Your privacy is important
This statement outlines the St Patrick's College policy on how the College uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it.
The College is bound by the National Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act.
The College may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to schools' operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing school environment.
What kind of personal information does a school collect and how does a school collect it?
The type of information schools collect and hold includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information, about:
♦ pupils and parents and/or guardians ('Parents') before, during and after the course of a pupil's enrolment at the school;
- job applicants, staff members, volunteers and contractors; and
- other people who come into contact with the school.
Personal Information you provide: A 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 a 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 the National 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 a school use the personal information you provide?
A 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.
Pupils and Parents: In relation to personal information of pupils and Parents, a 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 a school uses personal information of pupils and Parents include:
- to keep Parents informed about matters related to their child's schooling, through correspondence, newsletters and magazines;
- day-to-day administration;
- looking after pupils' educational, social, spiritual and medical wellbeing;
- seeking donations and marketing for the school;
- to satisfy the College's and the school's legal obligations and allow the school to discharge its duty of care.
In some cases where a school requests personal information about a pupil or Parent, if the information requested is not obtained, the school may not be able to enrol or continue the enrolment of the pupil.
Job applicants, staff members and contractors: In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, a 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 a school uses personal 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;
- to satisfy the College 's legal obligations, for example, in relation to child protection legislation.
Volunteers: A school also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist the school in its functions or conduct associated activities, such as [alumni associations], to enable the school and the volunteers to work together.
Marketing and fundraising: Schools treat 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 a school may be disclosed to an organisation that assists in the school's fundraising, for example, the school's Foundation or alumni organisation.
Parents, staff, contractors and other members of the wider school community may from time to time receive fundraising information. School publications, like newsletters and magazines, which include personal information, may be used for marketing purposes.
Who might a school disclose personal information to?
A school may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to: - another school;
- government departments;
- your local parish;
- medical practitioners;
- people providing services to the school, including specialist visiting teachers and sports coaches;
- recipients of school publications, like newsletters and magazines;
- Parents; and
- anyone you authorise the school to disclose information to
Sending information overseas: A 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 National Privacy Principles.
How does a school treat sensitive information?
In referring to 'sensitive information', a school means: information relating to a person's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual preferences or criminal record, that is also personal information; and health 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 College and its staff are required to respect the confidentiality of pupils' and Parents' personal information and the privacy of individuals.
Each 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.
Updating personal information
Each school endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up-to-date. A person may seek to update their personal information held by a school by contacting the Principal’s Secretary of the school at any time.
The National Privacy Principles require a school not to store personal information longer than necessary.
You may seek access to the personal information the School holds about you Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, an individual may seek access to personal information which the School holds about them. There are some exceptions to this set out in the Act. Pupils will generally have access to their personal information through their Parents, but older pupils may seek access themselves.
To make a request to access any information the School holds about you or your child, please contact the School Principal in writing.
The School may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. The School may charge a fee for access and will advise the likely cost in advance.
Consent and rights of access to the personal information of pupils
The College respects every Parent's right to make decisions concerning their child's education.
Generally, a school will refer any requests for consent and notices in relation to the personal information of a pupil to the pupil's Parents. A school will treat consent given by Parents as consent given on behalf of the pupil, and notice to Parents will act as notice given to the pupil.
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 pupil.
A school may, at its discretion, on the request of a pupil grant that pupil access to information held by the school about them, or allow a pupil 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 pupil and/or the pupil's personal circumstances so warranted.
Enquiries
If you would like further information about the way the College manages the personal information it holds, please contact the Principal.