Introduction
As a school we collect a significant amount of information about our pupils. This notice explains why we collect the information, how we use it, the type of information we collect and our lawful reasons to do so.
Why do we Collect and use pupil data? We do so to:
- Fulfil our statutory obligation to safeguard and protect children and vulnerable people
- Enable targeted, personalised learning for pupils
- Manage behaviour and effective discipline
- Monitor Our effectiveness
- Comply with our legal obligations to share data
- Support pupils to fulfil their potential
- Keep pupils, parents and carers informed about school events and school news
Our Legal Obligations
We must make sure that information we collect and use about pupils is in line with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act. This means that we must have a lawful reason to collect the data, and that if we share that with another organisation or individual we must have a legal basis to do so. The lawful basis for schools to collect information comes from a variety of sources, such as the
- Education Act 1996, Regulation 5 of The Education (Information About Individual Pupils)
- Regulations 2013, Article 6 and Article 9 of the UK GDPR.
The Welsh Government and Local Authority require us to collect certain information and report back to them. This Is called a ‘public task’ and is recognised in law as it is necessary to provide the information. We also have obligations to collect data about children who are at risk of suffering harm, and to share that with other agencies who have a responsibility to safeguard children, such as the police and social care.
We also share information about pupils who may need or have an Individual Development Plan (or Statement of Special Educational Needs). Medical Teams have access to some information about pupils, either by agreement or because the law says we must share that information, for school nurses may visit the school.
Sharing Information
Other services, organisations and people we may share information with include:-
- schools that the students attend after leaving us
- relevant local authority/(ies)
- youth support services (students aged 13+)
- Welsh Government
- the NHS as required
- School nursing service
- Parent/Carer
- Suppliers and service providers
- Health professionals
- Health & Social Welfare organisations
- Professional bodies
- Charities and voluntary organisations
- Auditors
- Survey & research organisations
- Social Care Organisations
- Police forces and Court services
- Suppliers of software and apps that are used in school
We must keep up to date information about parents and carers for emergency contacts.
How we use the data
In school we also use various third party tools to make sure that pupils’ best interests are advanced. We also record details about progress, attainment and pupil development to support future planning and learning.
We use software to track progress and attainment (BSquared).
We use data to manage and monitor pastoral needs and attendance/absences so that suitable
strategies can be planned if required.
We use systems to take electronic payments for school meals and to pay for school
trips/activities. This includes financial software to manage school budgets, which may include
some pupil data.
Data can be used to monitor school effectiveness, the impact of intervention and learning styles across groups of pupils as well as individual children.
We may use a range of specialists to assist the school in fulfilling its obligations and to help run the school properly. We might need to share pupil information with them if this is relevant to their work.
We also use contact information to keep pupils, parents, carers up to date about school events.
What type of data is collected?
Welsh Government and the LA requires us to collect a lot of data by law, so that they can monitor and support schools more widely, as well as checking on individual schools’ effectiveness.
The categories of pupil information that the school collects, holds and shares include the following:
- Personal information – e.g. names, pupil numbers and addresses
- Characteristics – e.g. ethnicity, language, nationality, country of birth and free school meal eligibility
- Attendance information – e.g. number of absences and absence reasons
- Assessment Information – e.g. national curriculum assessment results
- Relevant medical information and social care
- Information relating to SEND and health needs
- Behavioural Information – e.g. number of temporary exclusions
- CCTV, photos and video recordings of you are also personal information.
- Biometric – The School operates biometric recognition systems for purchasing food in the canteen All data collected will be processed in accordance with the UK GDPR Data Protection Principles and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.The written consent of at least one parent will be obtained before biometric data is taken and used. If one parent objects in writing, then the school will not take or use a child’s biometric data.
For more information about biometric data please refer to the ICO Guidance at the link below:
The National Pupil Database (NPD)
The NPD is owned and managed by the Welsh Government and contains information about pupils in schools in Wales. 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 pupils to Welsh Government 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 Pupils) (England) Regulations 2013.
To find out more about the pupil information we share this data, for the purpose of data collections, please look on the Welsh Government website
To find out more about the NPD, go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-pupil-database-user-guide-and-supporting-information.
The department may share information about our pupils from the NPD with third parties who promote the education or well-being of children in Wales by:
- conducting research or analysis
- producing statistics
- providing information, advice or guidance
Welsh Government 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 the department 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 pupil 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 the government’s website and or the ICO at Powys CC.
To make a request for your personal information, or be given access to your child’s educational record, contact your school’s office using the “Contact Us” form below.
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, you should raise your concern with us in the first instance or directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office at Powys CC.
Contact:
If you would like to discuss anything in this privacy notice, please contact your school’s office via email or using the “Contact Us” option below.
More information about Data Protection, Our Policies and how we manage the data and our responsibilities to look after and share data is explained in our Data protection Policy, and connected policies, which are also available on our schools’ website.
If you feel that data about your child is not accurate, or no longer needed please contact the school’s office. Each school’s complaints policy explains what to do if there is a dispute. Subject Access Requests are dealt with by the specific guidance on school websites.