School - pupil records
Fair Processing Notices
“Fair processing” under the Data Protection Act
Schools, Local Authorities and other organisations are known as
“data controllers” because they hold, use and share data about
people. These organisations have to provide those people, with
details of who they (the organisations) are, what they use the
personal data for, and any other information such as any other
people they might pass the data on to. This is normally done, by
issuing a “Fair Processing Notice”.
A Fair Processing Notice, giving basic details about those
organisations which hold information on school pupils, has been
sent to parents. As only basic details have been included, we have
provided further information in two additional documents,
known as Layer 2 and Layer 3.
Data protection
In accordance with the Data Protection Act, parents have the
right of access to curricular and educational records pertaining to
their child, which are kept at the school. If the child is 16 or 17
years of age then the parent and their child have a right of
access. If the pupil of the school is aged 18 years or over then
only the pupil has a right of access.
Access to this information is restricted to parents and
students, however it could be that certain other people can access
this information, for example the police, but they must give
reasons and may not be prompted.
Governors are required to make a pupil's record available to a
parent or the pupil only on receipt of a written request. A
response to such a request must be made within 15 school days.
School log books
These are retained permanently. When a log book is completed it
is sent to the Record Office at Touchstones Rochdale.
Admission registers
These are retained permanently - note that this is not the same
as the class register in which daily attendance is marked.
Pupil record cards or printouts
These are retained for a minimum of seven years after the pupil
has left school or until the pupil has reached the age of 25 years,
whichever is the later date.
Class registers
Registers are retained whilst the pupils are still at school.
For example, if a pupil enters school in September 2001 and leaves
in July 2008, the September 2001 register for that class can only
be destroyed in 2008.
Schools often have presentations, open days, pageants, plays,
old photographs and other records that play an important part in
the life of the school. These records can be deposited with the
record office but we enchorage schools to give the records office a
free hand to decide which should or should not be retained.
In every case, the record office will confirm what they have
retained and send a copy of the retention details to the school for
their information. Often, schools will want to put on a display of
old records for special events. So long as advance notice is
provided for the record office they will be able to arrange for the
loan of the records for the school subject to certain safeguards
concerning the security of the items whilst on display. Please
contact the record office for full details of the terms under which
such loans can be made. The record office has two vital advantages
concerning the storage of records - they have a proper temperature
and humidity controlled environment and access to conservation
experts both internal and external.