Privacy notice

Formerly known as Fair Processing Notices (FPN)

Schools, Local Authorities (LA), the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and other educational bodies that process personal data about pupils and staff are required by the Data Protection Act to issue a Notice to parents/pupils and staff to inform them of the purposes for which that personal data may be held and used.

The Information Commissioner recommends the term 'Fair Processing Notice' (FPN) be replaced by 'Privacy Notice'. The DCSF is adopting this approach in its data collections from 2010, and has reviewed the process of issuing Privacy Notices.

In the past, the FPN has included the use of school information made available by the LA or the DCSF. The new process will mean much simpler Privacy Notices, where details of any organisations with which the LA and DCSF share data are contained on the LA and DCSF websites, with links from the Privacy Notices. This means that Privacy Notices do not need reissuing on an annual basis. The aim is to make the Privacy Notices issued to children and staff general and constant. Any changes to the details of organisations with which school or LA data is shared can be updated on the LA and DCSF websites.

The new approach is that a single, short and easily understandable Privacy Notice can be provided to pupils and staff by the school or LA at the same time as other communications eg:

A pupil might receive the Privacy Notice as part of a school brochure or induction pack, or in a school diary, and it could be posted on the school notice board.
For staff, the Privacy Notice might be included as part of a contract, induction pack, and posted on the staff notice board, etc.
A child receiving Social Care Services or a child looked after might receive their Privacy Notice as part of other information about the services that they are being offered.

How the Local Authority uses information

The Local Authority (LA) uses information about children for whom it provides services, to enable it to carry out specific functions for which it is responsible, such as the assessment of any special educational needs the child may have. It also uses the information to derive statistics to inform decisions on (for example) the funding of schools, and to assess the performance of schools and set targets for them. The statistics are used in such a way that individual children cannot be identified from them. The LA is also required to maintain the accuracy of the information held on ContactPoint about children and young people in their area.

The Local Authority will use information about its school workforce for research and statistical purposes, and to evaluate and develop education policy and strategies. The statistics are used in such a way that individual staff cannot be identified from them. The LA may also use it to support and monitor schools regarding sickness and recruitment of staff.

Primary Care Trusts (PCT) use information about pupils for research and statistical purposes, to monitor the performance of local health services and to evaluate and develop them. The statistics are used in such a way that individual pupils cannot be identified from them. Information on the height and weight of individual pupils may however be provided to the child and its parents and this will require the PCTs to maintain details of pupils’ names for this purpose for a period designated by the Department of Health following the weighing and measuring process. PCTs may also provide individual schools and LAs with aggregate information on pupils’ height and weight.

Connexions Services For pupils of 13 years and over, the school is legally required to pass on certain information to Connexions services providers on request. Connexions is the government's information and advice service for all young people aged 13 to 19 in England. This information includes the name and address of the pupil and parent, and any further information relevant to the Connexions services’ role.

Parents or the pupils themselves if aged 16 or over, can ask that no information beyond name and address (for pupil and parent) be passed on to Connexions. If as a parent, or as a pupil aged 16 or over, you wish to opt-out and do not want Connexions to receive from the school information beyond name, address and date of birth then please contact the school.

What the DCSF does with pupil’s and children’s data

For more information about how the DCSF store and use pupil’s and children’s information, please follow the link below.

What the DCSF does with school workforce data

More information on how the DCSF store and use school workforce information.

If you can't access the website, please contact the DCSF:

Public Communications Unit
Department for Children, Schools and Families
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London
SW1P 3BT
Website: www.dcsf.gov.uk
email: info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk
Telephone: 0870 000 2288

For more information call 01296 382244 or email ppit1@buckscc.gov.uk

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