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SAFEGUARDING POLICY GUIDANCE ON USING PHOTOGRAPHS & VIDEO FILM SAFELY
FOR SCHOOL PURPOSES |
(A) Staff use of personal digital cameras, video recorders and camera
phones on educational visits and to capture school events and activities. In all cases the following will apply:-
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Images
must be appropriate for school purposes and always carry the general consent of
the pupils and parents concerned.
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Photographs
of individual children should generally be avoided unless the photo is explicitly
related to school purposes.
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Once
captured, all images must be routinely transferred on to the appropriate secure
area of the school’s network (faculty area) and must be deleted from personal
cameras and other recording equipment thereafter.
(B) Photos taken by third parties (other than staff e.g. parents,
grandparents etc) for personal use at school events, e.g. performances, sports
etc.
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The
Information Commissioner has issued guidance that states that in many cases the
Data Protection Act is unlikely to apply when photographs are taken for
personal use such as those taken by parents or grandparents at a school play or
sports day and those taken by the media.
Fear of breaching the provisions of the Act should not be wrongly used
to stop people taking photographs or videos which provide many with much
pleasure. Where the Act does apply a
common sense approach suggests that if the photographer asks for permission to
take a photograph this will usually be enough to ensure compliance. Where photographs are taken for official
school use however, which may be covered by the Act, students should be advised
as to why they are being taken.
(C) Use of images of pupils on the school website, in school publications,
at school events and for press coverage.
Images taken in these circumstances
must:-
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Be
sensitive to the type of image which is appropriate to represent the school
(e.g. suitable dress etc.)
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Are
sufficiently explicit in their purpose to attract and retain parent and student
support.
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Must
usually avoid using first and last names of individuals in a photograph.