Staff Data

As an employer, we are required to collect and process certain information relating to the people that work for us.
Some of this is collected in line with our obligations under employment law, some is collected in order to comply with safeguarding legislation and some is provided to allow us to ensure that you are paid and that your pension contributions are collected.
We use school workforce data to:
- enable the development of a comprehensive picture of the workforce and how it is deployed
- inform the development of recruitment and retention policies
- enable individuals to be paid
- administer wellbeing benefits to our employees
- Fulfil our obligations with regard to safeguarding of the children in our care
- Fulfil our obligations with regard to the wellbeing and welfare of our employees including the need for contacts in case of emergency
The categories of school workforce information that we collect, process, hold and share include:
- personal information (such as name, employee or teacher number, national insurance number)
- special categories of data including characteristics information such as gender, age, ethnic group
- contract information (such as start dates, hours worked, post, roles and salary information)
- work absence information (such as number of absences and reasons)
- qualifications (and, where relevant, subjects taught)
- DBS data
- Performance management data
- Interview details for all applicants, whether successful or not
We process this information on the grounds that ‘processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party’ (GDPR Article 6)
Data that is classified as ‘special category’ data is only collected where the data subject has given explicit consent and where the reason for collecting and processing the data has been explained to them. A data subject can withdraw consent at any time and, if they do so, the data covered by the consent must be securely disposed of or deleted from the record unless the data subject has requested that the information is retained but no longer processed.
We keep records in line with the provisions set out in our Records Management Policy and the legal requirements of employment law and the Limitation Act.
We routinely share this information with:
- our local authority
- the Department for Education (DfE)
- our payroll and HR provider
- pension providers
- The Office for National Statistics (although this data is generally anonymised)
- Computershare
- Milton Keynes College (with regard to apprentices)
We do not share information about workforce members with anyone without consent unless the law and our policies allow us to do so.
Local authority
We are required to share information about our workforce members with our local authority (LA) under section 5 of the Education (Supply of Information about the School Workforce) (England) Regulations 2007 and amendments.
Department for Education (DfE)
We share personal data with the Department for Education (DfE) on a statutory basis. This data sharing underpins workforce policy monitoring, evaluation, and links to school funding / expenditure and the assessment educational attainment.
Our Payroll and HR Provider
We share information with our payroll and HR provider in order to administer contracts between ourselves and our employees and to enable our employees to be paid.
Pension Providers
We share information with support staff pension service and teachers’ pension service providers in order for them to administer the pension schemes set up for our employees.
ONS
We share statistical data, which is anonymised. Data is not attributable to any specific individuals.
Computershare
We share data with Computershare to allow them to administer a benefits platform for our employees. Data that is required to administer this is shared and is limited to employee name and email address. Any further information that is provided to Computershare directly becomes the responsibility of Computershare as they then become the data controller.
Milton Keynes College
We share data with Milton Keynes College on any apprentices that are employed through their apprenticeship scheme in order to provide the information required under the terms of the apprenticeship.
Data collection requirements
The DfE collects and processes personal data relating to those employed by schools (including Multi Academy Trusts) and local authorities that work in state funded schools (including all maintained schools, all academies and free schools and all special schools including Pupil Referral Units and Alternative Provision). All state funded schools are required to make a census submission because it is a statutory return under sections 113 and 114 of the Education Act 2005
To find out more about the data collection requirements placed on us by the Department for Education including the data that we share with them, go to https://www.gov.uk/education/data-collection-and-censuses-for-schools.
The department may share information about school employees with third parties who promote the education or well-being of children or the effective deployment of school staff in England by:
- conducting research or analysis
- producing statistics
- providing information, advice or guidance
The department has robust processes in place to ensure that the confidentiality of personal data is maintained and there are stringent controls in place regarding access to it and its use. Decisions on whether DfE releases personal data to third parties are subject to a strict approval process and based on a detailed assessment of:
- who is requesting the data
- the purpose for which it is required
- the level and sensitivity of data requested; and
- the arrangements in place to securely store and handle the data
To be granted access to school workforce information, organisations must comply with its strict terms and conditions covering the confidentiality and handling of the data, security arrangements and retention and use of the data.
For more information about the department’s data sharing process, please visit:
https://www.gov.uk/data-protection-how-we-collect-and-share-research-data
To contact the department: https://www.gov.uk/contact-dfe
Under data protection legislation, staff have the right to request access to information about them that we hold. To make a request for your personal information contact Jason Smith, IFtL’s Head of Operations and Data Protection Officer, via DPO@iftl.co.uk
You also have the right to:
* prevent processing for the purpose of direct marketing
* object to decisions being taken by automated means
* in certain circumstances, have inaccurate personal data rectified, blocked, erased or destroyed
If you have a concern about the way we are collecting or using your personal data, you should raise your concern with us in the first instance by contacting dpo@iftl.co.uk
You can also complain directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/
If you would like to discuss anything in this privacy notice, please contact the Data Protection Officer, Jason Smith at dpo@iftl.co.uk