Policy statement
1. The type of information Abbotsleigh 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 pupil's enrolment at the school
- Job applicants, staff members, volunteers and contractors
- Other people who come into contact with the school
2. Abbotsleigh 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.
3. Abbotsleigh staff are required to respect the confidentiality of pupils' and parents' personal information and the privacy of individuals.
4. Abbotsleigh endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
5. Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information which Abbotsleigh holds about them and to advise the school of any perceived inaccuracy.
Policy implementation
1. How will Abbotsleigh use the personal information you provide?
a. Pupils and parents: In relation to personal information of pupils and parents, the primary purpose of collection is to enable Abbotsleigh 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.
The purposes for which Abbotsleigh 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 and medical wellbeing
- Seeking donations and marketing for the school
- To satisfy legal obligations and allow the school to discharge its duty of care
In some cases where the school requests personal information about a pupil or parent, if the information requested is not obtained, it may not be able to enrol or continue the enrolment of the pupil.
b. Job applicants, staff members and contractors: In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, Abbotsleigh'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 personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include
- Administering the individual's employment or contract, as the case may be
- For insurance purposes
- Seeking funds and marketing opportunities
- To satisfy legal obligations, for example, in relation to child protection legislation
c. Volunteers: Abbotsleigh also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist in its functions or conduct associated activities, such as alumni associations, to enable the school and the volunteers to work together.
d. Marketing and Fundraising: Abbotsleigh treats marketing and seeking donations for the future growth and development of the school as an important part of ensuring that it continues to provide a quality learning environment in which both pupils and staff thrive. Personal information held by Abbotsleigh may be disclosed to an organisation that assists in fundraising, for example, the foundation or alumni associations.
Parents, staff, contractors and other members of the wider school community may from time to time receive fundraising information. School publications, such as newsletters and magazines, which include personal information, may be used for marketing purposes.
2. Who might Abbotsleigh disclose personal information to?
a. Abbotsleigh 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, such as newsletters and magazines
- Parents
- Anyone you authorise the school to disclose information to
b. Abbotsleigh 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)
- Otherwise complying with the National Privacy Principles.
3. How does Abbotsleigh treat sensitive information?
a. 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.
b. Management and security of personal information
Abbotsleigh's staff are required to respect the confidentiality of pupils' and parents' personal information and the privacy of individuals.
The school has in place steps to protect the personal information it 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.
c. Updating personal information
Abbotsleigh 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 by contacting the Headmistress.
The National Privacy Principles require the school not to store personal information longer than necessary.
4. Checking personal information Abbotsleigh holds about you
a. Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information which Abbotsleigh holds about them and to advise Abbotsleigh of any perceived inaccuracy. There are some exceptions to this right set out in the Act.
b. Pupils will generally have access to their personal information through their parents, but older pupils may seek access themselves.
c. A parent wishing to make a request to access any information the school holds about them or their child must contact the Headmistress in writing.
d. Abbotsleigh may require a person to verify their identity and specify what information they require.
e. Abbotsleigh may charge a fee to cover the cost of verifying an 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.
5. Consent and rights of access to the personal information of pupils
a. Abbotsleigh respects every parent's right to make decisions concerning their child's education.
b. Generally, Abbotsleigh will refer any requests for consent and notices in relation to the personal information of a pupil to the pupil's parents. The 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.
c. Parents may seek access to personal information held by Abbotsleigh about them or their child by contacting the Headmistress. 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.
d. Abbotsleigh may, at its discretion, on the request of a pupil grant that pupil access to information held 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.
EnquiriesIf you would like further information about the way Abbotsleigh manages the personal information it holds, please contact the
Headmistress.