What is the Data Protection Act?
Schools, Local Education Authorities, the Department for Education and
Skills (the government department which deals with education), the
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, Ofsted and the Learning and
Skills Council all process information on pupils in order to run the
education system, and in doing so have to comply with the Data
Protection Act 1998. The Data Protection Act 1998 seeks to strike a balance between the
rights of individuals and the sometimes competing interests of those
with legitimate reasons for using personal information.
The DPA gives individuals certain rights regarding information held
about them. It places obligations on those who process information (data
controllers) while giving rights to those who are the subject of that
data (data subjects). Personal information covers both facts and
opinions about the individual.
The eight principles of good practice:
These say that data must be
Fairly and lawfully processed
· Processed for limited purposes
· Adequate, relevant and not excessive
· Accurate and up to date
· Not kept longer than necessary
· Processed in accordance with the individual’s rights
· Secure
· Not transferred to countries outside European Economic area unless
country has adequate protection for the individual.
If you require more information regarding the Data Protection Act please
contact the school.