Guidance

Apply for Department for Education (DfE) personal data

How to apply for access to personal data from DfE and its executive agencies.

Applies to England

Background

DfE can share personal data with external organisations through certain channels.

Where we can share data under the Digital Economy Act 2017 (DEA), we will:

  • manage project approval through the Office for National Statistics (ONS) Research Accreditation Service
  • share it via the ONS Secure Research Service (SRS)

In time, we will share this data via the Integrated Data Service.

DfE will only share personal data under DEA when the ONS has already de-identified it, for individuals and body corporates. The ONS is the service provider and DEA accredited processor for disclosure.

Where we cannot share data under DEA, the DfE data sharing service will manage project approval under DfE legislation. DfE’s default route for sharing personal data is through ONS Secure Research Service under DfE legislation.

In some circumstances, DfE may allow personal data to be shared with some organisations via a direct supply of data to that organisation.

Apply for access to linked DfE and Ministry of Justice data

Visit Ministry of Justice (MoJ) data first for access to the linked MoJ and DfE data set.

You will need to complete the MoJ application form.

Apply to ONS Research Accreditation Service for access to DfE personal data

You can currently apply directly to ONS Research Accreditation Service for the following DfE datasets:

We’re also working to make the following DfE datasets directly available from ONS, including:

It is our ambition to make the following data available to external researchers via ONS Research Accreditation Service in a similar way to LEO, including:

We are not yet able to confirm when this will be possible.

Apply to DfE data sharing service

You can apply for access to any DfE personal data that:

  • you cannot currently get access to via ONS Research Accreditation Service
  • has data variables not included within the datasets available from ONS Research Accreditation Service

By default, all DfE personal data shared under DfE legislation will be made available via the ONS Secure Research Service.

Where the SRS is not suitable and you provide evidence to support this, we will consider the following exemptions on the use of SRS for sharing data:

  • data is being processed to fulfil an essential public task, such as the running of education or children’s services
  • you are doing research funded or commissioned by DfE and its executive agencies or other government departments
  • you are doing research that is sponsored or supported by DfE and its executive agencies as it adds significant value to the evidence base supporting education or children’s services

If you are unsure, contact data.sharing@education.gov.uk.

Application process

To apply, you need to:

You may also find the digital find and explore NPD tool helpful when working out which data items you need from the national pupil database (NPD).

If you are a DfE contractor who wants to apply for personal data for a DfE-commissioned research project, contact your contract manager or research project lead to discuss how to complete the DfE commissioned research application form.

The data sharing service is here to help you:

  • progress your application through the data sharing service
  • access the right data for your project
  • document the data share through a signed data sharing agreement, memorandum of understanding, or commercial contract - contact data.sharing@education.gov.uk for a copy of our standard terms and conditions

Data tables

Use these data tables to provide your data requirements:

All completed applications must be submitted to data.sharing@education.gov.uk.

Further information on accessing ONS Secure Research Service

Anyone who needs to access DfE personal data via the ONS Secure Research Service must be accredited under the ONS approved researcher scheme. We recommend you begin this process as soon as possible and take steps to become accredited by ONS in parallel to your application.

Contact srs.customer.support@ons.gov.uk if you have any questions.

Only ONS approved researchers, with an application approved by the ONS Research Accreditation Service or DfE Data Sharing Service, are permitted to access DfE data in the SRS.

There are 3 ways you can access this data:

  • physical labs: you can book a session to access DfE data at 1 of 5 ONS locations across the UK
  • SafePod: this is available for approved researchers, and there is a list of currently available locations
  • remote access: once your organisation meets security standards and has organised connectivity with ONS, you can access data online using your own equipment, subject to specified conditions

Before gaining access to DfE personal data shared in the ONS Secure Research Service, you will be asked to sign:

  • under DEA legislation, an individual declaration form
  • under DfE legislation, a data sharing agreement, memorandum of understanding, or commercial contract

Contact data.sharing@education.gov.uk to request a copy of our standard terms and conditions.

Before gaining access to your outputs from ONS, your data must meet DfE and ONS statistical disclosure control (PDF, 249 KB, 13 pages) rules for accessing outputs.

Further information on direct access to DfE personal data

Before applying for DfE personal data, you must:

  • satisfy one of the 3 exemptions
  • submit the information security questionnaire (MS Word Document, 85 KB) with all completed applications
  • provide evidence of appropriate background checks on staff handling DfE personal data
  • provide evidence of any data sharing agreements with other organisations involved in the data share
  • submit a complete application form
Published 7 January 2022
Last updated 7 December 2023 + show all updates
  1. Updated to include information about data sharing under the Digital Economy Act 2017. You can now access some DfE personal data through the ONS Research Accreditation Scheme – updated the page to reflect this. Updated the data table for the national pupil database.

  2. Updated the DfE data sharing service application form and guidance, and the individualised learner record, national pupil database and school workforce data tables. Updated the ‘Apply directly to ONS for other key datasets’ section with information about the further education workforce and pupil parent matched dataset.

  3. Updated the DfE data sharing service application form and guidance, higher education data tables, individualised learner record data tables, National Pupil Database data tables and the information security questionnaire. Added the statistical disclosure control document. Added a link to the childcare and early years survey of parents.

  4. Uploaded new versions of the Individualised Learner Record data tables, the National Pupil Database data tables, the DfE data sharing service application form guidance and the application form.

  5. Uploaded new versions of the national pupil database and higher education data tables, the application form and the guidance. Added a new link to Growing Up in England (GUiE) and an update on which DfE data assets will soon be available directly from ONS.

  6. Uploaded new versions of the National Pupil Database data tables, Higher Education Statistics Agency data tables, and the application form and guidance.

  7. Uploaded new versions of the National Pupil Database data tables, School Workforce data tables, Individualised Learner Record data tables and the Higher Education Statistics Agency data tables and made minor updates to the application form, guidance and information security questionnaire.

  8. Updated the application form and guidance to apply for access to DfE personal data through the ONS SRS. Also updated the National Pupil Database data table.

  9. First published.