How we use pupil information

Privacy Notice for Parents, Carers and Pupils

St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School collects and uses information about pupils so that we can provide education, care, support and safeguarding for every child in our school. This privacy notice explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, who we may share it with, and the rights pupils and parents have.

The school is the data controller for the personal information we hold about pupils. This means we are responsible for deciding how pupil information is collected, used, stored and shared. Where we use external systems or services to support school operations, we make sure appropriate data protection arrangements are in place.

We collect and use pupil information in line with UK data protection law, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation, the Data Protection Act 2018 and relevant education legislation. In some circumstances, we are required by law to collect and share information, including information requested by the Department for Education, the local authority or other statutory bodies.

Why we collect and use pupil information

We collect and use pupil information to support pupils’ learning, monitor progress, provide pastoral care, keep pupils safe, meet pupils’ medical and special educational needs, assess the quality of our provision, manage attendance, support behaviour and safeguarding procedures, communicate with parents and carers, and comply with our legal duties.

We also use pupil information to complete statutory data returns, such as the school census, and to support school funding, educational planning and national reporting.

The lawful basis for using pupil information

Most of the pupil information we collect and use is processed because it is necessary for us to carry out our public task as a school, comply with a legal obligation, protect a pupil’s vital interests, or fulfil our responsibilities in relation to education, safeguarding, health and welfare.

Where we process special category information, such as medical information, ethnicity, disability, religious information or safeguarding information, we do so where this is necessary for reasons such as substantial public interest, safeguarding, health and social care, or because we have explicit consent where consent is the appropriate basis.

Where consent is required, we will make this clear and explain how consent can be withdrawn. Consent will usually apply to optional activities, such as some uses of photographs, videos, promotional material or non statutory services.

The categories of pupil information we collect, hold and share

The pupil information we may collect, hold and share includes:

Personal information, such as name, date of birth, address, contact details, unique pupil number and pupil admission number.

Family and contact information, including parent and carer names, emergency contacts and parental responsibility information.

Attendance information, including sessions attended, absences, lateness and reasons for absence.

Assessment and progress information, including statutory assessment data, teacher assessments, test outcomes and reports.

Special educational needs and disability information, including support plans, provision records, professional reports and reasonable adjustments.

Medical and health information, including allergies, medication, care plans and relevant health needs.

Safeguarding and child protection information, where this is necessary to protect a child or meet our statutory duties.

Behaviour information, including rewards, sanctions, exclusions, suspensions and pastoral support records.

Characteristics information, such as ethnicity, language, nationality, country of birth, religion where relevant, free school meal eligibility and pupil premium eligibility.

Communication records, including correspondence with parents, carers, professionals and external agencies.

Images and video, where these are used for learning, records, school events, displays, identification, newsletters, the school website, social media or safeguarding purposes.

Information relating to use of school systems, such as online learning platforms, communication platforms, assessment systems, behaviour systems, safeguarding systems and school devices.

Collecting pupil information

Most pupil information is provided by parents and carers when a child joins the school and is updated during the child’s time with us. Some information is created by the school as part of teaching, assessment, pastoral care, safeguarding and administration.

We also receive information from previous schools, local authorities, health services, safeguarding partners, the Department for Education and other professionals where this is relevant and lawful.

Some information is mandatory because it is required by law or needed for the school to carry out its duties. Some information is voluntary. Where information is voluntary, we will explain this and make clear whether parents, carers or pupils have a choice.

How we store pupil information

We store pupil information securely in paper and electronic systems. Access is limited to staff and authorised professionals who need the information to carry out their role.

We do not keep personal information for longer than necessary. Primary school pupil records are usually retained while the pupil attends the school and are transferred to the next school when the pupil leaves. Some information may be kept for longer where required by law, safeguarding guidance, financial rules, health and safety requirements, complaints procedures or legitimate school business needs.

Child protection and safeguarding records are kept separately and securely. These records are transferred to a pupil’s next school where appropriate and may be retained for longer in line with statutory safeguarding guidance.

When records are no longer needed, they are securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised.

Who we share pupil information with

We may share pupil information with:

Schools or education settings that a pupil attends after leaving us.

The local authority.

The Department for Education.

Health services, including the school nursing service and immunisation teams.

Safeguarding partners and children’s social care.

External professionals involved in supporting a pupil, such as educational psychologists, speech and language therapists or specialist teachers.

Approved school service providers, such as systems used for assessment, attendance, behaviour, safeguarding, communication, payments, catering, online learning and IT support.

Exam, assessment or moderation bodies where relevant.

The police, courts or other statutory agencies where required by law or where necessary to protect a child or another person.

The diocese, trust, governors or auditors where this is necessary for school governance, accountability or compliance.

We do not share information about pupils with anyone without a lawful reason. Where consent is required, we will ask for it clearly.

Sharing information with the Department for Education

We are required to share information about pupils with the Department for Education as part of statutory data collections, including the school census and early years census where applicable.

The Department for Education uses pupil data to support school funding, monitor educational standards, inform policy, conduct research and produce statistics. Some of this information is stored in the National Pupil Database.

The Department for Education may share information from the National Pupil Database with approved third parties, such as researchers, organisations producing statistics, or bodies providing advice and guidance. Access is controlled and organisations must meet strict requirements for confidentiality, security, retention and use.

Use of photographs, video and CCTV

We may take and use photographs or videos of pupils for learning, school records, displays, newsletters, school events, identification, the school website, social media and promotional purposes.

Images of identifiable pupils are personal data. We will use images responsibly, store them securely and explain when consent is required. Parents and carers can contact the school if they have questions about the use of their child’s image.

Where CCTV is used, it is used to help keep pupils, staff and visitors safe and to protect the school site. CCTV footage is stored securely and only accessed by authorised staff or shared where there is a lawful reason to do so.

Use of digital systems and artificial intelligence

The school uses approved digital systems to support teaching, learning, assessment, communication, safeguarding and administration. These systems may process pupil information where this is necessary and lawful.

Where artificial intelligence tools are used by staff, they must be used in line with school policy and data protection requirements. Staff should not enter identifiable pupil personal data into an AI tool unless the tool has been approved and the school is satisfied that appropriate safeguards are in place.

Requesting access to personal information

Under data protection law, pupils and parents have rights in relation to personal information. These rights may include the right to be informed, the right of access, the right to rectification, the right to erasure, the right to restrict processing, the right to object, and rights relating to automated decision making and profiling.

The rights that apply will depend on the type of information and the lawful basis being used.

Parents, carers and pupils can ask to see the personal information we hold. This is known as a subject access request. Parents and carers can also request access to their child’s educational record.

To make a request, please contact the school office.

Concerns or complaints

If you are concerned about the way we collect, use, store or share personal information, please contact the school in the first instance so that we can try to resolve the matter.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office, which is the UK’s independent authority for data protection.

Review

This privacy notice will be reviewed regularly and updated when there are changes to law, guidance, school systems or the way we use pupil information.

Reviewed: June 2026

Next review due: June 2027