Supporting schools with data protection during Covid-19
Our data protection officer team had to adapt the service quickly during Covid-19. Rapid response was essential and the team worked flexibly to support schools however they were running during the lockdown.
Because of our wide variety of schools and academy clients, many of them had different regulations at different times. The whole schools team contributed to making sure the new adaptations and changes in working practices were met with appropriate guidance.
Our work supporting schools during Covid-19 included:
- Created an adaptable privacy notice to cover all new processing related to the pandemic
- Created template information for Information Asset Registers, to help schools easily fulfil their Article 30 GDPR obligations
- Created templates for Data Protection Impact Assessments, which allowed schools to examine and document risks associated with mass testing of pupils and staff
- Monitored new guidance from the DfE to ensure that data protection considerations were being taken into account by schools, and issued guidance through bulletins and alerts to keep schools informed
- Conducted regular catch ups and meetings with schools via video conference so they could continue to monitor and determine where GDPR compliance can be improved in their schools during the lockdown
- Incorporated Covid-19 into our compliance review topics so we could examine how schools were coping and that they had the necessary protections in place
- Created additional guidance about remote working apps, communication apps, information security and working from home to help schools prevent data breaches during remote working, which created new challenges for information security
Comments from our DPO clients:
“Veritau provide an excellent service to our school. The information, advice and template documents that are available on the portal are invaluable and take away all the worry of getting things wrong.
“Advice requested by telephone and email are answered in a timely manner and the online training sessions ensure that staff are always mindful of GDPR as they carry out their everyday tasks.”
– Scarborough Pupil Referral Service
“The security of an expert on the end of the phone to help you through concerns with a common sense approach has been invaluable to our school.”
– Levens CE School, Cumbria
Speak to Veritau’s schools data protection experts
Helen Swan
Assistant Director – Information Governance
Helen is a professionally qualified information governance practitioner with experience in delivering services across the public sector. She oversees Veritau’s schools, councils and access teams, focusing on business development and client relationship management.
Rosie Kelly
Information Governance Manager
Rosie is an experienced DPO with a background in the legal sector, who holds the CIPP/E certification from the IAPP. She specialises in UK GDPR compliance in the education sector, including expertise in Edtech and data protection governance in Multi-Academy Trusts. Rosie leads on training and resources, contract assurances, international data transfers and promoting awareness of regulatory changes.
