Guides

Practical guides to UK disclosure work — written from doing it, cited to the law and the regulator, dated when someone has read them. Practical information, not legal advice.

Doing the work

Getting a Microsoft Purview export into SureRedact

Export messages as individual .msg files rather than a PST, keep names and folder paths, download within 14 days, unzip with 7-Zip, then build the Matter from the folder.

For any UK organisation preparing a subject access request from Microsoft 365 — usually the school business manager or DPO, with whoever runs eDiscovery for the organisation. · Last reviewed 27 October 2026
Getting OneNote notebooks into SureRedact

Export the notebook as PDF from OneNote for Windows, and SureRedact reviews it like any other PDF. What the export keeps, what it leaves out, and what to check by hand.

For UK schools handling a subject access request that reaches a Class Notebook or a Staff Notebook. · Last reviewed 27 October 2026

The law, plainly

Subject access requests in schools: what changed, and what catches people out

The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 put the proportionate-search standard on the statute and lets you stop the clock; the exemptions that catch schools out have not changed.

For schools in England. Education is devolved — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements, and some of the exemptions below apply differently or not at all outside England. · Last reviewed 27 October 2026