How we use your personal information within the Schools Admissions Service
The Council provides services for local communities and the people who live in them. Undertaking this work means that we must collect and use information about the people we provide services to and keep a record of those services. Because we collect and use personal information about individuals we must make sure that they know what we intend to do with their information and who it may be shared with.
In this privacy notice we have summarised some of the key ways in which we use your personal information within the Schools Admissions Service. This information should be read in conjunction with the Council’s corporate privacy notice
1. Who we are, what we do
Rhondda Cynon Taf is an Admissions Authority as defined by the Welsh Government Schools Admissions Code - Statutory Code Document No. 005/2013 available on the Welsh Government Website.
The Council's school Admissions Service administers the process that supports parents in applying for school places for their children which also includes the appeals process.
The service also supports the transfer of pupils between schools during the school year where this is required.
The service works closely with schools, parents and other relevant Local Authority services to ensure that parents are able to apply for places fairly, and that the wellbeing of children resident in RCT is protected.
Further details on the service are available here
2. What and whose personal information we hold?
The types of information we hold and process typically include:
Information on the child being considered for a place at a school:
Contact details, including name, address, date of birth, gender, Child Looked After status (if applicable)
We also collect information about the parent(s) of the child, and this would typically include:
Contact details, including name, date of birth, home address, email address, telephone numbers and proof of parental responsibility
Where there is an official appeal we will hold the information that the parent(s) send in as evidence and this can sometimes contain Special Category Data.
3. Where does the service get my information from?
The service obtains information in order to apply for a school place directly from you.
The service obtains information from schools, for example where an in year transfer is being considered.
The service obtains information from other services within the local authority, for example Access and Inclusion, or Attendance and Wellbeing, if they are involved in a school placement.
4. What we will do with your personal information?
We will use this personal information for the following:
- We will use the information you provide to support the admissions application process and allocate a school place to your child. This also includes the appeals process if applicable.
- As a council we have a duty to ensure that the schools admissions process is administered fairly and to prevent people applying for places to which they are not entitled to – out of catchment area for instance.
- Where there is concern over the permanent residency of a client we may verify against other council records
- We will use the information provided to secure a place in a Registered Education Provider (REP) where there is no school place available for children who are pre-nursery age.
5. What is the legal basis for the use of this information?
The legal basis for our use of your personal information will generally be one or more of the following:
- To satisfy our legal obligations under the following legislation:
- The Education Act 2002
- The Schools Admissions Code 2013
- School Admissions Appeals Code 2013
- Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998
- Welsh Government School Organisation Code 2018
To carry out a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority in our capacity as a public body.
6. Does the service share my personal information with any other organisation?
For the service to carry out its duties we are required to share your information with other organisations. Most often, this is the school for which you have applied for a place. This may include schools outside of Rhondda Cynon Taff and other Local Authorities in the case of out of county admissions and transfers.
There may also be occasions where it may be necessary to share information with the Police, The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command and Central Government Departments – e.g. The Home Office .We do this in order to safeguard the wellbeing of children, and to establish immigration status.
Where there is no school place available for children who are pre-nursery age we will share the information provided to secure a place in a Registered Education Provider (REP).
Where there is an official appeal we will share the information sent in as evidence with the Appeals Panel which is made up of 3-5 people including a professional, an education representative and a layperson.
7. How long will my information be kept?
We will keep the information related to the admissions process for seven years after your child has been admitted to the school allocated.
8. Your information, your rights
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you important rights, including the right to access the personal information the services hold about you.
View further details on your information rights and how to exercise them
9. Contact us
If you have any concerns or would like to know more about how the service using your personal information please contact us in one of the following ways:
By email: schooladmissions@rctcbc.gov.uk
By telephone: 01443 281111
In writing: The Pavillions, Clydach Vale, CF40 2XX