Privacy Policy

The categories of student information that we collect, hold and share include:

• Personal information (such as name, unique student number and address)
• Characteristics (such as ethnicity, language, nationality, country of birth and free school meal eligibility)
• Attendance information (such as sessions attended, number of absences and absence reasons)
• Assessment information
• Medical conditions
• Special Educational Needs and Disability
• Behaviour and exclusions

Why we collect and use this information

We use the student data:

• To support student learning
• To monitor and report on student progress
• To provide appropriate pastoral care
• To assess the quality of our services
• To comply with the law regarding data sharing

The lawful basis on which we use this information

On the 25th May 2018 the Data Protection Act 1998 will be replaced by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The condition for processing under the GDPR will be:

Article 6

1. Processing shall be lawful only if and to the extent that at least one of the following applies:

 (c) Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject;

Article 9

1. Processing of personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, and the processing of genetic data, biometric data for the purpose of uniquely identifying a natural person, data concerning health or data concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation shall be prohibited.
2. Paragraph 1 shall not apply if one of the following applies:

 (j)  Processing is necessary for archiving purposes in the public interest, scientific or historical research purposes or statistical purposes in accordance with Article 89(1) based on Union or Member State law which shall be proportionate to the aim pursued, respect the essence of the right to data protection and provide for suitable and specific measures to safeguard the fundamental rights and the interests of the data subject.

The Education (Information about Individual Students) (England) Regulations 2013 – Regulation 5 ‘Provision of information by non-maintained special schools and Academies to the Secretary of State’ states ‘Within fourteen days of receiving a request from the Secretary of State, the proprietor of a non-maintained special school or an Academy (shall provide to the Secretary of State such of the information referred to in Schedule 1 and (where the request stipulates) in respect of such categories of students, or former students, as is so requested.’

The Education Act 1996 – Section 537A – states that we provide individual student information as the relevant body such as the Department for Education.

Children’s Act 1989 – Section 83 – places a duty on the Secretary of State or others to conduct research.

Collecting student information

Whilst the majority of student information you provide to us is mandatory, some of it is provided to us on a voluntary basis. In order to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation, we will inform you whether you are required to provide certain student information to us or if you have a choice in this.

Storing student data

Data is stored until the student reaches the age of 25 years.

Who we share student information with

We routinely share student information with:

• Schools that the student’s attend after leaving us
• Our local authority
• The Department for Education (dfe)
• NHS/school nurse

Why we share student information

We do not share information about our students with anyone without consent unless the law and our policies allow us to do so.

We share students’ data with the Department for Education (dfe) on a statutory basis. This data sharing underpins school funding and educational attainment policy and monitoring.

We are required to share information about our students with our local authority (LA) and the Department for Education (dfe) under section 3 of The Education (Information About Individual Students) (England) Regulations 2013.

Data collection requirements:

To find out more about the data collection requirements placed on us by the Department for Education (for example; via the school census) go to https://www.gov.uk/education/data-collection-and-censuses-for-schools.

Youth support services

Students aged 13+

Once our students reach the age of 13, we also pass student information to our local authority and / or provider of youth support services as they have responsibilities in relation to the education or training of 13-19 year olds under section 507B of the Education Act 1996.

This enables them to provide services as follows:

• Youth support services
• Careers advisers

A parent or guardian can request that only their child’s name, address and date of birth is passed to their local authority or provider of youth support services by informing us. This right is transferred to the child / student once he/she reaches the age 16.

For more information about services for young people, please visit our local authority website.

The national student database (npd)

The NPD is owned and managed by the Department for Education and contains information about students in schools in England. It provides invaluable evidence on educational performance to inform independent research, as well as studies commissioned by the Department. It is held in electronic format for statistical purposes. This information is securely collected from a range of sources including schools, local authorities and awarding bodies.

We are required by law, to provide information about our students to the dfe as part of statutory data collections such as the school census and early years’ census. Some of this information is then stored in the NPD. The law that allows this is the Education (Information About Individual Students) (England) Regulations 2013.

To find out more about the NPD, go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-student-database-user-guide-and-supporting-information.

The department may share information about our students from the NPD with third parties who promote the education or well-being of children in England by:

• Conducting research or analysis
• Producing statistics
• Providing information, advice or guidance

The Department has robust processes in place to ensure the confidentiality of our data is maintained and there are stringent controls in place regarding access and use of the data. Decisions on whether dfe releases data to third parties are subject to a strict approval process and based on a detailed assessment of:

• Who is requesting the data
• The purpose for which it is required
• The level and sensitivity of data requested: and
• The arrangements in place to store and handle the data

To be granted access to student information, organisations must comply with strict terms and conditions covering the confidentiality and handling of the data, security arrangements and retention and use of the data.

For more information about the department’s data sharing process, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/data-protection-how-we-collect-and-share-research-data

For information about which organisations the department has provided student information, (and for which project), please visit the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-student-database-requests-received

To contact dfe: https://www.gov.uk/contact-dfe

Requesting access to your personal data

Under data protection legislation, parents and students have the right to request access to information about them that we hold. To make a request for your personal information, or be given access to your child’s educational record, contact Mrs Jan Marshall, School Business Manager

You also have the right to:

• Object to processing of personal data that is likely to cause, or is causing, damage or distress
• Prevent processing for the purpose of direct marketing
• Object to decisions being taken by automated means
• In certain circumstances, have inaccurate personal data rectified, blocked, erased or destroyed; and
• Claim compensation for damages caused by a breach of the Data Protection regulations

If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, we request that you raise your concern with us in the first instance. Alternatively, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/

Contact

If you would like to discuss anything in this privacy notice, please contact: Mrs Jan Marshall, School Business Manager via our contact form.