How the School collects and uses personal data
The school has a responsibility to provide its pupils with a good education in a safe environment. It is necessary to collect personal data to enable the school to provide pupils with an education, to track and monitor academic progress and to ensure those with parental responsibility are kept informed of key milestones and achievements.
Some of the information will be provided to us by parents / guardians and some will be generated by us whilst the pupil is in our school.
Here are some examples of how we collect and use your data:
Providing an education:
We generate and then hold the reports of a pupil’s progress and any examination results. We generate and keep attendance data which can be analysed to ensure that children are attending school regularly and attending on time. The school will on occasion utilise educational apps and websites with the children, all of which will be undertaken under the supervision of a staff member.
Maintaining school discipline and awarding positive behaviour:
As part of the school file we will create a behaviour record that would include all significant incidents of breaches of the school discipline policy. This would include any fixed term or permanent exclusions. The school file will also include examples of excellence and achievements.
Keeping learners safe and improving wellbeing:
There may be occasion when the school will collect documentation regarding the wellbeing of pupils. It is a legal requirement for all schools to develop and have in place systems of safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children in their care. This may involve documenting concerns and receiving information from other agencies such as social services when they have a worry about a pupil. Monitoring wellbeing allows the school to ensure the best possible services and support are available to the pupil and their families.
This school also operates CCTV cameras within its grounds. The purpose of these cameras are to maintain school discipline and to keep learners safe.
Keeping parents updated and involved in the school:
We do collect details of parents and guardians to ensure that we are able to keep you informed of school events and activities.
To enable efficient administration and reduce the need for children to be carrying money:
We have adopted the sQuid cashless system for school meal purchases, trips etc. which parents and pupils can take advantage of.
The Source of Personal Data
The vast majority of personal data we hold will have been generated in the course of a pupil attending the school or will have been provided to us directly from you. There are occasions where personal data is collected about you in other ways.
This includes:
People We Share Data With
Service Provision:
We may share data with others to enable a requested or statutory service to be provided. This could be where we use another agency to deliver the service for us or where we collaborate with other agencies. An example would be that information would be shared with the Local Authority to enable an assessment of a child’s special educational needs. Another example would be the supply of information at your request to contribute to a Child and Adolescent Mental Health assessment.
Transfer of information to another school / local authority:
Personal information about you may also be provided to other local authorities or schools. An example would be where you have moved from one area to another or start at a new school. The school file will be securely transferred to the new Local Authority / School.
Health Information
In some circumstances we may share information with NHS professionals providing services to our school children. This would be for services such as vaccinations, dental provision and school nursing activities.
We may collect health information on staff members when such information is supplied as part of the sickness policy and / or following referrals to occupational health.
Transfer of information required by law:
We also share personal information where we are required to do so by law. Examples include where we are required by law to report matters to Welsh Government who then in turn publish a lot of the data they receive:
https://statswales.gov.wales/catalogue/education-and-skills
Another example would be our duties to share information with social services when they are carrying out their protective functions or the police when carrying out investigations.
How long we keep your data
Data is held for no longer than is necessary and the school follows legal guidelines on how long information should be kept before it is securely destroyed.
The timeframe for holding data is different depending on the type of data involved.
To see our full retention schedule please visit our website where the retention schedule is included in our Data Protection Policy.
Transfers outside the European Economic Area
We do not share personal information beyond the European Economic Area (EEA) save for should a pupil move to a school outside of the EEA. This is quite rare but does occur particularly with children of British Forces personnel. In this circumstance the school file will be securely transmitted to the new school / authority as appropriate.