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 do so through the:
- Office for National Statistics Secure Research Service (ONS SRS)
- ONS Integrated Data Service (ONS IDS)
- UK Data Service (UKDS)
DfE will only share personal data under the DEA when ONS or UKDS has already de-identified it, for individuals and body corporates. ONS and UKDS are the service providers and DEA-accredited processors for disclosure.
Where we cannot share data under the DEA, the DfE data sharing service will manage project approval under DfE legislation. DfE’s default route for this is the ONS Secure Research Service.
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 dataset.
You will need to complete the MoJ application form.
Apply to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) for access to DfE personal data
You can find out which datasets you can apply directly to the ONS for in .
Apply to the UK Data Service for access to DfE data
You can find out which datasets you can apply directly to the UK Data Service for in .
Apply to the DfE data sharing service
You can apply for access to any DfE personal data that:
- you cannot currently get access to through ONS or UKDS
- do not include the data variables you need within the datasets available from the ONS or the UKDS
- you would like to match or link to your dataset
By default, all DfE personal data shared under DfE legislation will be made available via the ONS Secure Research Service.
Where the ONS Secure Research Service is not suitable and you provide evidence to support this, we will consider the following exemptions on its use 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
You can find out which datasets you can apply to DfE Data Sharing service for in . If you are still unsure, contact data.sharing@education.gov.uk.
Application process
To apply, you need to:
- complete the application form (MS Word Document, 197 KB) using the accompanying DfE data sharing service application form guidance (PDF, 474 KB, 41 pages)
- submit your data requirements on the relevant data tables
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:
- higher education (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 67.4 KB)
- individualised learner record (ILR) (MS Excel Spreadsheet, 259 KB)
All completed applications must be submitted to data.sharing@education.gov.uk.
Applying for ONS Researcher Accreditation
Anyone who needs to access DfE personal data via the ONS Secure Research Service or Integrated Data Service must apply for researcher accreditation. 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 or IDS.customer.support@ons.gov.uk if you have any questions.
Applying for outputs from the ONS
Before gaining access to your project outputs from ONS, your data must meet DfE and ONS 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 completed application form
Submitting your research outputs to DfE
Email the URL (or other location) of your research outputs to data.sharing@education.gov.uk so that we can share your findings with the relevant DfE policy colleagues.
Updates to this page
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Added new details about applying for ONS researcher accreditation. Updated national pupil database and school workforce data tables. Updated ‘How to apply for DfE datasets’. Updated ONS statistical disclosure control document.
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Updated the higher education, individualised learner record and national pupil database data tables.
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Updated the national pupil database data tables.
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Updated our routes for sharing personal data for research purposes to include Integrated Data Service (IDS). Updated HESA information tables and NPD data tables. Added 'How to apply for DfE datasets'.
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Updated the higher education, individualised learner record, national pupil database and school workforce data tables.
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Updated the DfE sharing service application form and application form guidance, DfE ONS statistical disclosure control policy and the NPD data tables.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Uploaded new versions of the National Pupil Database data tables, Higher Education Statistics Agency data tables, and the application form and guidance.
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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.
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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.
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First published.