The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) has replaced the Data Protection Act (DPA) and is set to strengthen and unify all data held within an organisation. For schools, GDPR brings a responsibility to inform parents and stakeholders about how they are using pupils’ data and who it is being used by.

What does GDPR mean for Brook Primary School?

Brook Primary School is required to keep and process certain information about its staff members and pupils in accordance with its legal obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The school may, from time to time, be required to share personal information about its staff or pupils with other organisations, mainly the LA, other schools and educational bodies, and potentially children’s services. Organisational methods for keeping data secure are imperative, and Brook Primary School believes that it is good practice to keep clear practical policies, backed up by written procedures.
A great deal of the processing of personal data undertaken by schools will fall under a specific legal basis, ‘in the public interest’. As it is in the public interest to operate schools successfully, it will mean that specific consent will not be needed in the majority of cases in schools. GDPR will ensure data is protected and will give individuals more control over their data, however this means schools will have greater accountability for the data: Under GDPR, consent must be explicitly given to anything that isn’t within the normal business of the school, especially if it involves a third party managing the data. Parents (or the pupil themselves depending on their age) must express consent for their child’s data to be used outside of the normal business of the school Schools must appoint a Data Protection Officer and be able to prove that they are GDPR compliant Schools must ensure that their third party suppliers who may process any of their data is GDPR compliant and must have legally binding contracts with any company that processes any personal data. These contracts must cover what data is being processed, who it is being processed by, who has access to it and how it is protected It will be compulsory that all data breaches which are likely to have a detrimental effect on the data subject are reported to the ICO within 72 hours

A Data Retention Policy is a set of rules that explains how long we keep information about you and your child — and what we do with it when we no longer need it.

For example, when you enroll your child in a school, daycare, or club, you fill out forms with your name, contact details, emergency contacts, and sometimes health or billing information. This is important info we need to take good care of your child.

But we don’t keep this information forever. A data retention policy tells you:

• What kind of information we collect

• How long we keep it (like 1 year or 3 years after your child leaves)

• When and how we delete it safely

✅ Why it matters

This policy helps:

• Keep your personal info safe and private

• Make sure we follow the law

• Clear out old or unneeded files

Its all about respecting your privacy and showing you that the school is being responsible with your information.

A Data Impact Assessment (often called a DIA) is like a safety check for your personal information.

Imagine the school wants to use a new app or system to help with learning or communication. Before they do that, they need to ask some important questions, such as:

• What kind of information will we collect about students or parents?

• Why do we need it?

• Where will it be stored?

• Who can see it?

• What are the risks if something goes wrong?

The Data Impact Assessment helps the school spot any privacy concerns early on. It’s a bit like checking for slippery floors before letting kids run down a hallway — it’s about protecting your child’s privacy and keeping information safe.

In short: a DIA makes sure that any personal data used by the school is handled carefully, legally, and respectfully.