Privacy Notice for Academies Account returns online form and API

This privacy notice explains how Department for Education (DfE) uses (process) any personal data you give to us, or any that we may collect about you. This Privacy Notice should be read alongside the DfE Personal Information Charter.

For the purposes of relevant data protection legislation, the DfE is the data controller for personal dataprocessed by DfE.

We receive your personal data from Academies account return online form.

The aim for this project is to provide an online service for Trusts to send their financial data to the department.

For more background information see Academies: compliance, funding and payments - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

If you would like:

• more information about how we process your personal data or your data protection rights
• to make a request about your information – for example to request a copy of your information or to ask for your information to be changed
• to contact our Data Protection Officer

You can contact us in the following ways:

• Using our secureonline contact form
• Or in writing to:
  
  Emma Wharram
  Data Protection Officer
  Department for Education (B2.28)
  7 & 8 Wellington Place
  Wellington Street
  Leeds
  LS1 4AW

The kinds of personal data we process about you

When we ask you for personal data, we will:

• tell you the reasons we’re asking for it
• only ask for the information we need
• make sure we don’t keep it for longer than necessary
• protect it and make sure only the appropriate people have access to it
• let you know if we’ll share it with other organisations
• keep it up to date where necessary
• consider privacy risks when we’re planning to change the way we use or hold it
• train our staff to ensure we use and protect it properly

In return, we ask you to:

• give us accurate information
• tell us as soon as possible if there are any changes

We may process the following types of personal data about you:

• your full name
• contact number
• email address

How we use your personal information and why we get information

The project will allow the HM Treasury to account for the spending of public funds.

Your personal data will be used to provide a better service by either emailing you correspondence on the completion of your financial return or being contacted by the DfE where further information is required in relation to your Academy’s financial return.

The lawful basis we often rely on for processing your personal data is to perform our public task. We may also rely on the following lawful bases:

• A legal obligation

How long we will keep your personal data

We will only keep your personal data for as long as we need it. DfE has a disposal schedule for personal data based on the needs of the department and the law.

We will take necessary steps to keep your information safe. It will then be securely destroyed when it is no longer needed.

If you want to know how long we keep your information, please write to DfE Departmental Records Officer using our secure online contact form.

How we share your personal data

We sometimes need to make personal data available to other organisations. These might include contracted partners (who we have employed to process your personal data on our behalf) and/or other organisations (with whom we need to share your personal data for specific purposes).

Where we need to share your personal data with others, we ensure that this data sharing complies with data protection legislation. For the purpose of this project data is shared with:

• National Audit Office

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

• Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.
• Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
• Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Your right to object to processing - You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

How to make a subject access request (SAR)

You have the right to ask for access to your personal information, known as a subject access request (SAR). See the DfE Personal Information Charter for further details

To make a SAR, you can use theDfE contact form.

Alternatively, you can make a SAR in writing. Post your request to:

Data Protection Officer
Department for Education
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
United Kingdom

Include as much information as you can about what information you need and the years you need the information for. If possible, tell us which part of the department holds the information. You’ll also need to tell us your telephone number and address.

We may need to check your identity and your right to access the information you’re requesting. This means we might ask for a copy of the identification pages of your passport or photo driving licence and proof of your current address.

We’ll try to respond to your request within 1 month. However, if your request is complex, we may extend the period by a further 2 months, but we’ll tell you if this is the case.

How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to the Data Protection Officer at:

Department for Education (B2.28)
7 & 8 Wellington Place
Wellington Street
Leeds
LS1 4AW

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data by writing to:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk

Changes to this privacy notice

We may change this privacy notice and we encourage you to check this privacy notice from time to time.

Date last updated: 14/07/23