Data Protection and GDPR

Data Protection and the GDPR

Thorogate School takes their duties regarding personal data seriously and welcomes the GDPR.

Our Data Protection Policy can be downloaded here.

How we use Pupil Records

This is made clear in our policy Privacy Notice - How we use Pupil Records. This predominantly covers statutory records.

Non-statutory records include all programmes we use in school designed for supporting learning for example Google Apps for Education and behaviour for example Class Dojo. Where we need to enter details about your child, we will ask for your consent. We are in the process of updating our records, where in the past we did not request your consent before creating the logins.

How we store Pupil Records

On-line:

Arbor-Education

Arbor-Education is our main Management Information System (MIS), which holds all the pupil and parent records. It encompasses all aspects of school managements, including:

  • Pupil and parent contact information

  • Attendance and performance information

  • Curriculum and SEND information

  • School payments (please note non-payment of debts will result in details being passed to the LA debt collecting agency)

Their privacy notice can be accessed here.

Clifton eMAG

Clifton eMAG is the pupil attainment tracking system that the school uses. It includes the names and dob of all children.

Their privacy notice can be accessed here.

G Suite for Education

G Suite for Education is a suite of productivity tools to help pupils and teachers interact seamlessly and securely across devices. For pupils, they are restricted within the domain of thorogateschool.co.uk (they cannot communicate or share with anyone outside of this domain). For teachers, they are able communicate outside of thorogateschool.co.uk but are restricted to the domain for sharing files and folders. Senior leaders are able to share files and folders outside of the domain in a controlled manner. Pupil details held are first and second name.

Their privacy notice can be accessed here.

Class Dojo

ClassDojo is a communication app for the classroom. It connects teachers, parents, and students who use it to share photos, videos, and messages through the school day. They use ClassDojo to work together as a team, share in the classroom experience, and bring big ideas to life in their classrooms and homes. At Thorogate School, Class Dojo is currently used by Y1 to Y6. Pupil details held are first name, second name and dob.

Their privacy notice can be accessed here.

Off-line:

Thorogate School stores digital files that may include pupil data, such as pupil attainment data, in the following places.

  • School server - this is only accessible by secure password.

  • School laptops - these are connected to the school server and only accessible by secure password.

  • School chromebooks - these are only accessible by secure password.

  • School iPads - predominantly these only hold pupil work or photographs. These are password protected. Where they link into online accounts eg G Suite, these are password protected.

  • Staff devices

    • Phones - these are only used with accounts and are password protected.

    • Memory sticks - must be password protected if they contain any pupil data and must not be used after Sept 2018.

    • Home computers - must not be used to save any pupil data.

    • Other storage devices - only to be used for photographs (eg cameras) and these should be transferred to school devices asap

LA Authority agencies we may share non-statutory information with

  • Sharing safeguarding concerns with MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) is considered statutory. Parents will normally be informed that a referral is being made, but this will still take place even if consent is not given.

  • Learning support agencies such as Learning Support Services and Educational Psychology will require parental consent. In very rare circumstances, for example if it is a safeguarding issue, referrals will be made without parental consent.

School Website

Thorogate School has a clear Social Media and Website Policy, available on the school website.

School Facebook page

Facebook is clearly for pupils 13+, so interaction on Facebook is not for any pupils attending Thorogate School. More information is in the Social Media and Website Policy, available under policies.

Software applications