Account & Login
How do I set up a passkey?
How do I set up a passkey?
After you sign in with an emailed code, Signal offers to register a passkey on your device. Creating one is optional — you can skip it with Maybe later — and you can add or manage passkeys at any time from My Account (click your name at the bottom of the sidebar). See Login & Authentication for full details.
What if I can't log in?
What if I can't log in?
If your passkey is not working, click Sign in with email code instead on the login screen — Signal sends a six-digit code to your email address. If you still cannot access your account, contact your school’s DSL or Owner to check your account status. See Troubleshooting for more help.
Can I use Signal on my phone?
Can I use Signal on my phone?
Yes. Signal works in your mobile browser — no app download is needed. The interface adapts to your screen size, so you can record concerns, check alerts, and review incidents on any device.
Incidents
Who can see my incidents?
Who can see my incidents?
Student incidents are visible to all staff with the Contributor role or above, unless visibility exclusions have been applied. Staff with the Reporter role see only the concerns they recorded themselves or were @mentioned in. Staff incidents can only be viewed by staff with the Deputy DSL role or above, with automatic self-exclusion for named staff — although any member of staff can create one. See Staff Incidents for details.
I recorded a concern but can no longer find it. Where has it gone?
I recorded a concern but can no longer find it. Where has it gone?
If you have the Reporter role, you see only the incidents you recorded or were @mentioned in — and a safeguarding lead can narrow that further. If they marked your report DSL only, or excluded you from it, it will no longer appear in your list. This is deliberate for particularly sensitive cases. The report has not been lost, and your DSL can confirm it was received.If you have no role at all (a Member), you can record concerns but never read them back. Ask your DSL to give you the Reporter role so you can keep sight of what you report. See Roles and permissions.
Can I edit an incident after saving?
Can I edit an incident after saving?
You can always edit an incident you recorded, whatever your role. Editing anyone else’s requires Deputy DSL or above. Every change is tracked in the edit history and the audit log, so it is always clear who changed what and when. See Managing Incidents.
What happens when I delete an incident?
What happens when I delete an incident?
Deleting an incident asks you to give a reason, and that reason is kept. The incident is removed from the normal list, but staff with the Deputy DSL role or above can still find it using the Show deleted filter, so there is always a record that something was deleted and why. See Managing Incidents.
Students
How do I archive a student?
How do I archive a student?
When a student leaves your school, you can archive their record from the student’s profile. Archiving preserves their full safeguarding history while removing them from active lists. See Student Profiles for details.
I archived a student by mistake — can I undo it?
I archived a student by mistake — can I undo it?
Yes, as long as your school has no MIS connected. Go to Students → Archived and click Restore on their row. Note that their student group memberships are not brought back, so you will need to add those again.If you do have an MIS connected, there is no Restore button — your MIS owns the student roll, so mark the pupil as on-roll there instead. See Restoring an archived student.
Can I import students from a spreadsheet?
Can I import students from a spreadsheet?
Signal syncs student data from your MIS (such as Arbor) automatically. If you do not use a supported MIS, you can add students manually. See MIS Integration and Adding Students.
AI Features
How does AI analysis work?
How does AI analysis work?
When you create an incident or upload a document, Signal’s AI reads the content and suggests categories, events, and relevant policies. It also generates summaries and highlights patterns. See AI in Signal for a full overview.
Is my data safe with AI?
Is my data safe with AI?
Yes. All AI processing happens securely within Signal’s infrastructure. Your data is never used to train AI models and is never shared with other schools. See AI in Signal for details on data privacy.
Can I turn off AI suggestions?
Can I turn off AI suggestions?
AI suggestions are always optional — you can dismiss any suggestion and complete records manually. The suggestions appear alongside your work but never make decisions automatically.
Transfers
How do I transfer records to another school?
How do I transfer records to another school?
Go to the Transfers page, select the student, choose the destination school, and pick which records to include. See Creating a Transfer for a step-by-step guide.
Can non-Signal schools receive transfers?
Can non-Signal schools receive transfers?
Yes. Schools that do not use Signal receive an email with a secure link. They sign in with a one-time code sent to the address you contacted them on — no account and no purchase needed — then upload or download the records. See Schools Without Signal for details.
What email address do transfer requests come from?
What email address do transfer requests come from?
Transfer emails come from transfers@email.signalschools.co.uk, shown as “Signal Schools”. Replies go to whoever created the transfer. It is worth asking your IT team to allow-list this address. See Schools Without Signal.
Demo & Subscriptions
What does the demo include?
What does the demo include?
The demo gives you sample students, staff, academic years, attendance records, and incidents to explore. You have full access to all features except the Integrations area, which is enabled when you subscribe. See Demo & Subscriptions for details.
Can I add my own staff to the demo?
Can I add my own staff to the demo?
Yes. You can invite colleagues with different roles (DSL, School Admin, Contributor) so they can explore Signal from their own perspective. This is a great way to get your safeguarding team familiar with the platform before going live.
What happens to demo data when I subscribe?
What happens to demo data when I subscribe?
Demo data (students, staff, incidents, attendance) is removed, along with all policies and uploaded documents. Your configuration — categories, locations, event types, working schedules, staff accounts, and alert rules — is kept. Download any policy documents you want to keep before you subscribe. See Demo & Subscriptions for the full list.
How do I subscribe?
How do I subscribe?
Go to Settings, click Request Subscription, and enter your student count. The Signal team will send you a quote. After payment, your demo data is cleaned up and integrations are enabled.
What is the Pay for One Promise?
What is the Pay for One Promise?
If you are switching from another safeguarding provider with time remaining on your contract, Signal can extend your first year subscription to cover the overlap — so you never pay for two systems at once. Contact support@signalschools.com to arrange this. See Pay for One Promise for details.
Permissions
What's the difference between DSL and Deputy DSL?
What's the difference between DSL and Deputy DSL?
Both roles have the same access level — full safeguarding access including student and staff incidents, settings, and staff management. The distinction is for organisational clarity within your school. See Staff & Permissions.
Can I change someone's role?
Can I change someone's role?
Yes. Staff who are Deputy DSL or above, and School Admins, can change a staff member’s roles at any time from the staff management page. A person can hold several roles at once — the access they get is the combination. See Managing Staff for instructions.