Privacy Notice

(How we use pupil information)

Why do we collect and use pupil information?
We collect and use pupil information to enable us to run the school and provide education as permitted under Article 6(1)(e) of the General Data Processing Regulations which permits processing for tasks carried out in the public interest or for our official functions and Article 9(2)(g) which permits processing of sensitive data which is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest. Under Section 537A of the Education Act 1996 we are also required to submit school census returns, including a set of named pupil records, and pupil information is collected and used for this purpose.
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)
• 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 (such as test results and teacher assessments)
• Medical information (such as information about medical conditions the school needs to take into account or allergy information and details of medical practitioners involved in the child’s care)
• Special educational needs information (such as reports of assessments carried out in school or by outside professionals and records of interventions provided in school)
• Exclusions/behavioural information
• Child protection and safeguarding information

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
The length of time for which we hold pupil data varies according to the type of data. More information can be found in our Information Management Policy, which can be found on our website at www.theoaksbolton.co.uk.

Who do we share pupil information with?
We routinely share pupil information with:
• schools that the pupils attend after leaving us
• our local authority
• the Department for Education (DfE)
• Health and other professionals working with specific pupils
• Early Intervention

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 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 pupils with our local authority (LA) and the Department for Education (DfE) under section 3 of The Education (Information About Individual Pupils) (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.

The National Pupil Database (NPD)
The NPD is owned and managed by the Department for Education 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. 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 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 Pupils) (England) Regulations 2013.

To find out more about the pupil information we share with the department, for the purpose of data collections, go to https://www.gov.uk/education/data-collection-and-censuses-for-schools.

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

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

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

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 Mrs Jo Grundy at office@the-oaks.bolton.sch.uk or 01204 333171.

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 https://ico.org.uk/concerns/

Our data Protection Officer is Mrs Kathryn Wilkinson who can be contacted on 07847 378225

Contact:
If you would like to discuss anything in this privacy notice, please contact:
• Mrs Fallon Trainor at office@the-oaks.bolton.sch.uk or 01204 333171.

If you cannot access these websites, please contact the LA on:
• Information Management Unit,
Department of People, Bolton Council
1st Floor, Town Hall, Bolton, BL1 1UA
website: www.bolton.gov.uk
email: ec.imu@bolton.gov.uk

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