Pupil and Parent/Carer Privacy Notice (How we use pupil and parent/carer information)

The categories of pupil/parent/carer information that we process includes:

• personal identifiers and contacts (such as name, unique pupil number, contact details, address and date of birth)
• characteristics (such as language spoken, free school meal eligibility and management)
• safeguarding information (such as court orders and professional involvement) and information related to keeping pupils safe
• special educational needs and disabilities (including the needs and ranking)
• medical (such as doctors information, allergies, medication and dietary requirements)
• attendance (such as sessions attended, number of absences, reasons for any absences and any previous/future schools attended)
• assessment and attainment results
• behavioural information (such as exclusions and any relevant alternative provision put in place)
• information on how the school computing and other IT/communication systems are used
• information relating to school trips and events (including copy of passports)
• CCTV images
• photographs
• canteen/catering information

Where consent has been given or where it is necessary for pupil welfare, safeguarding or other statutory or regulatory requirements, we may also collect special categories of data, including race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, health and medical conditions. We may also collect information about certain criminal convictions. for example, where a parent/carer volunteer requires a check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). However, this will only be undertaken where and to the extent it is necessary for a lawful purpose in connection with attending an academy or volunteering at an academy.

Why we collect and use pupil and parent/carer information

We collect and use pupil/parent/carer information, for the following purposes:

1. to support pupil learning
2. to monitor and report on pupil attainment progress
3. to provide appropriate pastoral care
4. to assess the quality of our services
5. to keep children and everyone at the school safe and secure 
6. to meet the statutory duties placed upon us for the Department for Education (DfE) data collections
7. To make sure we are able to address and support any educational, health or social needs
8. To make sure everyone is treated fairly and equally
1. To help pupils decide on what they would like to do after full time education
10. To make sure our computers and school systems and equipment are being used appropriately, legally and safely

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing pupil information are:
Article 6 – 1 (c) processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the controller is subject; (items c, f and h)

Article 6 – 1 (d) processing is necessary in order to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person (items e and g);

Article 6 - 1(e) processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller (items a to j inclusive)

Article 6 – 1 (f) processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by the controller or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the data subject which require protection of personal data, in particular where the data subject is a child (items a – j inclusive)

In addition, we will, on occasion, need to process special category personal data (concerning health, ethnicity or religion). These reasons include:

 

• To safeguard pupils' welfare and provide appropriate pastoral and medical care

• To take appropriate action in the event of an emergency, incident or accident, including the disclosure of an individual's medical condition or other relevant information where it is in the individual's interests to do so: for example, for medical advice, for social protection, safeguarding, and cooperation with police or social services,

• To provide educational services in the context of any special educational needs of a pupil;

• As part of any academy or external complaints, disciplinary or investigation process that involves such data, for example if there are SEND, health or safeguarding elements; or

• For legal and regulatory purposes (for example child protection, diversity monitoring and health and safety) and to comply with its legal obligations and duties of care

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing pupil information are:

Article 9 – 2 c processing is necessary to protect the vital interests of the data subject or of another natural person where the data subject is physically or legally incapable of giving consent;

And where Article 9 – 2 c does not apply we will only process the data if consent has been given in accordance with Article 9 – 2 (a).

Collecting pupil/parent/carer information

We collect pupil/parent/carer information via registration forms, common transfer files, from pupils, parents/carers, school staff and other organisations like the Local Authority and Childrens’ Social Services.

Pupil/parent/carer data is essential for the schools’ operational use. Whilst the majority of information you provide to us is mandatory, some of it requested on a voluntary basis. In order to comply with the data protection legislation, we will inform you at the point of collection, whether you are required to provide certain information to us or if you have a choice in this.

Storing data

We hold pupil/parent/carer data securely for the set amount of time shown in our data retention schedule. For more information on our data retention schedule and how we keep your data safe, please visit our schools website.

Who we share pupil information with

We routinely share information with:

• Schools that the pupils attend after leaving us
• Parents/Carers
• Our local authority
• Agape MAT
• Youth support services (pupils aged 13+)
• The Department for Education (DfE) and Educational Skills, Funding Agency (ESFA)
• The NHS
• Emergency Services
• Education Welfare Service
• Intensive Family Support Service
• Social Services
• Education Psychologists
• Alternative Providers
• Other schools
• MASH (Multi-Agency Support Hub)
• CAMHS
• Shine
• Speech and Language team
• OFSTED
• Exam boards
• SISRA Analytics
• Learning Plus UK
• Online Career guidance providers
• Auditors
• Parent Pay and Tucasi (online financial systems to enable payments to be made for trips, equipment and canteen)
• Contractors/suppliers who provide services to the school such as external tutors and counsellors
• External software that allows us to communicate with pupils/parents/carers
• External software that allows us to analyse assessment data and exam results

Why we regularly share pupil/parent/carer information

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

Youth support services

Pupils aged 13+

Once our pupils reach the age of 13, we also pass pupil 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

The information shared is limited to the child’s name, address and date of birth. However where a parent or guardian provides their consent, other information relevant to the provision of youth support services will be shared. This right is transferred to the child / pupil once they reach the age 16.

Pupils aged 16+

We will also share certain information about pupils aged 16+ with 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:

• post-16 education and training providers
• youth support services
• careers advisers

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

Department for Education (DfE)

The Department for Education (DfE) collects personal data from educational settings and local authorities via various statutory data collections. We are required to share information about our pupils with the Department for Education (DfE) either directly or via our local authority for the purpose of those data collections, under regulation 5 of The Education (Information About Individual Pupils) (England) Regulations 2013.

All data is transferred securely and held by the Department for Education (DfE) under a combination of software and hardware controls, which meet the current government security policy framework.

For more information, please see ‘How Government uses your data’ section.

Requesting access to your personal data

Under data protection legislation, parents, carers and pupils 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 your child’s school DPO contact.

You also have the right to:

• to ask us for access to information about you that we hold
• to have your personal data rectified, if it is inaccurate or incomplete
• to request the deletion or removal of personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing
• to restrict our processing of your personal data (i.e. permitting its storage but no further processing)
• to object to direct marketing (including profiling) and processing for the purposes of scientific/historical research and statistics
• not to be subject to decisions based purely on automated processing where it produces a legal or similarly significant effect on you

If you have a concern or complaint 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 https://ico.org.uk/concerns/

For further information on how to request access to personal information held centrally by the Department for Education (DfE), please see the ‘How Government uses your data’ section of this notice.

Withdrawal of consent and the right to lodge a complaint

Where we are processing your personal data with your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent. If you change your mind, or you are unhappy with our use of your personal data, please let us know by contacting your child’s school DPO contact.

Last updated

We may need to update this privacy notice periodically so we recommend that you revisit this information from time to time. This version was last updated in June 2024.

Contact

If you would like to discuss anything in this privacy notice, please contact your child’s school DPO contact.

DPO contact:

The Piggott School:  Mr David Thatcher, Twyford Road, Wargrave, Berkshire, RG10 8DS. Telephone number: 01189 402357. Email: dpo@piggottschool.org

How Government uses your data

The pupil data that we lawfully share with the Department for Education (DfE) through data collections:

• underpins school funding, which is calculated based upon the numbers of children and their characteristics in each school.
• informs ‘short term’ education policy monitoring and school accountability and intervention (for example, school GCSE results or Pupil Progress measures).
• supports ‘longer term’ research and monitoring of educational policy (for example how certain subject choices go on to affect education or earnings beyond school)

Data collection requirements

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

The National Pupil Database (NPD)

Much of the data about pupils in England goes on to be held in the National Pupil Database (NPD).

The NPD is owned and managed by the Department for Education (DfE) and contains information about pupils in schools in England. It provides invaluable evidence on educational performance to inform independent research, as well as studies commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE).

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.

To find out more about the NPD, go to https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-pupil-database-npd-privacy-notice/national-pupil-database-npd-privacy-notice

Sharing by the Department for Education (DfE)

The law allows the Department for Education (DfE) to share pupils’ personal data with certain third parties, including:

• schools and local authorities
• researchers
• organisations connected with promoting the education or wellbeing of children in England
• other government departments and agencies
• organisations fighting or identifying crime

For more information about the Department for Education’s (DfE) NPD data sharing process, please visit:

https://www.gov.uk/data-protection-how-we-collect-and-share-research-data

Organisations fighting or identifying crime may use their legal powers to contact the Department for Education (DfE) to request access to individual level information relevant to detecting that crime.

For information about which organisations the Department for Education (DfE) has provided pupil information, (and for which project) or to access a monthly breakdown of data share volumes with Home Office and the Police please visit the following website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfe-external-data-shares

How to find out what personal information the Department for Education (DfE) holds about you

Under the terms of the Data Protection Act 2018, you are entitled to ask the Department for Education (DfE):

• if they are processing your personal data
• for a description of the data they hold about you
• the reasons they’re holding it and any recipient it may be disclosed to
• for a copy of your personal data and any details of its source

If you want to see the personal data held about you by the Department for Education (DfE), you should make a ‘subject access request’.  Further information on how to do this can be found within the Department for Education’s (DfE) personal information charter that is published at the address below:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education/about/personal-information-charter

To contact the Department for Education (DfE): https://www.gov.uk/contact-dfe