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Privacy Notice - school place applications


Who will control my data?

The Data Controller for all the information you provide on your school place application form is:

Cornwall Council
New County Hall
Treyew Road
Truro
TR1 3AY

Data Protection Registration Number: Z1745294. 

Where can I get help?

If you need help with completing the school place application form please contact the School Admissions Team:

Please contact the Practice Development and Standards Service below for further information.  Or for help on Data Protection matters.

Why are you collecting information about me and my child?

All the information collected on your school place application form allows us to allocate a school place. This is in accordance with the statutory requirements of the School Admissions Code 2014 and local policies.  Without this information we will not be able to allocate a school place for your child.

What information is needed?

The questions on the application form are all required. They allow us to:

  • process your application
  • assess your child’s eligibility for a school place when considered against the Council’s and school’s policies for admissions

We will use the:

  • information provided on your application form and
  • any supporting information provided by you

to assess eligibility.  We strongly recommend that you read the information and guidance provided at www.cornwall.gov.uk/admissions. Or you can request this from the School Admissions Team. This will help you to understand what information will be used during the allocation process.  In particular the school’s oversubscription criteria.

As part of the school place allocation process we may need to refer to information that:

  • Cornwall Council and
  • your child’s current or previous school/s

already hold about your child.  This information will be used to allow us to carry out the admissions process following the agreed policies. This information may be shared with prospective schools to allow them to:

  • apply their own policies
  • ensure that the appropriate support is in place for your child on admission

Information referred to could include details about behaviour, attendance or safeguarding.  The information may also be used to allow us to consider your application under the Fair Access Protocol.  This is for in-year applications only.

How will you use the data and information I provide?

The information you provide on your school place application form and any supporting papers will be used to:

  • process your application;
  • allocate school places in accordance with admissions law;
  • consider and process admission appeals;
  • populate or update our education database and allocation process databases; and
  • contact you in relation to your application.

We may also use the information you provide for the following purposes:

  • Forward planning as part of budget, forecasting and reorganisation proposals.
  • To assist in the development of policy proposals.
  • For the prevention and/or detection of crime or fraud.
  • To follow up on safeguarding concerns.
  • For research and statistical purposes, where data will be anonymised.

How will you contact me?

We will contact you by email if you provide an email address on the application form.  At your request or in the event that we cannot contact you by email we will send a letter to your postal address. This will be about the outcome of your application.  We may also need to contact you by telephone in relation to your application.

Who will you share the data and information with?

The information you provide will be shared with prospective schools. This will be during and on completion of the allocation process.  Additional information that:

  • Cornwall Council and
  • your child’s current or previous school/s already hold about your child

may also be shared with prospective schools. This is where it is relevant to the admissions process.  All of this information may also be shared as follows:

  • In the event that you submit an appeal against a school place refusal. Your application form and any supporting information will be shared with Cornwall Council’s Education Appeals department.
  • If you are making an application for school places outside Cornwall. We will need to share the information with the relevant other local authority/authorities.
  • To support the delivery of local and national health initiatives. For example, health screening and child immunisation programmes. We may share school admissions information with the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.  This will include the following information for the child who is the subject of the application form:
    • name
    • date of birth
    • address
    • school attended or due to attend

The sharing would be subject to an Information Sharing Agreement.

  • Relevant information that you provide on your application form. As well as any supporting information you provide may be used to deal with matters connected with your child’s education. For example school transport and school meals.  It may also be used to update any other records which either Cornwall Council or schools hold in relation to your child.  Unless instructed otherwise we may share the information you provide with Cornwall Council’s Transport Coordination Service. This would be in order for them to fairly assess and award your current and future eligibility for transport provision or assistance.  The information may also be shared with the individual’s previous, current or proposed school/college.  As well as other Cornwall Council services and professionals. This would be for the purpose of determining eligibility and/or transport requirements.  Where transport is approved, some of the information you provide will also be shared with Cornwall Council’s approved transport providers. This is for the purposes of procuring suitable transport provision.

How will you store and transfer the data and information?

Your application form and supporting information will be stored securely by the School Admissions Team. This will be both electronically and in hard copy.  Any data shared outside Cornwall Council will be transferred in a secure, electronic format.  

How long will you keep this data and information for?

Data and information on and relating to your application will be retained until your child reaches the age of 25.

What are my data rights?

Your personal information belongs to you and you have the right to:

  • be informed of how we will process it;
  • request a copy of what we hold about you and in commonly used electronic format if you wish. (If you provided this to us electronically for automated processing, we will return it in the same way);
  • have it amended if it is incorrect or incomplete;
  • have it deleted (where we do not have a legal requirement to retain it);
  • withdraw your consent if you no longer wish us to process;
  • restrict how we process it;
  • object to us using it for marketing or research purposes;
  • object to us using it in relation to a legal task or in the exercise of an official authority;
  • request that a person reviews an automated decision where it has had an adverse effect on you.

How do I exercise my rights?

If you would like to access any of the information we hold about you or have concerns regarding the way we have processed your information please contact:

Data Protection Officer
Assurance
Cornwall Council
County Hall
Truro, TR1 3AY.

Telephone: 01872 326424 
Email: dpo@cornwall.gov.uk

In the event that you no longer wish us to process the information for the purposes described in this Privacy Notice you may withdraw your consent at any time by giving us written notice.  You should understand, however, that we may need to continue processing some or all of your personal information.  This is in accordance with our statutory obligations.

What if I do not agree with something?

Our complaints team can be contacted via the following address:

Together for Families Feedback
Cornwall Council
County Hall
Truro, TR1 3AY

email tfffeedback@cornwall.gov.uk

We would prefer any complaints to be made to us initially so that we have the opportunity to see if we can put things right.  However, if you are unhappy with:

  • the way we have processed your information
  • how we have responded to your request to exercise any of your rights in relation to your data

You can raise your concerns direct with the Information Commissioner’s Office:

Consent

By completing and submitting your application you give your consent that all of the data and information you provide may be used for the purposes described in this Privacy Notice.

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