PRIVACY POLICY – PARENT AND STUDENT PRIVACY NOTICE

White Oak International Sixth Form College

Your data, handled with care.

We collect only what is necessary to support your child’s education, protect it with secure systems, and never share it unnecessarily. Your privacy is treated with clarity, respect, and responsibility at all times.

Introduction

White Oak International Sixth Form College (“the School”) collects and processes personal data relating to applicants, students, parents, guardians, and mentors in accordance with applicable data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. We are committed to ensuring that personal information is protected and handled with care. This Privacy Notice explains how and why we collect, use, and safeguard personal data, and outlines the rights of individuals in relation to that data. It is important that this notice is read and retained together with any additional privacy information that may be provided on specific occasions. For the purposes of data protection law, White Oak International Sixth Form College acts as the data controller.

Lawful Basis for Processing

We will only use personal information where the law allows us to do so. Most commonly, we process personal data where it is necessary for the performance of a contract, including the provision of educational services, where it is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, or where it is necessary for our legitimate interests, provided these are not overridden by the rights and interests of the individual. Our legitimate interests include providing high-quality education, safeguarding and promoting student welfare, and ensuring the effective operation of the School. In certain circumstances, personal data may also be processed in order to protect the vital interests of a student or another individual, particularly in safeguarding situations.

Purposes of Processing

Personal data is used for a range of purposes connected to the operation of the School, including the assessment of applications and admissions decisions, the provision of teaching and learning through lessons, assignments, and examinations, and the monitoring and reporting of academic progress and educational needs. It is also used to support safeguarding and pastoral care, ensuring that students are supported within a safe and secure learning environment, and for administrative and operational purposes such as enrolment, communication with families, scheduling, and the general management of the School. In addition, personal data is processed in order to meet legal and regulatory requirements, including those of examination boards and relevant authorities.

Types of Personal Data

The personal data collected may include names, dates of birth, and contact details, nationality and identification information such as passport details, academic records and reports, attendance and engagement information, English language proficiency, and information relating to previous schools, including references and assessment data. Where appropriate, we may also process information relating to special educational needs or disabilities, health or medical information, and safeguarding-related information. We may collect images or recordings where lawful and appropriate, as well as financial information relating to parents or guardians. Special category data is only processed where a lawful basis applies, including where consent has been obtained or where processing is necessary for safeguarding or compliance with legal obligations.

How We Collect Personal Data

Personal data may be collected directly from parents, guardians, mentors, or students through application forms, correspondence, and communication with the School. Information is also generated during the course of a student’s education through teaching, assessment, and reporting, and may be provided by previous schools, educational institutions, or relevant third parties where appropriate and lawful.

Sharing Personal Data

We do not share personal data with third parties unless this is necessary, lawful, and appropriate. Personal data may be shared with examination boards and awarding bodies, educational partners, professional advisers, and service providers such as IT systems and learning platforms, as well as regulatory or governmental authorities where required by law. It may also be shared with other educational institutions in connection with references or student progression. All third parties are required to process personal data in accordance with appropriate confidentiality and data protection obligations.

Data Storage and Retention

Personal data is stored securely within the School’s systems and is accessible only to authorised individuals who require access for legitimate educational or administrative purposes. Appropriate technical and organisational measures are in place to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including to meet legal, regulatory, and administrative requirements, after which it is securely deleted or anonymised.

International Data Transfers

As an international school, personal data may be processed outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area. Where this occurs, appropriate safeguards are implemented to ensure that personal data is protected in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Your Rights

Under data protection law, individuals have a number of rights in relation to their personal data, including the right to access personal data, the right to request correction of inaccurate information, the right to request erasure where applicable, the right to restrict or object to processing, the right to data portability, and the right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. The School may request information to verify identity before responding to such requests.

Complaints

If there are any concerns about how personal data is handled, individuals have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, including the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) in the United Kingdom. However, the School encourages individuals to raise any concerns directly in the first instance so that they may be addressed promptly and appropriately.

Contact and Updates

Any questions about this Privacy Notice or requests relating to personal data should be directed to White Oak International Sixth Form College at [insert contact email]. We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time, and any changes will be published on our website.