School admissions privacy notice

Our contact details

Name: Data Protection Officer

Address: Time Square, Market Street, Bracknell, RG12 1JD

Phone Number: 01344 352000

Email: dpo@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Bracknell Forest Council is registered as a controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

You can find us on the ICO website - our registration number is Z4971654.

The type of personal information we collect

We currently collect and process the following information:

• personal identifiers, contacts and characteristics (for example, name, address and contact details)
• school applications (paper or online)
• any other relevant documentation specific to the processing of your application
• reasons for the application
• a child or young person’s looked after status (but not the specific details)
• a child or young person’s special educational needs status (but not the details of the need)
• a child or young person’s Unique Pupil Number
• expressions of parental preferences
• relevant application information (sibling details, faith criteria, where provided by the applicant)
• a child or young person’s permanent exclusions (and any relevant alternative provision placements put in place)
• safeguarding information about a child or young person (such as alerts, court orders, and professional involvement)
• additional admissions related information that you have provided directly to your preferred or offered school (such as attendance at a particular place of worship, details of your child’s aptitudes and information about attendance)

How we get the personal information and why we have it

Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for one of the following reasons:

• to meet our statutory duty to offer every child that needs one, a school place
• local fraud initiatives
• for the provision of social services

We also receive personal information indirectly, from the following sources in the following scenarios:

• other local authorities share your personal information with us where requests are made for schools within Bracknell Forest

How the law allows us to use your personal information

We have a legal obligation under:

• School Standards and Framework Act 1998
• Schools Admissions Code 2021
• School Admissions Appeals Code 2022
• Education Act 1996
• Infant Class Size Regulations 2012
• School Admission Regulations 2012

Lawful basis for processing

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful basis for processing is Article 6 UK GDPR:

• (c) processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject
• (e) a task carried out in the public interest

Special category data

Special category data is processed under Article 9 UK GDPR:

• (e) processing relates to personal data which are manifestly made public by the data subject
• (g) reasons of substantial public interest

You can read the guide to lawful basis for processing special category data on the Information Commissioner's Office website.

Who we share your information with

We may share your information with:

• schools and other local authorities
• parents, guardians, carers or representatives
• appeal panels
• healthcare, social and welfare organisations
• educators and examining bodies
• service providers and schools
• central government
• professional advisors and consultants
• courts and tribunals
• professional bodies
• survey and research organisations
• police forces
• housing associations
• regulatory bodies
• partner agencies, approved organisations and individuals working with the police

How we store your personal information

Your information is securely stored on the council's document management system.

We keep school applications and supporting documentation for 6 years plus the current academic year. We will then dispose your information by automatic deletion from the council's document management system.

Retention periods are laid out in the council’s retention and disposal schedule.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights we need to make you aware of. The rights available to you depend on our reason for processing your information.

Your right of access

You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. This right always applies. There are some exemptions, which means you may not always receive all the information we process.

Find out more about your right of access from the ICO.

Your right to get your data corrected

You have the right to ask us to correct information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete. This right always applies.

Find out more about your right to get your data corrected from the ICO.

Your right to get your data deleted

You have the right to ask us to delete your personal information in certain circumstances.

Find out more about your right to get your data deleted from the ICO.

Your right to limit how organisations use your data

You have the right to ask us to limit the processing of your information in certain circumstances.

Find out more about your right to limit how organisations use your data from the ICO.

Your right to object to the use of your data

You have the right to object to processing if we are able to process your information because the process forms part of our public tasks.

Find out more about your right to object to the use of your data from the ICO.

Your right to data portability

This only applies to information you have given us. You have the right to ask that we transfer the information you gave us from one organisation to another, or give it to you.

The right only applies if we are processing information based on your consent or for the performance of a contract, and the processing is automated.

Find out more about your right to data portability from the ICO.

Service adjustments

As a public authority and a provider of services to the public, we have a legal duty to comply with the Equality Act 2010.

This means we need to make service adjustments for anyone with a disability who contacts us in any capacity, to eliminate any barriers to accessing our services.

Our lawful basis for processing this information is article 6(1)(c) of the UK GDPR as we have a legal obligation to provide this. Our processing of special category data, such as health information you give us, will be based on article 9(2)(a), which means we need your consent.

We will create a record of your adjustment requirements. These will give your name, contact details and type of adjustment required, along with a brief description of why it is required. Relevant staff can access this to make sure they are communicating with you in the required way.

To request service adjustments, contact us by emailing: school.admissions@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to us at dpo@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data by:

• visiting the ICO website
• phoning the ICO helpline on 0303 123 1113
• writing to:
  • Information Commissioner’s Office
    Wycliffe House
    Water Lane
    Wilmslow
    Cheshire
    SK9 5AF