contains	Retain for…	And then…
Building Records	Correspondence Photos Legal documents Maintenance records Bills of quantity	16 Years	Review
Contract and Tendering	Tenders, proposals and specifications Supplier lists Contracts, contract extensions, monitoring, management and meetings Paper files for each school inspection	6 Years [Note: count-down to disposal is initiated by end of contract/project]	Destroy
Finance and Audit Information	Invoices Spreadsheets, ledgers, journals, creditors, depreciation, asset and other registers, goods inwards, purchase order books Expenditure and revenue sheets, unrecoverable revenue, overpayments, invoices rendered on debtors receipt books and butts, postal records, cash register reconciliation, Stores and services, bank records, cash books, sheets and vouchers cheques and associated records	7 Years	Destroy
HR - Recruitment	Job applications Recruitment; selection; board papers Recruitment Policy files	1 Year 3 years (for CSC inspection)	Destroy
HR - Annual Leave	Annual leave records	2 Years	Destroy
HR - Pay and Pensions	Maternity, sick pay, holidays Authority for deputising Overtime, housing advance, car parking, season tickets	6 Years (after payment)	Review
HR - Performance Review	Staff appraisal documents	5 Years	Destroy
HR - Welfare and Monitoring	Consignment notes Passbooks Health and welfare records Medical/self Certificated forms	6 Years	Review
HR - Risks and Incidents	Individual risk assessments, incidents (books), medical reports, exposure details, diseases and dangerous occurrences	40 Years	Destroy
HR - Files	All HR personal files Pay and pensions files	Until to 100^th birthday	Destroy

Administration and Policy
Category of Document	Contains	Retain for…	And then…
Board	Board Papers and decisions High-level correspondence	Permanent	Export
Common Administration	Conferences and meetings Corporate planning and review Staffing related documents Inspection planning Paper expenses claims and receipts	1 year maximum	Destroy
Policy and Services	Policies, instructions, guidance and quality assurance. Services and service management Management of physical resources	2 Years	Review
Projects	All documents relating to corporate projects	6 Years [Note: count-down to disposal is initiated by end of contract/project]	Destroy

* Information held outside of the Corporate Storage, including emails, should either be destroyed before 1 year has elapsed, or transferred into storage.