Privacy Notices - Information for Pupils and their Parents and Carers

This explains to pupils, parents and carers how information on pupils is stored and used by Solihull Council, and the organisations with which they share this information.

Our use of information

Solihull Council uses information about the children we provide services to, so that we can carry out certain tasks for which we are responsible.  Legally, this is called processing data, and the Local Authority is a data controller.  The people that this information concerns are called data subjects. 

We are required (under the Data Protection Act) to take care of all information and we take this responsibility seriously.

The tasks we are responsible for include the assessment of any special educational needs a child may have.  We also use the information to help make decisions on (as examples) the funding of schools or to assess the performance of schools and set targets for them.  Usually, statistics are used in such a way that individual children cannot be identified from them.    

Obligations of Data Controllers

Data controllers have to tell data subjects:

• who they are;
• the purposes for which they process personal data; and
• any other information that is necessary to make the processing of the personal data fair, including information about any other people or organisations (‘third parties’) to whom the data may be passed on. 

The Rights of Data Subjects

Pupils, as data subjects, have certain rights under the Data Protection Act 1998, including a general right to be given access to personal data held about them by any data controller.

As a general guide, a child of 12 or older is expected to be mature enough to understand the request they are making. Parents (or carers) can ask to see the information for their child until their child is old enough to understand for themselves. This can only be done by adults who have parental rights over the child.

A child may, of course, be mature enough at an earlier age or may not be mature enough until a later age. So, requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Privacy Notices issued by schools

Schools must issue a Privacy Notice to all parents and pupils.  This explains the type of information the school holds on pupils, what this data is used for, and how to obtain copies of this information.  This was previously known as a Fair Processing Notice.  The standard document schools use is available by clicking the link on the right-hand side of this page.

Where a child is younger than 12, parents are encouraged to share the Privacy Notice with the child, if they have the maturity to understand it.

Where the child is aged 12 or over, the school provides the Privacy Notice both to the pupil and to the parent or carer. This acknowledges both the rights of the child and the parent's need to be aware of how their child's information is handled.

Other data controllers with whom we share information

Connexions

Previously, the Connexions Service was separate to the Council, and parents and pupils could "opt out" of sharing certain information with them.  The Connexions Service is now part of Solihull Council and this opt-out no longer applies.  This means that information will be shared with Connexions as it is with other parts of the Local Authority.

Primary Care Trust (PCT)

The Primary Care Trust (PCT) uses information about pupils:

• for research and statistical purposes;
• to help monitor the performance of local health services;
• to evaluate and develop them. 

Wherever possible, the statistics are used in such a way that individual pupils cannot be identified from them.

Academies

The Local Authority may share information with Academies where we provide services to them.

Other agencies

The information we hold on pupils may also be shared with other agencies and service providers, to ensure that your child receives an appropriate service.

Attachments

A Privacy Notice is available to download from this page.  This applies to pupils of all ages groups and in all LA-maintained schools in the Borough.  Please note that it is the standard document that is amended by schools to include their individual contact details.

Further information

To speak to someone at Solihull Council about any of the issues discussed here, please write to us or telephone us:
Data Protection Officer
Solihull Borough Council
Council House
Solihull
B91 9QU    

Tel: 0121 704 6000        

Further information about fair processing requirements, and guidance on the Data Protection Act generally, can be obtained from the Information Commissioner's website.