The Department for Education’s plan to create a national “data spine” has been criticised as an “extraordinary overreach” of government powers by the leader of the country’s largest multi-academy trust.
In an exclusive interview with Vlog, Sir Jon Coles, chief executive of United Learning, said that the information-sharing initiative is the “most concerning thing to come from government on education” that he can remember.
The government first proposed creating a national data spine in its schools White Paper. It aims to develop a “secure, privacy-respecting and streamlined way” to share information across education systems.
However, Sir Jon’s concerns are reflected across the sector, with unions warning that members are “extremely anxious” about the major data project and are urging the DfE not to rush through proposals.
‘Extraordinary intrusion’
The data spine will form part of the DfE’s , which it said aims to provide “greater transparency over pricing and contractual terms” for schools.
According to the , engagement on the framework also involves exploring how the DfE can use data to provide “new and valuable insights to share with schools, academy trusts and local authorities” - otherwise known as the data spine project.
However, Sir Jon, who leads 98 schools across the country, said that the government is trying to “give itself the power to take every piece of information in school MIS’ into one huge central database, which they will have control of and access to”.
“It’s an extraordinary intrusion into the lives of millions of children and adults,” the MAT chief warned, adding that he is unclear about the DfE’s objectives in creating the data platform.
In a preliminary market engagement response shared with Vlog, the government said that it had engaged with around 50 education sector representatives and a number of trusts.
But Sir Jon, who previously worked for the DfE for 15 years, said that “the majority of schools in the country have no idea that this is happening”, and that the government has approached it “in the most covert way possible”.
The DfE originally planned to close its engagement period on 30 September, but has now extended it until Friday 13 November to give “sufficient time to consider and respond fully to feedback from suppliers, schools and trusts”.
Emma Harrison, business leadership specialist at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), also raised concerns about how many schools and trusts have been consulted.
“Our understanding is that only a small number of schools and trusts have been consulted so far, and we’d welcome more widespread engagement as the process develops,” she said.
MATs expected to act fast on MIS framework
All academy trusts will also be expected to award contracts under the DfE’s MIS framework “as soon as practicable after its launch”, according to an update this month to the .
Sir Jon called this expectation “extraordinary”, especially considering the framework will not launch until September 2027.
He said: ”[The DfE is] vastly exceeding the powers of what they can use the academy’s financial handbook to do. I think they risk serious legal challenge about whether they can make trusts do this.”
He added: “I have never come across anything like a requirement to use a specific framework, which doesn’t even exist yet.”
While local authority-maintained schools are not under the same formal direction, schools minister Georgia Gould said in response to a recent that they are still expected to use the framework once it is launched.
The DfE is not the only public body to consider creating a major data platform.
NHS England continues to face legal objections for setting up the Federated Data Platform (FDP), which is run by US company Palantir.
The DfE has also faced concerns over its handling of data. It had major data leaks in both 2025 and 2026, and was formally reprimanded by the Information Commissioner’s Office in 2022.
Questions over data protection approach
On the data spine proposals, Sir Jon said he is “very suspicious of government holding this level of data”, given the DfE’s “notoriously bad record on data protection”.
Claire Archibald, legal director at law firm Browne Jacobson, welcomed the core principles of the project, but warned that there is a lack of information about “what happens when data flows to the DfE itself”.
“That asymmetry needs to be resolved before any route to market is established,” she added.
While the government said in a freedom of information response seen by Vlog that it had carried out a data protection impact assessment in relation to the data spine, it did not provide this when asked.
Unions and sector groups have echoed concerns raised by Sir Jon.
The British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) urged the government to share its assessment, which is required under UK GDPR.
“Given that the project could involve a transfer of significant volumes of data held by suppliers on behalf of schools, pupils and parents, we would welcome greater transparency around the DfE’s approach to data protection and security”, a BESA spokesperson said.
“There is a particular public interest in providing greater visibility of the data protection impact assessments, so that stakeholders can participate meaningfully in the department’s consultation process.”
‘Solution in search of a problem’
James Bowen, assistant general secretary at the NAHT school leaders’ union, said: “Our members are really concerned about the concept of a data spine.”
He added: “For many, it’s looking like a solution in search of a problem. Not only are they unconvinced by its merits, they are extremely anxious about how other parties might use the data. On top of that are a range of questions about data protection and GDPR.”
The DfE has not clarified how information raised from the data spine programme will be used, including whether it will be used for accountability purposes.
“The government needs to make a far more compelling case as to how this project could actually benefit schools and do much more to reassure school leaders about how it would work in practice,” Mr Bowen said.
While Ms Harrison at ASCL recognised the potential benefits of sharing data more widely and easily, she warned that setting up any new MIS framework is a complex exercise and comes with possible risks and drawbacks.
“We really need to see more information about what this will look like, how it is going to be helpful at an operational level, and how this relates to the data spine,” she said.
“Careful handling is required to ensure the framework is workable for schools and has the confidence of the whole sector - this is not something that should be rushed into.”
‘Huge political story’
While the government has the development of the data spine programme, Vlog understands that it is still engaging with sector groups.
The DfE said that it expects to make a wider announcement on the future of the data spine in autumn 2026.
Sir Jon said: “I don’t think this is just a big education story, I think it’s a huge political story. Data protection is a massive concern for people. I don’t want the government having all this information about my children.
“It’s an extraordinary overreach.”
The MAT leader added that MIS providers “ought to stand up and say, ‘No, we’re not signing up to your framework.’” He urged trusts to tell their MIS providers the same.
A DfE spokesperson said: “The education data spine is at an early stage of design and development, and we have been clear it will be developed in collaboration with the sector.
“This is about supporting secure information sharing across schools to better serve pupils and reduce burdens for staff and families.
“No final decisions have been made on its features, which we will develop with schools and local authorities so they can make better use of the data that already exists.”
Vlog understands that no final decisions have been made about how the data spine will be used, which data would be accessed and who could use it or for what purposes.
The government aims to shape these choices with stakeholders, Vlog also understands, and test them against necessity, proportionality, governance, legal requirements, technical feasibility and clear benefits for schools and pupils.
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