Date Accepted: Summer 2020
Review Date: Summer 2023
We have a duty to protect the data and information we hold on any individual and will do so in accordance with the guidance and law.
The aim of this policy is to provide a model set of guidelines to enable staff, parents and pupils to understand:
In addition, there is brief guidance at the end of the policy on Freedom of Information which covers other information held by schools.
The objective of the policy is to ensure that the school acts within the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 when retaining and storing personal data, and when making it available to individuals, and that the process of responding to enquiries for other information is also legal under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (in force from 1st January 2005).
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, and other regulating acts, access to their own personal information is a statutory right for pupils (if they are of an age to understand the information they request) and parents (as defined in the Education Act 1996) may also request access to their child’s personal data.
School staff have a right of access to personal data on themselves.
Anyone has the right to question and correct inaccurate information, but this must be matters of fact, not opinions.
Personal data should always be kept securely and protected by passwords if it is electronic, and access to it should only be by those authorised to see it – confidentiality should be respected. The law also provides that personal data should not be kept longer than is required.
Third party data (information about someone other than the requesting individual) should in general only be provided with their permission.
There should be a named person with overall responsibility for personal data within each school. In most cases this would be the Head Teacher.
Schools, local education authorities and the Department for Education (DfE) all hold information on pupils in order to run the education system, and in doing so have to follow the Data Protection Act 1998. This means, among other things, that the data held about pupils must only be used for specific purposes allowed by law. The school has a Fair Processing or Privacy Notice which explains how personal data is used and with whom it will be shared. This Notice is published here:
Schools, local authorities (LAs), the Department for Education (DfE), the government department which deals with education, the Teaching Agency and Ofsted all process information on pupils in order to run the education system, and in doing so have to comply with the Data Protection Act 1998. This means, among other things, that the data held about pupils must only be used for specific purposes allowed by law. We are therefore writing to tell you about the types of data held, why that data is held, and to whom it may be passed on.
The school holds information on pupils in order to support their teaching and learning, to monitor and report on their progress, to provide appropriate pastoral care, and to assess how well the school as a whole is doing. This information includes contact details, National Curriculum assessment results, attendance information and, characteristics such as ethnic group, special educational needs and any relevant medical information. From time to time schools are required to pass some of this data to LAs, the DfE and to agencies, such as the Teaching Agency and Ofsted that are prescribed by law.
The Local Authority uses information about pupils to carry out specific functions for which it is responsible, such as the assessment of any special educational needs the pupil may have, pupil tracking etc. It also uses the information to derive statistics to inform decisions on, for example, the funding of schools; to assess the performance of schools and for target setting purposes. The statistics are used in such a way that individual pupils cannot be identified from them.
The Teaching Agency uses information about pupils to administer the National Curriculum tests and assessments for Key Stages 1 and 2. The results of these are passed on to the DfE in order for it to compile statistics on trends and patterns in levels of achievement. The Teaching Agency uses the information to evaluate the effectiveness of the National Curriculum and the associated assessment arrangements, and to ensure that these are continually improved. This information may be shared with other Government departments or agencies strictly for statistical or research purposes only.
OfSTED uses information about the progress and performance of pupils to help inspectors evaluate the work of schools, to assist schools in their self-evaluation, and as part of OfSTED’s assessment of the effectiveness of education initiatives and policy. Inspection reports do not identify individual pupils.
The Department for Education uses information about pupils for research and statistical purposes, to inform influence and improve education policy and to monitor the performance of the education service as a whole. The DfE will feed back to LAs and schools information about their pupils for a variety of purposes that will include data checking exercises, use in self-evaluation analyses and where information is missing because it was not passed on by a former school. The DfE will also provide Ofsted with pupil level data for use in school inspection.
Pupil information may be matched with other data sources that the Department holds in order to model and monitor pupils’ educational progression; and to provide comprehensive information back to LAs and learning institutions to support their day to day business. The DfE may also use contact details from these sources to obtain samples for statistical surveys: these surveys may be carried out by research agencies working under contract to the Department and participation in such surveys is usually voluntary. The Department may also match data from these sources to data obtained from statistical surveys.
Pupil data may also be shared with other Government Departments and Agencies (including the Office for National Statistics) for statistical or research purposes only. In all these cases the matching will require that individualised data is used in the processing operation, but that data will not be processed in such a way that it supports measures or decisions relating to particular individuals or identifies individuals in any results. This data sharing will be approved and controlled by the Department’s Chief Statistician.
The DfE may also disclose individual pupil information to independent researchers into the educational achievements of pupils who have a legitimate need for it for their research, but each case will be determined on its merits and subject to the Department’s Chief Statistician.
Pupils, as data subjects, have certain rights under the Data Protection Act, including a general right of access to personal data held on them, with parents exercising this right on their behalf if they are too young to do so themselves. If you wish to access the personal data held about your child, then please contact the relevant organisation:
In order to fulfil their responsibilities under the Act the organisation may, before responding to this request, seek proof of the requestor’s identity and any further information required to locate the information requested.
Separately from the Data Protection Act, regulations provide a pupil’s parent (regardless of the age of the pupil) with the right to view, or to have a copy of, their child’s educational record at the school. If you wish to exercise this right you should write to the school.
Information on how to access personal data held by other organisations is given below.
Pupils, as data subjects, have certain rights under the Data Protection Act, including a general right of access to personal data held on them, with parents exercising this right on their behalf if they are too young to do so themselves. If parents want to request to access the personal data held about their child, they should contact the relevant organisation in writing:
Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the school has a publication scheme, a formal list of the types of non-personal information which the school produces or holds, and which is readily accessible to staff, pupils and parents or other enquirers, follows:
The scheme covers information already published and information that is to be published in the future. All information in our publication scheme is available in paper form. Some information that we hold may not be made public, e.g. personal information. This publication scheme conforms to the model scheme for schools approved by the Information Commissioner.
Categories of information published:
How to request information:
Contact the School stating publication required and your name:
Ash Church Road,
Ash,
Surrey,
GU12 6LX
Tel: 01252 328589
E-Mail: office@ash-grange.surrey.sch.uk
Website: www.ash-grange.surrey.sch.uk
Paying for information:
All documents are available to view in the school office. Copies may be requested; a charge will be levied to cover the photocopying cost.
Classes of Information Currently Published
Information required by Statute
School Brochure
School Profile
School Policies
Minutes of the Governing Body *
*Some information might be confidential or otherwise exempt from the publication by law - we cannot therefore publish this
Policies and policy statements
A full list is published on the website and at the front of the policy folder in the office foyers.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
The school has an established culture that promotes and enhances the positive mental health of the whole school community, recognising that healthy relationships underpin positive mental health and have a significant impact on learning, health and wellbeing. We champion the expectation that ‘mental health is the individual’s responsibility supported by the whole school community.’
Feedback and Complaints:
Comments and suggestions are welcome. Please address to the Chairman of Governors Ash Grange Primary School.
If you are not satisfied with the response from the Chairman, please contact the Information Commissioner's Office. This is the organisation that ensures compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and that deals with formal complaints. They can be contacted at:
Information Commissioner Wycliffe House,
Water Lane
Wilmslow, Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Or:
Enquiry Information Line: 0303 123 1113 or 01625 545745
Website: https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/