Education Support Service including school admissions
Who are we and what do we do
The Education Support Service is part of Gateshead Council and consists of six areas of work; admissions, fair access, legal intervention, ethnic minority and achievement service, exclusions and support for elective home education. We are based at the Civic Centre, Gateshead. We provide support to children, young people and their families in school/academies and home education through the following services:
Admissions
first year admissions into school (Reception and Year 7)
school transfers
support for residents of Gateshead and families that move into the borough
Fair Access
monitoring of schools' placement of young people on alternative education
support for children, young people, parents and schools through transferring process via fair access process
Ethnic Minority and Achievement Service
work in schools to support ethnic minority, gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities
Exclusions
management of the exclusions process
work with schools/academies children, young people and parents
working with permanently excluded pupils and those who due to health reasons are unable to attend school to ensure they are in receipt of appropriate education provision
Legal Intervention (Non- attendance) team are responsible for:
child performance licenses
child employment permits
children missing from education (CME)
education supervision orders in family court
penalty notices (non-attendance, unauthorised leave of absence, exclusions)
prosecution in magistrate's court
school attendance orders (SAO)
We also have a small team of teachers who support parents who have chosen to home educate and the elective home education multi-agency panel.
What type of information is collected about you or your child
This information may be collected directly from you or from other agencies for example, schools or children's social care.
We collect personal information to understand your needs and provide services. Information may include:
address where the child/young person resides
date of birth
information from current or previous schools:
attainment
attendance
exclusions
behaviour
special educational needs (SEN)
name
medical information
sibling links
parent/guardian name and contact details (telephone numbers and email addresses)
parents name and date of birth (where applicable)
Who your information can be shared with
Your information may be shared internally and externally, where we require your consent, we will ask your permission. Information may also be shared under a lawful basis- your consent is not required.
This information may include:
episodes of being a child in need such as:
referral information
assessment information
Section 47 information
Initial Child Protection information
Child Protection Plan information
of episodes of being looked after (such as important dates, information on placements)
photographic evidence of learning from parent(s)/carers who choose to electively home educate
How we collect information about you
We collect information about you from various sources to ensure that we meet your needs, including:
paper referrals
online referrals via our website
cookies
For more information on how Gateshead council use cookies visit our cookies page
Why we need your information and how we use it
Our purpose for collecting personal information is to:
complete statistical returns to national organizations for example the Department for Education
provide appropriate and effective support to children and young people in the areas highlighted above dependent upon each individual need and the team contacted.
monitor and analyse the service provided for individual children and young people
help us develop and improve our services
The lawful basis for our processing is:
legal obligation to which the data controller is subject;
Education Act 1996
Employment of Children Act 1973
The Children (Performances and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014
Inspections Act 2006
School Standards and Framework Act 1998
Education Act 2002
School Admissions Code 2021
task in the public interest with a basis in law.
Our lawful basis for processing of sensitive personal data is:
reasons of substantial public interest (with a basis in law)
Who your information may be shared with
Our Corporate Privacy notice explains information sharing the Council carries out. This sharing fulfils statutory obligations, legal requirements and service delivery. Education support service including school admissions can share your information with:
Internal departments
children with disabilities team
early help
educational psychology
Early Years Assessment and Intervention team (EYAIT)
Higher Incidents Needs Team (HINT)
Lower Incidents Needs Team (LINT)
Looked After Children's Team (virtual school)
legal department
social care
External
benefits and housing
other local authorities
your child's school/academy staff
other schools/academies
post 16 transition staff at your child's further education college, sixth form college and university
Child and Mental Health Services (CAMHS)/Child and Young Peoples Services (CPYS) the first-tier tribunal (SEN and disability)
other third-party organisations, as allowed by law other partner agencies that provide services on our behalf
agencies with whom we have a duty to co-operate (such as police)
Our lawful basis for this sharing is legal obligation or task in the public interest and your consent is not required.
How long we will keep your information
We keep your information for as long as we need to provide services to you. We may also need to keep your information in accordance with legal or other obligations. Where we have no need to keep your data it will be securely destroyed. We keep a Record of Processing Activity (a requirement under the GDPR). This sets out the specific retention periods applicable in different circumstances. For more information please contact: educationsupportservice@gateshead.gov.uk
Where your information is held
We hold personal information in secure electronic systems on Gateshead council servers.
How you can update your information
Our delivery of efficient services depends on the accuracy of your information.
Please inform us of any changes to the following:
email address
personal circumstances
postal address
any of the other information we hold
Please contact: educationsupportservice@gateshead.gov.uk
Your information rights
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Marketing and e-newsletters
Please see our email marketing privacy notice.
Business intelligence, profiling and automated-decision making
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Protecting your information
Please see the relevant section of our Corporate privacy notice.
Data Protection Officer
Data Protection Officer
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH
DPOcouncil@gateshead.gov.uk
0191 433 3000
Information Commissioner's Office
The Information Commissioner is the UK's independent body for upholding information rights. Visit their website to find out more about your rights under Data Protection law, and what to expect from us.
For privacy practices or data protection rights concerns, contact the Information Commissioner's Office:
Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
0303 123 1113 or 01625 545 745
casework@ico.org.uk