Skip to main content

​
What are Establishments?

Establishments are schools, colleges, alternative provisions, or other educational settings that you send transfers to or receive transfers from. Setting up establishments in advance makes creating transfers faster and ensures consistent recipient information.
You only need to setup establishments once. After initial setup, they’ll be available whenever you create a transfer.

​
Why Setup Establishments?

Faster Transfers

Pre-configured establishments mean you can create transfers in seconds

Accurate Data

Store correct DSL contacts to ensure transfers reach the right person

Transfer History

View all past transfers to/from each establishment

Relationship Building

Build trusted networks with schools you frequently work with

​
Adding an Establishment

1

Navigate to Establishments

Go to Settings > Transfers > Establishments
2

Click Add Establishment

Click the + Add Establishment button in the top right
3

Enter Basic Information

Fill in the establishment’s name, type, and URN (Unique Reference Number)
4

Add DSL Contact Details

Provide the Designated Safeguarding Lead’s name and email address
5

Configure Settings

Choose default transfer settings and notification preferences
6

Save

Click Save Establishment to add it to your network

​
Required Information

​
Basic Details

Required: Full official name of the school or institutionExample: Oakwood Academy, St. Mary's Primary School
Use the official registered name to avoid confusion. You can add a nickname or abbreviation in the “Also known as” field.

​
Contact Information

The DSL email address is critical. All transfer notifications are sent to this address. Ensure it’s correct and monitored regularly.
Required fields:
  • Full name of Designated Safeguarding Lead
  • Email address (must be monitored daily) Example:
Name: Sarah Johnson
Email: dsl@oakwoodacademy.org.uk
Optional but recommended: Backup contact if primary DSL is unavailableWhen to use:
  • Primary DSL on extended leave
  • Large schools with multiple DSLs
  • Ensuring transfers are always reviewed promptly
Deputy DSL will receive CC on all transfer notifications
Optional: Other relevant contacts
  • Headteacher
  • Safeguarding Governor
  • SENDCo (for complex needs transfers)
  • Pastoral Lead
Note: These contacts won’t receive automatic notifications but can be included in transfer correspondence

​
Transfer Settings

Configure default settings for transfers to this establishment:
Is this establishment using Signal?
Benefits:
  • Direct system-to-system transfer
  • Automatic record integration
  • Structured data transfer
  • Real-time status updates
What happens:
  • DSL receives in-app and email notification
  • They review and accept in Signal
  • Records automatically integrate
What happens:
  • DSL receives email with secure portal link
  • They access transfer via web portal
  • Must create temporary account to view
  • Manual acceptance process
Timeline: Portal access expires after 7 days

​
Managing Establishments

​
Editing an Establishment

1

Find the Establishment

Go to Settings > Transfers > Establishments
2

Click Edit

Click the pencil icon next to the establishment name
3

Update Information

Modify any fields that have changed (DSL contact, address, etc.)
4

Save Changes

Click Save to update the establishment
Changes to establishment settings only affect future transfers, not existing pending transfers.

​
Archiving an Establishment

If you no longer transfer students to/from an establishment:
Archiving preserves:
  • Historical transfer records
  • Audit trail compliance
  • Ability to reference past transfers
What happens when archived:
  • ❌ Establishment no longer appears in “Create Transfer” dropdown
  • ✅ Past transfers remain accessible
  • ✅ Transfer history preserved
  • ✅ Can be unarchived if needed
When to archive:
  • Establishment has closed
  • No longer in your catchment area
  • Haven’t transferred a student in 2+ years
1

Navigate to Establishment

Find the establishment in Settings > Transfers > Establishments
2

Open Menu

Click the three dots menu next to the establishment name
3

Select Archive

Choose Archive Establishment from the dropdown
4

Confirm

Confirm that you want to archive (this can be undone)

​
Viewing Transfer History

See all transfers to/from a specific establishment:
1

Open Establishment Details

Click on the establishment name in the establishments list
2

View Transfers Tab

Navigate to the Transfer History tab
3

Filter and Review

Use filters to view incoming/outgoing transfers, date ranges, or statuses
What you’ll see:
  • Total number of transfers (sent and received)
  • Recent transfer activity
  • Average acceptance time
  • Students transferred to/from this establishment
  • Common transfer reasons

​
Establishment Networks

​
What is a Network?

A network is a group of establishments that frequently transfer students between each other. This might be:
  • A Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) with multiple schools
  • Feeder primary schools to a secondary school
  • Local authority schools in a region
  • Alternative provisions in a partnership

​
Creating a Network

1

Go to Networks

Navigate to Settings > Transfers > Networks
2

Create New Network

Click + Create Network
3

Name Your Network

Enter a descriptive name (e.g., “Oak Trust Schools”, “Year 6 to Year 7 Feeder Network”)
4

Add Establishments

Select establishments to include in this network
5

Configure Settings

Set default transfer preferences for this network
Benefits of Networks:
  • Create transfers to multiple establishments at once
  • Apply consistent transfer policies
  • View network-wide transfer analytics
  • Streamline multi-school transitions

​
Bulk Import Establishments

If you need to add many establishments at once:
1

Download Template

Go to Establishments > Import > Download CSV Template
2

Fill Template

Complete the CSV with establishment details
3

Upload

Click Import CSV and select your file
4

Review

Check for any errors or duplicates
5

Confirm

Confirm import to add all establishments
CSV Format:
name,type,urn,address,postcode,dsl_name,dsl_email,uses_signal
Oakwood Academy,Secondary School,123456,"1 Oak Lane","OX1 1AA",Sarah Johnson,dsl@oakwood.org.uk,yes
St Mary's Primary,Primary School,789012,"2 Church St","OX2 2BB",John Smith,safeguarding@stmarys.sch.uk,no

​
Troubleshooting

Check:
  1. Email address is spelled correctly in establishment settings
  2. Emails aren’t going to spam/junk folder
  3. DSL’s email account is active and monitored
  4. Email server isn’t blocking emails from Signal domain
Solution:
  • Ask DSL to whitelist noreply@signalschools.co.uk and transfers@signalschools.co.uk
  • Send a test transfer to verify delivery
  • Consider adding deputy DSL as backup contact
Solution:
  1. Go to Establishments > Archived
  2. Find the establishment
  3. Click Unarchive
  4. Create your transfer
  5. Re-archive if needed after transfer is complete
Solution:
  1. Edit the establishment immediately
  2. Update DSL contact details
  3. If there’s a pending transfer to this establishment:
    • Go to the transfer
    • Click Resend Notification
    • New DSL will receive notification
Solution:
  1. Check if one is archived (filter by active/archived)
  2. Check URN - if different, they’re actually different establishments
  3. If genuine duplicate:
    • Move any transfers from duplicate to correct establishment
    • Delete the duplicate (only possible if no transfers attached)
    • Or archive the duplicate to preserve history

​
Best Practices

Keep Contacts Current

Review DSL contact details at the start of each academic year when staff may have changed

Add Deputy DSLs

Always include a deputy contact to ensure transfers are reviewed even if primary DSL is unavailable

Use Networks

Group establishments you frequently work with to streamline bulk transfers during transition periods

Verify Before Major Transitions

Before Year 6 → Year 7 transitions, verify all secondary school establishments have current details

​
Next Steps

Create a Transfer

Learn how to send safeguarding records to another school

Manage Transfers

Track incoming and outgoing transfers