Privacy Notice - Use of Children's Data Policy

LoveSpring Nursery School - Protecting Your Child's Personal Information

1. Introduction

Under UK data protection law, individuals have the right to be informed about how we use personal data. This privacy notice explains how LoveSpring Nursery School collects, stores, and uses personal data about children in our care.

Our Commitment to Data Protection

LoveSpring Nursery School, Coventry CV1 5HA, is the 'data controller' for UK data protection purposes. We are committed to protecting your child's personal information and being transparent about how we use it.

Data Protection Officer: Nursery Manager, LoveSpring Nursery School

This privacy notice applies while we believe your child is not capable of understanding and exercising their own data protection rights. Generally, children under 12 are considered unable to fully understand these rights, though we assess this on a case-by-case basis.

2. The Personal Data We Hold

2.1 Standard Personal Data

Data Category	Examples	Purpose
Identification Details	Full name, date of birth, address, contact information	Registration, communication, emergency contact
Development Records	Observations, learning journeys, progress tracking	Educational planning, progress monitoring
Attendance Information	Session attendance, arrival/departure times	Safeguarding, funding claims, pattern analysis
Family Information	Parent/carer details, emergency contacts	Communication, emergency procedures

2.2 Special Category Data

Sensitive Personal Information

We may collect and use more sensitive personal data including:

Medical Information: Allergies, conditions, medications, dietary requirements
Development Needs: Special educational needs, additional support requirements
Photographs/Videos: Learning journey images, nursery activities
Ethnic Background: For equality monitoring and cultural inclusion
Safeguarding Information: Concerns, incidents, protection plans

3. Why We Use This Data

3.1 Primary Purposes

How We Use Your Child's Information

Support Learning: Plan appropriate activities and track development progress
Ensure Safety: Maintain accurate medical and emergency information
Provide Care: Meet individual needs including dietary and medical requirements
Communication: Keep parents informed about their child's nursery experience
Legal Compliance: Meet statutory reporting and recording requirements
Quality Improvement: Enhance our services through evaluation and planning

3.2 Marketing Communications

Communication Type	Content	Consent Requirement
Educational Updates	Curriculum information, learning themes	Implied consent for educational purposes
Event Invitations	Parents' evenings, celebrations, workshops	Implied consent for nursery community
Promotional Materials	Open days, fundraising, external events	Explicit opt-in consent required
Third Party Offers	Partner promotions, local business offers	Explicit opt-in consent required

3.3 Automated Decision Making

We do not currently use automated decision-making processes for children's data. If this changes in the future, we will update this notice and explain your rights regarding such processing.

4. Legal Basis for Data Processing

4.1 Lawful Bases

Legal Basis	Application	Examples
Legal Obligation	Processing required by law	EYFS records, safeguarding reports, attendance data
Vital Interests	Protecting someone's life	Emergency medical information, allergy details
Public Task	Official functions as education provider	Educational progress tracking, assessment data
Consent	Explicit permission obtained	Photographs for marketing, special activities

4.2 Special Category Data Conditions

Processing Sensitive Information

We only process special category data when we have both a lawful basis and one of these specific conditions:

Explicit consent from parents/carers
Protection of vital interests (life-threatening situations)
Substantial public interest (safeguarding, equality monitoring)
Health or social care purposes under professional guidance
Legal claims or judicial acts

5. Data Collection and Sources

5.1 Information Sources

Source	Information Type	Collection Method
Parents/Carers	Registration details, medical information, family context	Registration forms, meetings, ongoing communication
Nursery Staff	Observations, progress records, incident reports	Daily recording, learning journeys, assessment tools
Healthcare Professionals	Medical reports, therapy plans, specialist advice	With parental consent, multi-agency meetings
Local Authority	Funding information, safeguarding alerts	Statutory returns, professional referrals

5.2 Voluntary vs Mandatory Information

We clearly indicate when information is:

Mandatory: Required for registration, safeguarding, or legal compliance
Voluntary: Helpful for enhancing your child's experience but not essential

We explain the consequences of not providing mandatory information, which may affect our ability to provide appropriate care.

6. Data Storage and Security

6.1 Retention Periods

Record Type	Retention Period	Reason
Child Records	Until child reaches 25 years old	Legal requirement, historical reference
Accident Records	Until child reaches 21 years old	Insurance, legal protection
Learning Journeys	Until child reaches 25 years old	Educational history, transition information
Attendance Registers	3 years from date of entry	Funding verification, pattern analysis
Photographs	Until consent withdrawn or child leaves	Consent-based usage

6.2 Security Measures

Protecting Your Child's Information

We implement comprehensive security measures including:

Secure locked storage for paper records
Password protection and encryption for digital files
Controlled access to sensitive information
Regular staff training on data protection
Secure disposal methods for outdated records
Regular security audits and risk assessments

7. Data Sharing

7.1 Organisations We Share With

Third Party	Information Shared	Purpose
Local Authority	Child details, attendance, progress data	Funding claims, statutory returns, safeguarding
Health Professionals	Medical information, development concerns	Healthcare, specialist support, multi-agency working
Ofsted	Registration details, quality evidence	Regulatory inspection, compliance monitoring
Other Settings	Learning summaries, progress information	Transition arrangements, continuity of learning
Software Providers	Child and family information	Nursery management systems (with safeguards)

7.2 Data Sharing Principles

We only share data when:

We have explicit consent from parents/carers
It is required by law or statutory duty
It is necessary to protect vital interests
Appropriate data sharing agreements are in place
The sharing is proportionate and necessary

8. Your Rights

8.1 Accessing Information

Subject Access Requests

You have the right to access personal information we hold about your child. When you make a subject access request, we will:

Provide a description of the data we hold
Explain why we hold it and how long we'll keep it
Tell you where we obtained the information
Identify who we have shared it with
Provide a copy of the information in clear format
Respond within one calendar month

8.2 Other Data Protection Rights

Right	Description	Application
Rectification	Correct inaccurate or incomplete data	Update address, medical information, contact details
Erasure	Request deletion of personal data	Withdraw consent-based information
Restriction	Limit how we use data	During accuracy disputes or objection considerations
Portability	Receive data in transferable format	Moving to another nursery or school
Objection	Object to certain processing	Marketing communications, specific data uses

8.3 Children's Rights

As children develop understanding of their rights (generally around age 12, assessed individually), we will:

Seek their consent for parental requests on their behalf
Consider their views in data protection decisions
Respect their growing autonomy where appropriate
Always act in their best interests

9. Complaints and Concerns

Raising Concerns

If you have concerns about how we handle your child's data:

Discuss with us: Contact our Data Protection Officer in the first instance
Formal complaint: Use our complaints procedure if unresolved
External recourse: Contact the Information Commissioner's Office if still dissatisfied

Information Commissioner's Office

You can contact the ICO if you remain unhappy with how we handle your concerns:

Online: ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Post: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

10. Contact Us

Data Protection Officer: Nursery Manager

LoveSpring Nursery School: Coventry, CV1 5HA

Telephone: +44 (0)24 1234 5678

Email: privacy@lovespringnursery.co.uk

Website: www.lovespringnursery.co.uk

Date of Policy: [Current Date]

Last Reviewed: [Current Date]

Next Review Due: [One year from current date]

Signed: _________________________

Position: Nursery Manager/Owner, LoveSpring Nursery School