What do schools need to know about GDPR?

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which deals with the management and handling of personal data, will come into effect on 25 May 2018. It replaces the current Data Protection Act (1998) and it will affect all organisations, including schools in the United Kingdom.

The new law gives additional protection to individuals whose personal data are held by organisations and also provides clear guidelines on how such data is processed.

As schools do hold a lot of personal data such as students and staff names, it is very important that they are aware of how the new law will affect them. Furthermore, research shows that one of the main challenges schools face is having the time to prepare for the new regulation.

Below is the summary of main changes in the new regulation

Response Time

The time the school has to respond to any request for information is now reduced from 40 calendar days to one month

Approval

Schools will need consent from the individuals before releasing personal data for activities such as marketing. However, no consent is required to release personal data if a school is legally obliged to release such data.

Transparency

Schools will need to let their stakeholders know the kind of personal data they hold. Schools need to take steps to ensure that personal data is used fairly and transparently.

Accountability

Schools will be required to provide proper staff training, auditing of data, and recording of data processing activities.

A data protection officer with knowledge of the GDPR will need to be appointed and required to report directly to the senior management team at the school.

Costs

Previously, schools could charge £10 each time a request for information is granted. This will no longer apply

In conclusion, the changes brought about by GDPR will impact schools to some extent. It is important that appropriate preparation are in place before the implementation date of the law.

In conclusion, the changes brought about by GDPR will impact schools to some extent. It is important that appropriate preparation are in place before the implementation date of the law.