This statement outlines the School’s guidelines on how the School uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it. 

The School is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act. In relation to health records, the School is also bound by the New South Wales Health Privacy Principles which are contained in the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (Health Records Act).

The School may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to the school’s operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing school environment.

What kinds of personal information does the school collect and how does the school collect it?

The type of information the School collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information about:

• pupils and parents and/or guardians before, during and after the course of a student’s enrolment at the School.
• job applicants, staff members, volunteers and contractors.
• other people who come into contact with the School.

Personal Information You Provide

The School will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of forms filled out by parents or pupils, face-to-face meetings and interviews, and telephone calls. On occasions people other than parents and pupils provide personal information.

Personal Information Provided by Other People

In some circumstances the School may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example, a report provided by a medical professional or a reference from another school.

Exception in Relation to Employee Records

Under the Privacy Act and Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW), the Australian Privacy Principles and Health Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the School’s treatment of an employee record, where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between the School and employee.

How Will the School Use the Personal Information You Provide?

The School will use personal information it collects from you for the primary purpose of collection, and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection and reasonably expected, or to which you have consented.

Students and Parents

In relation to personal information of pupils and parents, the School’s primary purpose of collection is to enable the School to provide schooling for the pupil. This includes satisfying both the needs of parents and the needs of the pupil throughout the whole period the pupil is enrolled at the School. The purposes for which the School uses personal information of pupils and parents include:

• to keep parents informed about matters related to their child’s schooling, through correspondence and newsletters.
• day-to-day administration.
• looking after students’ educational, social and medical wellbeing.
• seeking donations and marketing for the School.
• to satisfy the School’s legal obligations and allow the School to discharge its duty of care.

In some cases where the School requests personal information about a student or parent, if the information requested is not obtained, the School may not be able to enrol or continue the enrolment of the student.

Job Applicants, Staff Members and Contractors

In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, the School’s primary purpose of collection is to assess and (if successful) to engage the applicant, staff member or contractor, as the case may be. The purposes for which the School uses information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include:

• in administering the individual’s employment or contract, as the case may be.
• for insurance purposes;
• seeking funds and marketing for the School; and
• to satisfy the School’s legal obligations, for example, in relation to child protection legislation.

Volunteers

The School also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist the School in its function or conduct associated activities to enable the School and the volunteers to work together.

Marketing and Fundraising

The School treats marketing and seeking donations for the future growth and development of the School as an important part of ensuring that the School continues to be a quality learning environment in which both pupils and staff thrive. Personal information held by the School may be disclosed to an organisation that assists in the School’s fundraising.

Parents, staff, contractors and other members of the wider school community may from time to time receive fundraising information. School publications, like newsletters, which include personal information, may be used for marketing purposes.

Who Might the School Disclose Personal Information to?

The School may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to:

• another school;
• government departments;
• medical practitioners;
• people providing services to the School, including specialist visiting teachers and sports coaches;
• recipients of School publications, like newsletters;
• parents and
• anyone you authorise the School to disclose information to.

Sending Information Overseas

The School will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without:

• obtaining the consent of the individual (in some cases this consent will be implied); or
• otherwise complying with the Australian Privacy Principles or other applicable privacy legislation. 
• the school may also store personal information in the ‘cloud’ which may mean that it resides on servers which are situated outside Australia

How Does the School Treat Sensitive Information?

In referring to ‘sensitive information’, the School means: information relating to a person’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, philosophical beliefs, sexual orientation or practices or criminal record, that is also personal information; health information and biometric information about an individual. 

Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law. 

Management and Security of Personal Information

The School’s staff are required to respect the confidentiality of students’ and parents’ personal information and the privacy of individuals. 

The School has in place steps to protect the personal information the School holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and pass worded access rights to computerised records.

Access and correction of personal information

Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act and the Health Records Act, an individual has the right to seek and obtain access to any personal information which the School holds about them and to advise the School of any perceived inaccuracy. Students will generally be able to access and update their personal information through their Parents, but older students may seek access and correction themselves. 

There are some exceptions to these rights set out in the applicable legislation.

To make a request to access or to update any personal information the School holds about you or your child, please contact the [School Principal] or [School Administrator] by telephone or in writing. The School may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. The School may charge a fee to cover the cost of verifying your application and locating, retrieving, reviewing and copying any material requested. If the information sought is extensive, the School will advise the likely cost in advance. If we cannot provide you with access to that information, we will provide you with written notice explaining the reasons for refusal(unless, in light of the grounds for refusing, it would be unreasonable to provide reasons).

Consent and Rights of Access to the Personal Information of Students

The School respects every parent’s right to make decisions concerning their child’s education. 

Generally, the School will refer any requests for consent and notices in relation to the personal information of a student to the student’s parents. The School will treat consent given by parents as consent given on behalf of the student, and notice to parents will act as notice given to the student. 

Parents may seek access to personal information held by the School about them or their child by contacting the Principal. However, there will be occasions when access is denied. Such occasions would include where release of the information would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others, or where the release may result in a breach of the School’s duty of care to the student.

The School may, at its discretion, on the request of a student grant that student access to information held by the School about them, or allow a student to give or withhold consent to the use of their personal information, independently of their Parents. This would normally be done only when the maturity of the student and/or the student’s personal circumstances warrant it.

Enquiries and Complaints

If you would like further information about the way the School manages the personal information it holds, or wish to complain that you believe that the School has breached the Australian Privacy Principles please contact the Principal by writing or telephone. The School will investigate any complaint and will notify you of the making of a decision in relation to your complaint as soon as is practicable after it has been made.