Why Schools
Choose SDS

Over the previous few years, SDS have also assisted a number of independent schools through this very difficult journey of closure...

Our service solution is bespoke to your requirements, and we can assist you both with the handling of paper-based records and born digital content

  • Confidential and Non-judgmental
  • Secure, Long-term custodianship
  • Legally Compliant, Managed Enquiries
  • Fair and Simple Costs with no Ongoing Fees

Full “School Closure” Services from SDS

When an independent school closes, the immediate priority is understandably the orderly wind-down of operations, staff arrangements, and financial obligations. The school also needs to ensure that there is no “GDPR” data physically left on site.

However, closure does not remove the school’s continuing responsibilities in respect of its historic records. Former pupils may request records, safeguarding enquiries can arise years later, and insurers or solicitors may need documents decades afterwards.

The difficulty is that once the school is dissolved, there’s often no obvious place those records will live. Many categories of documentation must remain accessible for years – and in some cases decades – after the school has ceased trading. Former pupils, employees, regulators, insurers, and legal representatives may legitimately request access to records long after the final term has ended.

What we do at SDS is become the long-term custodian of those records. We securely preserve them, manage retention, and handle any legitimate enquiries in the future. Our service solution is bespoke to your requirements and therefore we can assist you with the handling of both the paper-based records and the born digital content too.

That way the Owners, SLT, Governors and the bursar et al who oversaw the closure can move on with confidence, knowing the records are safe and that no one will be knocking on their door in ten or twenty years asking “where the files went”.

Closing a school does not remove its responsibilities in terms of record keeping
Key Retention Considerations
Record Type Retention Period
Pupil Records Claims may arise until a pupil reaches age 25.
Safeguarding documentation Typically retained until the individual reaches age 35.
Health & Safety and asbestos documentation Often retained for very long periods (up to 75 years).
Financial records Normally retained for 7 years.
Governor minutes Minimally retained for at least 6 years, often longer..
Company Papers
Governor minutes and papers
Accounts and financial documentation
Insurance policies and documentation
HR & Personnel files
Health & Safety records
Maintenance and building works records
Asbestos registers and surveys
Admissions register
Student files
Medical files
SEN Education Plans
Early Years Funding documentation
Parent Consent Form/Trip packs
Safeguarding records
Building Certification Certificates
CPOMS Data
MIS/SOCS Data

Indicative Cost Model

To assist schools facing financial pressure at the point of closure, SDS structures custodianship services in a simple and transparent way. Detailed pricing can be confirmed once the approximate volume and format of the School’s records has been reviewed.

The cost from SDS should you proceed (regardless of service level requirement...

  1. basic current digitation or
  2. full storage and retention service solution

will be a single one-time capital expenditure with absolutely no recurring costs or subscriptions. This way the school’s financial affairs can be concluded without any “ghost” future expenditure.

  • Initial assessment and record transfer
  • Archive storage calculated per archive box per year
  • Optional digitisation and indexing services
  • Digital storage calculated per GB if digitisation is required
  • Born Digital files storage (USB, HDDs) of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel etc), PDFs, MIS, CPOMs, Governors Minutes, and so on
  • Ongoing custodianship including management of authorised enquiries
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