Data protection in schools is crucial to protect the privacy of students, staff, and parents in educational settings. Schools must make sure all their data processing procedures comply with UK GDPR.
Our GDPR checklist for schools is a general guideline for data protection compliance that can be adapted to meet your data protection requirements.
Since its introduction in 2018, our DPO consultant providing DPO services for schools has advised many schools and MATs on data protection compliance.
If you have questions, please complete the contact form below, and our consultant will get in touch.
GDPR Schools Checklist – 7 Point Guide to Compliance
Data Protection Officer (DPO)
- Appoint a designated Data Protection Officer for schools responsible for overseeing your MAT or schools’ GDPR compliance.
- The DPO should have the necessary knowledge of data protection laws and best practices.
Privacy Notices for Schools
- Create clear, easy-to-understand privacy notices for staff, students and parents. All parties must know how their data will be collected, processed, and stored.
- Include information about the purpose of data collection, how long it’s stored and their rights over the data.
Staff and Student Data Collection
- Consent from staff and parents should be obtained to collect and process personal data.
- Conduct regular data protection audits to ensure the accuracy and relevance of the data held.
- Implement security measures to protect staff and student data from security breaches and unauthorised access.
- Provide training to staff on data protection policies and procedures.
Third-Party Processors of School Data
- Identify and review all third-party processors that handle personal data on behalf of the school.
- Written contracts with these processors, ensuring they comply with GDPR requirements and guarantee the confidentiality and security of the data.
Parental Consent
- Obtain parental consent before processing students’ data, particularly sensitive information.
- Clearly explain the purpose and lawful basis of the intention of processing when seeking parental consent.
- Allow parents to withdraw their consent if they desire to.
GDPR Checklist for Schools - Find Out More
Record-Keeping
- Maintain records of all data processing activities carried out by the school.
- Document each processing activity’s purpose, lawful basis, categories, recipients, retention period, and security measures.
- Regularly review and update these records.
GDPR Security Breaches in Schools
- Establish procedures to detect, investigate, and report data security breaches promptly.
- Designate a person responsible for handling data breaches and ensure staff are aware of the reporting process.
- Notify the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the affected individuals within the required time frame (72 hours).
GDPR Checklist for Schools – A Summary
Following this schools GDPR checklist can enhance its data protection policies, procedures, and GDPR compliance.
All items should be reviewed and updated regularly.
For more information and guidance on GDPR compliance, visit the official GDPR website.
