Interesting that the Data Protection Act can be seen as a barrier. Nothing
in this proposal seems unreasonable, but the key phrase is "A tiny number
have a good reason for asking us not to do so and in those cases we don't
communicate with parents."
In other words, in order to comply with Principle 1 you are transparent, so
that the students are aware of the potential disclosure, and you also give
them the opportunity not to consent to the disclosure.
In what way is good practice like this ever a barrier?
Paul Ticher
0116 273 8191
22 Stoughton Drive North, Leicester LE5 5UB
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bob Vesey" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 11:29 AM
Subject: Re: Parental access to student information (again!)
> Hi
>
> What are we trying to achieve when we share information about student
> performance with parents? We are interested in student attainment and
> colleges (and other education providers) should be working in a three way
> partnership (learners, parents and teachers) to ensure student success and
> improve life chances for those students.
>
> When students are missing classes or failing to submit course work our
> teachers have always shared that information in a variety of ways (for
> example, through parents evenings, phone calls and letters home). Now
> that most of our records are electronic we have an opportunity to share
> relevant data through the web. For me, it's a no brainer, we need
> parental support for some of our students to enable them to achieve so
> allowing parental access to attendance and performance data
> electronically, simply extends the sharing of appropriate information
> through a different (and potentially more efficient) route.
>
> We are about to open up our data to parents across the web and I see no
> difficulty in this. We tell students at enrolment that we aim to work in
> partnership with them and their parents and that we sill share information
> about attendance, punctuality, behaviour and coursework. A tiny number
> have a good reason for asking us not to do so and in those cases we don't
> communicate with parents. The vast majority understand what we are trying
> to do and don't object.
>
> We also share information with other agencies for some of our learners.
> For example, the local Youth Offending Team (YOT) has web access to our
> student record system (in respect of any of their clients who study with
> us). YOT advisers log on to our system regularly and are able to see
> immediately whether one of their clients who is studying in the college is
> falling behind or otherwise underperforming. The information gathered is
> used to inform the weekly conversation that YOT advisers have with their
> clients. Since we set that system up the retention and achievement of our
> students who also work with the YOT has improved significantly. The YOT
> has a statutory right to receive information from education providers
> about their clients anyway but we have found that providing relevant
> information electronically, has a greater impact in terms of helping
> students to succeed. We now have a similar arrangement with the leaving
> care team and I expect this to be effective too.
>
> If technology gives us a way to improve what we do in colleges to help
> students to succeed, we should use it. I can't see any value in using the
> Data Protecting Act to erect a barrier to this kind of progress. If it
> helps to raise attainment, and doesn't cause any harm, what's the problem?
>
>
> Bob Vesey
> Director of Learner Services
> Harrow College
>
> Tel: 020 8909 6547
> Fax 020 8909 6058
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: This list is for those interested in Data Protection issues
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dunster, Jon
> Sent: 06 January 2011 12:49
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [data-protection] Parental access to student information (again!)
>
> Hi there,
>
> We are an FE college dealing mostly with students of 16+ though there are
> a number of 14-16 students sent here by schools.
>
> There is a cunning plan to allow remote parental access to students'
> academic records and there seems to be an assumption that we can do this
> without any further consent from the students. I've disagreed and taken
> the following stance:
>
> "The data subject (the student) will be required to give consent before a
> parent may access their records since there is no exclusion by which we
> could disclose this data to a third party (the parent) without it. This
> applies to any student over the age of 12 (the age by which the ICO says a
> child becomes independent).
>
> Note that in a school environment (only) the Education (Pupil
> Information) (England) Regulations 2005 come into play which give a parent
> the right of access whilst the child is in school.
>
> If a student is sent to us from school then we will likely be in a
> data-processor arrangement for the personal data (educational record) held
> by the school. If a parent wants access to that data then it must be made
> through the school and we must not disclose the data directly."
>
> Can anyone please comment as to whether this position stands up to
> scrutiny?
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Jon
>
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