This Privacy Notice explains how Manchester City Council uses your personal data. There is more information in our detailed Education Privacy Notice. Children might need help from an adult to understand this.
What is personal data?
Personal data is information about you and your life. This could be things like your name, date of birth and where you live. We also keep more complicated information like things such as:
- Your school attendance and behaviour
- Special educational needs you might have
- How well you are doing in school like key stage 1 and phonics results
There are some types of data we must be extra careful with. This is called special category personal data and includes information about your health or disabilities, and your ethnic origin or religion. Sometimes we need to keep information about crimes, including when other people say you have done something wrong.
Why do you need to keep my personal data?
We need your personal data to carry out our responsibilities for education in Manchester. For example:
- Finding school places for children
- Assessment of special educational needs and disabilities
- Managing school attendance
- Keeping children safe
- Helping with Ofsted inspections
Where do you get it from and who is allowed to see it?
We get some of your personal data from you and your parents/carers. We also get information from other people such as:
- Your teachers and other people at school
- Your doctor or hospitals where you’ve had treatment
- Other councils if you lived somewhere else before you came to Manchester
- The police
Sometimes we have to share your information with those people too. This is because we must all work together to help you and your family. We always make sure we only give them the information they need to do their job.
The law says we have to give some information about children in education to the government’s Department for Education.
How long do you keep my personal data?
This depends on the type of information but most records kept until pupils reach the age of 25, or 31 for children and young people with special educational needs. We don’t keep your information for longer than we need to.
How do I know what personal data you have about me?
You can ask for a copy of your personal data. This is called a subject access request. Just ask the person who is working with you.
You can also ask us to correct or delete information you think is wrong. Sometimes we can’t do this but we will always explain why.
What if I think you’re not following the rules about my personal data?
You can tell our Data Protection Officer, Michael Seal. The best way to get in touch with Michael is to send an email to dpo@manchester.gov.uk
You can also get advice or complain to the Information Commissioner's Office through their website - Advice services for members of the public | ICO