Guidance

Teaching Regulation Agency: data retention

Updated 16 June 2026

Applies to England

Teacher misconduct 

TRA  reasons for processing the data 

Our purpose for processing this information is so we can investigate and respond to any referrals about a teacher.

The lawful  basis we rely on for this processing of your personal data is public task, under article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR.

When we use process your special category data it is because we have a substantial public interest under article 9(2)(g) of UK GDPR.

We use a secure online portal to manage teacher misconduct casework, including: 

• holding all teacher misconduct referrals 

• holding case material and evidence, up to and including where cases have been referred to a hearing

• to manage applications to set aside a prohibition order 

• to manage an application to appeal an early career teacher (ECT) induction decision 

We receive your personal data from you, including referrals on our:

• digital services, including Report Serious Misconduct, and
• third parties, including employers or teacher supply agencies, police forces, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and members of the public

We process this information to regulate the teaching profession by investigating allegations of serious misconduct.

Data held 

When you make a referral, TRA collects and uses the following personal information including your:

• name

• contact details

• When we investigate a referral, TRA collects and uses the following personal information about the referred individual:

• personal identifiers (name, date of birth, National Insurance number, teacher reference number)
• contact information (home address, email address, telephone number)
• teacher status (QTS or EYTS, induction status, ITT result)
• qualifications (previous degrees)
• supplementary teaching qualifications (mandatory qualifications, national professional qualifications)
• employment details (current or previous employer)
• financial details (for expense purposes, if applicable)
• Scanned copies of documents relating to the case
• Recording  of a hearing (professional conduct panel)
• Decisions in relation to teaching in England (prohibitions by the Secretary of State)

We share this information with our contracted legal firms and panellists involved in the hearing.

Retention period 

Data type and examples	Retention period	After retention period	Retention reason
Records of referrals closed after triage	5 years from referral closure	Destroy	Business need
Records of referrals closed at initial assessment	10 years from closure of case	Destroy	Business need
Records relating to teacher misconduct investigations that progressed through to a hearing	50 years from closure of a case	Destroy	Business need

Email and telephony stakeholder correspondence

TRA reasons for processing the data

We maintain public facing email and telephony services to support stakeholder enquiries related to serious teacher misconduct.

Data held

Emails and phone calls concerning TRA business, including enquiries regarding serious misconduct. Correspondents  include:

• members of the public
• teachers
• employers or supply agencies
• Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
• law enforcement
• other UK regulators

Retention period

We keep:

• standard email business correspondence for 12 months
• non-standard business indefinitely for administrative and audit purposes, by exception
• recordings of stakeholder phone calls for 12 months