Cowbridge School, Aberthin Road, Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, CF71 7EN |

tel: 01446 772311 | email: enquiries@cowbridgeschool.co.uk

Privacy Notice

(How we use your information)
 

Who processes your information?

Cowbridge Comprehensive School is the data controller of the personal information you provide to us. This means that the School determines the purposes for which, and the manner in which, any personal data relating to students and their families is to be processed.

In some cases, your data will be outsourced to a third party processor; however, this will only be done with your consent, unless the law requires the School to share your data. Where the School outsources data to a third party processor, the same data protection standards that the School upholds are imposed on the processor. We do not share information about our pupils with anyone without consent unless the law and our policies allow us to do so.

Mr Ling is the Data Protection Officer (DPO) and Mr Stagg the Deputy DPO for the School. Their role is to oversee and monitor the School’s data protection procedures, and ensure that they are compliant with the GDPR. They can be contacted on 01446 772311 or by email: enquiries@cowbridgecs.co.uk.

 

Why do we collect and use your information?

Pupil data is essential for the Schools’ operational use. Whilst the majority of pupil information you provide to us is mandatory, some of it may be requested on a voluntary basis. In order to comply with the data protection legislation, we will inform you at the point of collection, whether you are required to provide certain pupil information to us or if you have a choice in this.  We collect and use pupil information under section 6(1)(e) of the GDPR which states ‘Processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller’.

In addition, concerning any special category data, condition (g) Reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law).

The School holds the legal right to collect and use personal data relating to students and their families, and we may also receive information regarding them from their previous school, Local Authority (LA) and/or the Welsh Government (WG). We collect and use personal data in order to meet legal requirements and legitimate interests set out in the GDPR and UK law, including those in relation to the following:

We also process data in line with the lawful basis of ‘public task’ to enable effective planning and management of the School.

 

In accordance with the above, the personal data of students and their families is collected and used for the following reasons:

We do not share information about our pupils with anyone without consent unless the law and our policies allow us to do so.

The categories of information that we process include:

 

How we collect your information?

We collect pupil and contact information via paper and electronic registration forms at the start of the school year or Common Transfer File (CTF) or secure file transfer from the previous school.

 

How long is your information stored?

The School will keep information on computer systems and also in paper form. Personal data relating to students and their families is stored in line with the School’s Data Protection Policy.  In accordance with the GDPR, the School does not store personal data indefinitely; data is only stored for as long as is necessary to complete the task for which it was originally collected.

 

Will my information be shared?

The Welsh Government receives information on students normally as part of what is called the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC). Welsh Government uses this personal information for research which is carried out in such a way that ensures individual pupils cannot be identified. This information is also used for statistical purposes, to inform, influence and improve education policy and to monitor the performance of the education service as a whole. Examples of the sort of statistics produced can be viewed at www.wales.gov.uk/statistics .

We share pupil data with Welsh Government on a statutory basis. This data underpins school funding and educational attainment policy and monitoring.

We also share attendance data with the Welsh Government on a regular basis to enable them to understand overall attendance patterns and to identify the characteristics of pupils who are not attending.

 

The LA also uses the personal information collected via PLASC to do research. It uses the results of this research to make decisions on policy and the funding of schools, to calculate the performance of schools and help them to set targets. The research is carried out in such a way that ensures individual pupils cannot be identified. In addition, WG and LA’s receive information regarding national curriculum assessment and Public Examination results and attendance data at pupil level. The WG and LA have robust processes in place to ensure the confidentiality of any data shared is maintained.

The School will not share your personal information with any third parties without your consent, unless the law allows us to do so. The School routinely shares information with:

 

What are your rights?

Parents and Pupils have the following rights:

Where the processing of your data is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw this consent at any time.

 

You also have the right to:

 

Requesting access to your personal data

Under data protection legislation, parents and pupils have the right to request access to information about them that we hold. To make a request for your personal information, or be given access to your child’s educational record, please contact the Data Protection Officers at the School. The School will respond to any requests within 1 month from the date the School receives your request. 

 

Where can you find out more information?

If you would like to find out more information about how we collect, use and store your data, please visit the School website to view our Data Protection Policy/contact the School.

 

Concerns or Complaints

If you have a concern or complaint about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, we request you raise your concern with us in the first instance. Alternatively, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.

 

Contact details

If you would like to discuss anything in this privacy notice, please contact:

Mr J Ling (Deputy Headteacher/Data Protection Officer)

Mr R Stagg (Deputy Data Protection Officer)

 

Contact details of the Information Commissioner’s Office.

Information Commissioner’s Office

2nd floor

Churchill House

Churchill Way

Cardiff

CF10 2HH

Tel:  029 2067 8400           Fax: 029 2067 8399

Email: wales@ico.org.uk