§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many education authorities allow records on pupils to be kept by schools without any provision for inspection or challenge; what safeguards are provided in such cases to ensure that the records are not passed on to other authorities such as the police, or to prospective employers; and whether any changes in these practices are proposed.
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§ Miss Margaret JacksonIt is an essential part of a school's normal work to keep educational records, and on request to provide references for prospective employers. It is for local education authorities to decide what form of record keeping is most suitable for their schools, and my Department does not collect information about their detailed procedures. We are aware, however, that a number of local education authorities have recently undertaken reviews of their practices.