Warrington School/Board Of Trustees/Privacy of Information

Privacy of Information Policy

PURPOSE

To promote and protect the privacy of individual children, staff, parents and all others in the collection, use and disclosure of information about them, and to ensure that all persons have access to information relating to themselves that is held by the school. Note:- that this policy follows the key principles (referred to by number ) of a complex piece law called the Privacy Act (1993). For most purposes the best guide is to use good sense and to be constantly alert to the necessity for treating information about people with great respect.

OBJECTIVES

1.	Personal information is collected only for purposes connected with the function of the school, and only when it is necessary to have this information. The purpose of collecting information is made known. (1, 3) 2.	In general, information is collected directly from the person concerned unless it is publicly available from elsewhere or the person’s interests are not prejudiced when collected from elsewhere. (2) 3.	The manner of collecting information is not unnecessarily intrusive. (4) 4.	 Reasonable safeguards are in place to protect information froth loss, unauthorised access, use or disclosure. As a general rule, information about any person is not given to a third party without the person’s knowledge. (5) 5.	The school takes reasonable steps to make sure personal information is correct, up to date, relevant and not misleading. (8) 6.	Individuals have access to information held about themselves, and may request correction of information held or, when not corrected, to require that there be attached to the information a statement of the correction requested. (6, 7) 7.	Information is only used for the purposes for which it was obtained except in certain circumstances (e.g. for statistical purposes where the person’s identity is not disclosed) (10) 8.	Information is kept only for as long as it is needed for the purposes for which it was obtained (9) 9.	Information is passed to others without the person’s consent only when it is already publicly available or when it is being passed on in connection with a purpose for which it was obtained. (11)

EFFECTIVENESS REVIEW

1.	This policy will be reviewed according to the Board’s self review timetable. 2.	Both the current version of the policy and any proposed revisions to this policy will be made available to staff, parents or other interested parties, for comment and review. 3.	The board will make its review report available to parents and staff.