Our Service Specifically Designed for Schools
Cost Effective Data Protection for your School
Having worked with over 140 schools of all sizes, the DPO Centre understands the personal data you process, how you process it and the many software systems and platforms you use.
Our service to schools has been developed specifically to fit your tight financial constraints. It enables schools of all types and sizes to comply with new data protection legislation in an easily accessible, collective and cost-effective way.
Click here to find out more about what data protection legislation means for schools.
“For us, this process has been an awakening. Like Health and Safety regulations, GDPR is not there to stop us doing our job but it’s in place to make sure that we use the information safely and responsibly. The biggest challenge for us is educating our staff and providing solutions to them that enable them to carry on doing the great things that they are, whilst better protecting the data they are responsible for.”
Jules Bridges
West Suffolk College
HOW THE SERVICE WORKS
School Groups
Our service is at its most cost effective when schools work together. It is ideal for multi-academy trusts or partnerships, or simply where local schools are happy to collaborate.
Our service is delivered in two distinct phases:
Phase 1. Audit and Assessment
The Impact Assessment audits your school’s data protection needs and includes:
- Group training – provided by an experienced DPO to all relevant staff and governors
- Fact finding questionnaire – jointly completed by the DPO and a representative from your school
- Policy review – your key policies reviewed, recommendations made and model policies provided
- Recommendations and action plan – prepared by the DPO to identify and detail any specific areas requiring improvement
- Review of recommendations – provided remotely to each school
Phase 2. Ongoing DPO Services
The DPO Centre ensures ongoing compliance by providing:
- A designated Data Protection Officer
- A telephone and email advice line manned by qualified DPOs providing year-round support
- Ongoing Data protection advice for issues such as Subject Access Requests and potential breaches
- Termly questionnaires completed by the school and returned to the DPO for review and comment
- Annual review and progress report
BENEFITS OF THE SERVICE
Matthew Smith
Sheringham Woodfields School
“The DPO Centre has made what initially appeared to be a complex task straightforward, and we are very pleased with how thoroughly the entire process was conducted.”
Jules Bridges
West Suffolk College
“Ultimately, we feel ahead of the game and a leader in GDPR compared to our competitors in the sector. It’s a cultural change that will take time to embed, but already I’m seeing changes in attitudes towards safer and improved data security.”
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Frequently Asked Questions
We’ve compiled a series of FAQs but if you can’t find the answer here please contact us to find out more.
Every state funded school or multi-academy trust (MAT) is required by law to appoint a data protection officer (DPO) and pay the data protection registration fee. Smaller schools, in particular, may find it difficult to meet the DPO requirement, however outsourcing this requirement and accessing the expertise of an external DPO is generally the most cost-effective solution.
Our school DPO support service is available throughout the full year, which includes term-time and during the school holidays. This means your school will have the support required to deal with any issues efficiently and effectively, as they arise.
Upon engagement, your DPO will conduct an audit of your current level of compliance with data protection law. To remain as cost-effective as possible, your DPO is available to you virtually throughout the year, however on-site visits are provided as circumstances require.
The fees associated with our schools’ service can vary depending on the size and complexity of your school, however significant reductions can be offered where schools are part of a multi-academy trust, or partnership, or simply where local schools are willing to cooperate. Further details are available upon request.
Whether you are a small or large school or part of a MAT, we adapt our service to match your school’s individual needs. In addition to providing a nominated DPO for your school, we also provide telephone and email support via our dedicated support and advice line, annual compliance reviews, and access to years of data protection experience gained from working with a multitude of schools across all age groups and needs.