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Most schools you transfer records with will not use Signal. They do not need an account and they do not need to buy anything — they receive an email with a secure link, sign in with a one-time code, and upload or download the records from there. This page explains exactly what they receive, so you can tell a school what to expect before you send anything — and add the details to your own safeguarding request form.

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What the other school receives

The email comes from: Signal Schools <transfers@email.signalschools.co.uk>
If your school filters inbound email, ask your IT team to allow-list transfers@email.signalschools.co.uk so requests are not held in quarantine. It is worth adding this address to your safeguarding request form too, so the schools you contact know what to look out for.
The subject line depends on which way the records are travelling:
  • Requesting records — “Safeguarding Records Request from [Your School]”. If you request records for more than one pupil at once, it reads “Safeguarding Records Request for 3 Students from [Your School]”.
  • Sending records — “Safeguarding Records Available from [Your School]”.
  • Reminders — the same subject with “Reminder:” at the front. See Resending notifications.
The body names your school, says how many pupils are involved, and carries a button through to the secure page. It also reminds the other school to share only the safeguarding information the receiving school needs. Replies go to the person who created the transfer, so if the other school has a question they can simply reply to the email and it reaches you directly.

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How they sign in

The other school does not need a Signal account. Signal creates a temporary one for them when they first arrive.
1

They click the link in the email

The button takes them to the secure transfer page.
2

They enter their email address

They must use the address the request was sent to. This is what ties them to your transfer.
3

They enter a six-digit code

Signal emails them a code to that same address. It expires after a short time and can only be used once.
Because the code goes to the address you sent the request to, send it to a mailbox someone actually monitors — a safeguarding or DSL inbox rather than a generic office address that is rarely checked. If you send it to the wrong address, resend the notification to the right one.

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What they do next

Once signed in, the other school sees the request and works through it on the page itself. The instructions are on screen, so they do not need any guidance from you. When responding to your request, they can upload documents (PDF, Word, and image files) and add context about the pupil, then complete the transfer. Uploading documents is optional — a school with nothing to share can still complete the request so you know it has been dealt with. When receiving records from you, they review what you have sent and download it. Signal produces a summary of any documents they upload, which they can edit before completing the transfer.

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Following up

Transfers from schools without Signal stay Pending until the other school completes them. Signal does not chase automatically, so check your Transfers page and resend the notification if a request has gone quiet.
Records shared through a transfer are safeguarding information about a child. Only request records for pupils who have genuinely joined your school, and only share what the receiving school needs to keep the child safe.