#2 Next step

Watching the GDPR video together was helpful as it helped clarify some of the key jobs to do and questions that needed to be considered.

The first few actions were to download a model policy (we looked at one from the NAHT and from The Key):

  • Start to put together an internal asset audit
  • Download some model privacy notices.

We also started to note down some of the questions we had that needed some more thought and might need to be taken to governors or discussed more widely with staff. The first things that occurred to us were:

  • Who would be the most appropriate person to be the Data Protection Officer? A senior member of staff, SBM, governor, someone external to the school?
  • How to we make sure that all parents are giving informed consent? At present our standard ‘permissions’ letter going out at the start of each year to parents operates as a negative preference i.e. a parent needs to deliberately opt out otherwise consent is assumed.

#1 Are we GDPR ready?

To be honest until recently I wouldn’t have even been able to tell you what the letters stood for let alone what I should be doing about it. But as time has rolled on and I have received yet more unsolicited emails about the General Data Protection Regulation (yes, that’s what it is) the well of anxiety has now reached the level where I thought we should do something.

But, this week is different. I found the easy way in and watched Peter Cowley’s video. This is a good starting place and I recommend you watch it together with a couple of key staff who will help you to take it forward. In my case this is Lisa, a key member of the admin team and Mei-Ling, our IT teaching assistant (who has excellent project management skills from a previous life!).

We will be keeping a diary over the next few weeks of how we get on with tackling GDPR and hopefully, by the end of the process, create something that is statutorily compliant and manageable. We will also share the documents we create as well as the questions we need to tackle whilst taking this very broad piece of legislation and making it relevant to our school – a three form entry primary in Twickenham.

We hope you find it helpful.

Andrew King – Headteacher