This statement outlines the policy of Christian Community School Limited t/a Regents Park Christian School (“RPCS”) on how it uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it. RPCS is bound by the National Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act. This Policy may be reviewed and updated from time to time to take account of new laws and technology, changes to RPCS' operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing school environment. DEFINITIONS The Act is the Privacy Act 1988 as amended by the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 which is a Commonwealth Act. National Privacy Principles (NPPs): the 10 NPPs are the key components of the new legislation and set minimum standards which relate to the collection, security, storage, use, access, correction and disclosure of personal information. Types of information covered by the Act: “Personal information”: information or an opinion that allows someone to identify the individual that the information or opinion is about. It also includes sensitive and health information. “Sensitive information”: a type of personal information that is given extra protection and must be treated with additional care. It includes any information or opinion about an individual's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, sexual preferences or practices, or criminal record. It also includes health information. “Health information”: any information or opinion about the health or disability of an individual, or any expressed wishes or opinions about the individual’s health situation. WHAT KIND OF PERSONAL INFORMATION DOES RPCS COLLECT AND HOW DOES RPCS COLLECT IT? The type of information RPCS collects and holds 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 RPCS; • job applicants, staff members, volunteers and contractors; and • other people who come into contact with RPCS. Personal Information you provide: RPCS 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 RPCS 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 or a church. 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 RPCS's treatment of an employee record, where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between RPCS and employee. HOW WILL RPCS USE THE PERSONAL INFORMATION YOU PROVIDE? RPCS 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, RPCS's primary purpose of collection is to enable RPCS 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 RPCS. The purposes for which RPCS 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, pastoral, social and medical wellbeing; • seeking donations and marketing for RPCS; • to satisfy RPCS's legal obligations and allow RPCS to discharge its duty of care. In some cases where RPCS requests personal information about a pupil or Parent, if the information requested is not obtained, RPCS 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, RPCS'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: • in administering the individual's employment or contract, as the case may be; • for insurance purposes; • seeking support and marketing for RPCS; • to satisfy RPCS's legal obligations, for example, in relation to child protection legislation. Volunteers: RPCS also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist RPCS in its functions or conduct associated activities, to enable RPCS and the volunteers to work together and for RPCS to discharge its duty of care. Marketing and fundraising: Personal information held by RPCS may be disclosed to an organisation that assists in the marketing of RPCS or in fundraising. 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 RPCS DISCLOSE PERSONAL INFORMATION TO? RPCS may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to: • another school; • government departments; • medical practitioners; • people providing services to RPCS, including specialist visiting teachers and sports coaches; • recipients of School publications, like newsletters and magazines; • Parents; volunteers and • anyone you authorise RPCS to disclose information to. Sending information overseas: RPCS 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 RPCS TREAT SENSITIVE INFORMATION? 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 where the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law. MANAGEMENT AND SECURITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION RPCS's staff is required to respect the confidentiality of pupils' and Parents' personal information and the privacy of individuals. RPCS has in place steps to protect the personal information RPCS holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and passworded access rights to computerised records. UPDATING PERSONAL INFORMATION RPCS 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 RPCS by contacting the Receptionist or the Business Manager of RPCS at any time. The National Privacy Principles require RPCS not to store personal information longer than necessary. You have the right to check what personal information RPCS holds about you. Under the Act, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information which RPCS holds about them and to advise RPCS of any perceived inaccuracy. There are some exceptions to this right 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 RPCS holds about you or your child, please contact the Business Manager in writing. RPCS may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. RPCS 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, RPCS will advise the likely cost in advance. CONSENT AND RIGHTS OF ACCESS TO THE PERSONAL INFORMATION OF PUPILS RPCS respects every Parent's right to make decisions concerning their child's education. Generally, RPCS will refer any requests for consent and notices in relation to the personal information of a pupil to the pupil's Parents. RPCS 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. A parent may seek access to personal information held by RPCS about them or their child by contacting the Business Manager. 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 RPCS's duty of care to the pupil. RPCS may, at its discretion, on the request of a pupil grant that pupil access to information held by RPCS 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 RPCS manages the personal information it holds, please contact the Business Manager.