Week [1]
Plan
A call with your DSL and IT lead to agree a go-live date, your categories, alert groups and who needs which access.
- We do
- Set up your school and send a plan with dates.
- You do
- Choose a date and share your current categories.
Switch without losing a single record
We move your safeguarding history across for you, so every chronology is complete from the first day and staff carry on where they left off.
A typical school switches in [typical number] weeks. Most choose to go live at the start of a term.
ImportedAttendance
Late three times this week, looking after her brotherAmelia, Year 8 · logged by her Head of YearOriginal date14 Mar 2024, 08:55
Original authorHead of Year 8
Brought acrossFrom [previous system] on 2 Sep 2026
What we bring across
Your whole history. Imported records keep their original dates and authors, and are marked as imported so you can always tell them apart.
- Concerns and actions
- Chronologies, with original dates
- Documents and attachments
- Body maps
- Categories and subcategories
- Alert groups
- Linked pupils, such as brothers and sisters
- Records transferred in from other schools
Coming from paper? Paper records can be scanned and added to each pupil’s chronology as documents, keeping their original dates. [Confirm whether we offer scanning, and any charge]
How a switch works, week by week
Here is who does what at each stage, from the first call to go-live.
Week [1]
Connect your MIS
Pupils, staff and contacts sync from your MIS, so records are matched to the right pupil and staff are matched to access levels.
- We do
- Connect and match everyone.
- You do
- Approve the MIS connection.
Weeks [2–3]
Export and import
We guide you through exporting from your current system, or scanning paper files, then import every record and document. Exports are transferred securely and deleted once the import is checked.
- We do
- Import every record and document.
- You do
- Run the export with our help.
Week [3]
Your DSL checks
Your DSL compares a sample of chronologies in both systems and we fix anything that needs attention.
- We do
- List and fix anything that didn’t come across cleanly.
- You do
- Spot-check a handful of pupils.
Week [4]
Train
A live session for your safeguarding team and a short briefing for everyone else.
- We do
- Run the DSL session and give you the briefing.
- You do
- Book an INSET slot for the briefing.
Go-liveday
Go live
Staff get their invite and start logging concerns. Your old system can be kept read-only until your contract ends.
- We do
- Stay on hand for the first weeks.
- You do
- Send staff their invite.
Weeks shown are [typical timings to confirm]. We agree real dates with you in the planning call.
Your DSL checks before anything goes live
Your designated safeguarding lead (DSL) compares a sample of pupils in both systems. Nothing goes live until they are happy.
We list anything that didn’t come across cleanly, such as an entry with no date or a category we couldn’t match, and fix it with your DSL before go-live.
Entries match for each pupil sampledChecked
Original dates and authors keptChecked
Restricted categories still restrictedChecked
Documents and body maps openChecked
Brothers and sisters linkedChecked
2 entries need attentionTo fixNo date in the old system. Your DSL chooses the right one.
Training for each part of your team
Most staff only need to know how to log a concern, so their training is short. Your safeguarding team gets more.
DSL and deputies
A live training session, included in every plan, covering alerts, chronologies, plans, referrals and reports. [Session length]
All staff
A short briefing, ideally on an INSET day, on logging a concern from a laptop or phone. We give you the slides, or run it with you. [Confirm options]
Admins and IT
Setting up the MIS connection, access levels, two-step sign-in and alert groups.
Afterwards
Guides and recorded videos in the Help centre, and Ask in the app answers staff questions from your own policies. In-person training at your school is available for a fee.
Timing
Start the conversation a term before you want to go live. That leaves time for your current contract and an INSET briefing.
- Typical switch
- [number] weeks from the planning call to go-live.
- Time from your DSL
- About [hours] in total, mostly the planning call and the check.
- When to go live
- Most schools choose the start of a term, but we can go live at any time.
- Your current contract
- Check its notice period early. Your old system can be kept read-only until it ends.
- Cost of switching
- [Whether importing is included, and any charge]. See pricing.
Switching questions
Can we switch mid-year?
Yes. Many schools switch at the start of a term, but we can go live at any time.
Do we have to run two systems?
No. Once your records are imported and checked, everyone uses Pupil Protect. Your old system can stay read-only if you want it as a backup.
What if something doesn’t import cleanly?
We list anything that needs attention before go-live and fix it with your DSL.
We keep our records on paper. Can you help?
Yes. Paper records can be scanned and added to each pupil’s chronology as documents, keeping their original dates. [Confirm scanning service]
Will staff need training?
A short briefing is usually enough for staff. DSLs get a live training session included in every plan.
How do you handle our data during the move?
Exports are transferred securely and deleted once the import is checked. Everything is covered by our data processing agreement.
We’re a trust. Can schools switch at different times?
Yes. Each school can move on its own date, and your categories can be set once for every school.
Plan your switch with us.
Tell us how you record concerns today and when you’d like to go live. We’ll show you Pupil Protect and walk through the move.