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Privacy Notice (How we use pupil information)
Why do we collect and use pupil information?
We collect and use pupil information under the Education (Wales) Act 2014. The EU general data protection regulation 2016/679 (GDPR) will take effect in May 25 2018 including Article 6 ‘lawfulness of processing’ and Article 9 ‘Processing of special categories of personal data’
Find out more on the Welsh Government website
We use the pupil data:
- to support pupil learning
- to monitor and report on pupil progress
- to provide appropriate pastoral care
- to assess the quality of our services
- to comply with the law regarding data sharing
The categories of pupil information that we collect, hold and share include:
- Personal information (such as name, unique pupil number and address)
- Any relevant medical information
- Special educational needs
- Exclusions and behavioural information
- Assessment information
- Post 16 learning information
- 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)
Collecting pupil information
Whilst the majority of pupil 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 pupil information to us or if you have a choice in this.
Storing pupil data
We hold pupil data for 6 years following a student’s last entry which would be when they reach 25 years of age.
Who do we share pupil information with?
We routinely share pupil information with:
- schools that the pupil’s attend after leaving us
- our local authority
- the Welsh Government
- School nurse
Why we share pupil information
We do not share information about our pupils with anyone without consent unless the law and our policies allow us to do so.
We share pupils’ data with the Welsh Government (WG) on a statutory basis. This data sharing underpins school funding and educational attainment policy and monitoring.
We are required to share information about our pupils with the (WG) under regulation 5 of The Education (Information About Individual Pupils) (Wales) Regulations 2013.
Youth support services
What is different about 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
A parent / 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 / pupil once he/she reaches the age 16.
Our 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.
The National Data Collection (NDC)
The NDC is owned and managed by the WG 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 WG. 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 the WG as part of statutory data collections such as the school census. Some of this information is then stored in the NDC. The law that allows this is the Education (Information About Individual Pupils) (Wales) Regulations 2013.
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
The WG 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 WG 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.
View more information about data exchange and security
View contact details and more information on the Welsh Government website
Requesting access to your personal data
Under data protection legislation, parents 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 Mr Andy Heron via dpo@maelorschool.org.uk
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
Contact
If you would like to discuss anything in this privacy notice, please contact: Mr Andy Heron dpo@maelorschool.org.uk