> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How to get the records when something happens to your child at school - URL: https://www.mohammadsiddiqui.com/how-to-get-the-records-when-something-happens-to-your-child-at-school/ - Published: 2026-10-20T00:10:39.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T01:53:18.000Z - Description: A complaint gets you a meeting. A request gets you documents. A step-by-step guide for NSW parents, with sources. - Author: Mohammad Siddiqui - Tags: Personal *General information, not legal advice. Last checked: October 2026.* --- Something happens at school. Your child comes home with a broken device, an injury, or a story that doesn't sit right. The school is helpful on the phone. A week later you realise you don't actually know what's been written down, by whom, or whether anyone else saw it. This guide is about getting that record: what exists, who holds it, how to ask, what it costs, how long it takes, and what to do if the answer is no. ## First: which kind of school? The route depends on who runs the school. | School type | Main access law | Who to contact | | ---------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **NSW public school** | *Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998* (PPIP Act) and *Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009* (GIPA Act) | The school first, then the Department of Education's Right to Access unit | | **Catholic or independent school** | *Privacy Act 1988* (Cth), Australian Privacy Principle 12 | The school's privacy officer (check its privacy policy) | The GIPA Act does not cover Catholic or independent schools. Most of this guide is about public schools; the private-school route is at the end. ## What a school can and can't do A school **can** record what happened, apply its behaviour policy, notify the families involved, support your child, and put measures in place to keep students apart. A school **can't** order anyone to pay compensation, decide who is legally at fault, or run a criminal investigation. Compensation is a matter between families and, if it comes to it, a court. There is also a limit on reach. A school's behaviour process covers what happens at school. Messages sent on a weekend, or something said in a park in the holidays, may be things the school cares about but can't act on. If part of what worries you happened elsewhere, say so in writing and keep those parts separate in your own notes. ## What records might exist Ask about each of these specifically. A general "send me everything" request is slower and easier to narrow down. - **The incident report.** Public schools record incidents in the Department's systems. Ask whether one was made and for its reference number. - **Behaviour and wellbeing notes** about the incident and any follow-up. - **Written accounts from other students.** These are sometimes taken on the day and not kept. Ask early whether they exist and whether they've been retained. - **Accident or injury records**, if your child was hurt. - **Emails between staff** about the incident, and records of when each family was notified. - **Attendance records**, if your child missed school because of it. - **School counsellor records.** These are handled separately from ordinary student records and usually need a formal request. - **CCTV**, if any covers the area. Footage is often overwritten within weeks, so ask straight away and ask that it be kept. ## Step 1: Email the school, with numbered questions Send this within a day or two, while everyone still remembers. Numbered questions are much harder to answer vaguely than a paragraph. > Dear \[Principal / Head Teacher\], > > I'm writing about an incident involving my child, \[name, year\], on \[date\] during \[class/place\]. Could you please:Confirm whether an incident report was made, and give me its reference number.Let me know what it records about what happened.Confirm whether any students gave written accounts, and whether the school has kept them.Tell me what steps the school has taken, including whether both families were notified.Let me know who I should contact as things progress. > > If there is CCTV covering \[area\], could it please be retained. > > Kind regards, \[Name, phone\] Be pleasant and specific. Staff deal with many of these, and the ones who go the extra mile tend to do it for parents who make it easy. ## Step 2: Ask for the records informally Public schools can release some student records to a parent without a formal application. The Department's checklist for schools asks principals to respond **within 10 school days** of a written request and proof of identity. There are limits. The school must decline informal release, and refer you to a formal application, if the records: - mention other students or staff in a way that can't be removed, - include accident reports, - include child-protection reports, or - would take more than about an hour to search and decide on. **For anything involving another student, expect to be referred to the formal route in Step 4.** That's normal; it isn't the school being difficult. ## Step 3: Use your free right to your child's personal information Under the PPIP Act, you can ask the Department for your child's **own personal information** on their behalf. **There's no fee**, however long it takes to process. The Act doesn't set a fixed deadline, so ask in writing how long it will take. Two things to know: - The Department can refuse or delay access where release could affect a disciplinary investigation. - A student can object to their information being shared with a parent. The principal reviews the objection, with an appeal to the Director, Educational Leadership. This route only covers information *about your child*. Information about another student, or the school's internal handling, needs a GIPA application. ## Step 4: Make a formal GIPA application If the informal routes don't get you what you need, apply to the NSW Department of Education under the GIPA Act. - **Fee:** $30 application fee. Processing charges can apply, but the Department must give you an estimate first. Charges are often reduced or waived for an applicant's own personal information. Ask about this when you apply. - **Time:** The Department has **20 working days** to decide. This can be extended, for example by up to 10 working days where other people have to be consulted. - **What you need:** your ID, and proof of your authority if applying for your child (the Department has a family authority form). You must name the school your child attends or last attended, or the application can be treated as invalid. - **What to ask for:** be specific about dates and documents. For example: > All records held by \[school\] relating to an incident involving my child, \[name, DOB\], on \[date\], including: the incident report and any related entries; notes of staff who dealt with the incident; any written accounts provided by students on that day; records of when each family was notified; and emails between staff about the incident from \[date\] to \[date\]. Expect information about other children to be **redacted**. That's the system protecting them, as it would protect yours. You'll still usually see what was recorded and when. **If you've already given up waiting on Step 2 or 3, you can start here.** Steps 2 to 4 aren't a required sequence; they're a ladder from quickest to most formal. ## If you don't agree with the GIPA decision You have three review options under the GIPA Act: | Review | Time limit to apply | Who decides | | ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Internal review** | 20 working days after the decision | A more senior officer of the Department. They must decide within 15 working days. | | **Information Commissioner** | 40 working days after the decision | The Information and Privacy Commission (free) | | **NCAT** | 40 working days after the decision, or 20 working days after an IPC review | The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal | The Information and Privacy Commission's fact sheets explain these well and are free to read. ## If the school isn't responding to the incident itself Getting records and getting action are different processes. 1. **Raise it with the school**, in writing, starting with the teacher or head teacher, then the principal. 2. **Ask for the school's anti-bullying plan.** Every NSW public school must have one under the Department's *Bullying of Students: Prevention and Response Policy*, and it should set out how the school responds. 3. **Escalate to the Department.** If it isn't resolved, complain through the Department's online feedback form or to the Director, Educational Leadership for the school. The Department's stated aim is to acknowledge complaints within 3 school days and finalise most within 20 school days. 4. **Ask for an internal review** if you're not satisfied with how the complaint was handled. 5. **Contact the NSW Ombudsman.** It can deal with complaints about the Department and public schools, including unreasonable complaint handling or inaction. ## Don't assume anyone else is keeping the evidence This is the advice I'd underline twice. If other children saw what happened: - **Ask their parents first.** Explain what you're asking for and why. - **Don't show them anyone else's version, and don't tell them what to write.** Accounts that agree on the facts but differ in wording read as honest. Identical accounts read as coached. - **Get them signed and dated**, with a parent's signature as witness. - **Do it in the first week**, not the fifth month. Keep your own records too: - A dated note of what your child told you, written the same day. - Screenshots of any messages, with the timestamps visible, and the originals kept on the device. - Photos of any damage or injury, and the item itself. - A copy of every email you send and receive. ## When it's more than a school matter - **If a crime may have occurred** (assault, threats, serious damage), you can report it to NSW Police: online through the Police Community Portal, at a station, or on the Police Assistance Line, **131 444**. Ask for the event number. - **If your child is being bullied online**, the eSafety Commissioner can help with serious cyberbullying of a child, usually after you've reported it to the platform. - **If your child was hurt in a violent incident**, Victims Services NSW may fund counselling. Call the Victims Access Line on **1800 633 063**. - **For your child's wellbeing**, Kids Helpline (**1800 55 1800**) and headspace are free and confidential. ## Catholic and independent schools These schools aren't covered by GIPA. Most are covered by the federal *Privacy Act 1988*, which gives you the right to ask for your child's personal information under Australian Privacy Principle 12. - Write to the school's privacy officer (its privacy policy will say who). - The school should usually respond **within 30 days**. - It can't charge you for making the request, and any charge for giving access mustn't be excessive. - If it refuses, it must give written reasons and tell you how to complain. If you're not satisfied, complain to the school, then to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). For complaints about how the incident was handled, use the school's own complaints policy, then its system authority (for example, the diocesan Catholic schools office). ## The five-minute checklist - Email the school the next morning with numbered questions. - Ask for the incident report reference number, and for any CCTV to be kept. - Write your own dated note of what your child told you. - Screenshot any messages with the timestamps showing. - Photograph any damage or injury, and keep the item. - Ask other witnesses' parents for signed, dated accounts in the first week. - Request records informally; if it involves another student, go straight to a GIPA application ($30). - Diary the deadlines: 10 school days (informal), 20 working days (GIPA), 20 working days (internal review). None of it costs much, and all of it is easier in week one than in month five. --- ## Sources and further reading **NSW Department of Education** - [Right to Access: agency information guide (GIPA applications)](https://education.nsw.gov.au/about-us/rights-and-accountability/information-access?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) - [Checklist for schools: releasing student records (10 school days; when informal release is declined)](https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/about-us/rights-and-accountability/media/documents/information-access/Checklist-releasing-school-student-records.pdf?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) - [Information protection principles (parent access to a child's personal information; student objections)](https://education.nsw.gov.au/rights-and-accountability/privacy/privacy-information-and-forms/information-protection-principles?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) - [Our commitments to complaint handling](https://education.nsw.gov.au/your-feedback/our-commitments-to-complaint-handling?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) - [What to expect when making a community complaint (3 and 20 school days)](https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/your-feedback/feedback-and-complaints-team/What%5Fto%5Fexpect%5Fwhen%5Fmaking%5Fa%5Fcommunity%5Fcomplaint.pdf?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) - [Tips and advice for effective complaining](https://education.nsw.gov.au/your-feedback/tips-and-advice-for-effective-complaining?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) - Bullying of Students: Prevention and Response Policy (search the Department's policy library) **Information and Privacy Commission NSW** - [How to access your personal information from government agencies (PPIP Act; free)](https://ipc.nsw.gov.au/node/2703?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) - [Your review rights under the GIPA Act](https://www.ipc.nsw.gov.au/node/2717?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) - [Calculation of time under the GIPA Act](https://www.ipc.nsw.gov.au/fact-sheet-calculation-time-under-gipa-act?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) **Complaints and oversight** - [NSW Ombudsman: complaints we can help you with](https://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/Making-a-complaint/complaints-we-handle?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) - [OAIC: dealing with requests for access to personal information (private schools)](https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-guidance-for-organisations-and-government-agencies/handling-personal-information/dealing-with-requests-for-access-to-personal-information?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com) **Support** - NSW Police Assistance Line: 131 444 - [Victims Services NSW: counselling](https://www.nsw.gov.au/legal-and-justice/information-for-victims-of-crime/victims-support-scheme/counselling?ref=mohammadsiddiqui.com), Victims Access Line 1800 633 063 - eSafety Commissioner: esafety.gov.au - Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 - LawAccess NSW (free legal information): 1300 888 529