Confidential data vs Personal Data

[elsiegee40]

Time and again this comes up.

 

Not everything that is confidential is subject to the Data Protection Act or GDPR.

 

Information may be considered confidential for a whole host of reasons. The fact that an organisation has information it doesn’t want discussed in the wider world doesn’t mean it contains personally identifiable information.

 

It is very important that we do acknowledge the difference.

[elsiegee40]

And the reason for starting this thread is for me to repeat again that governors are strategic and there are limited, specific, occasions when personally identifiable data will be discussed, minuted and in paperwork. On these occasions only the governors directly involved (normally 3) and the Clerk will have the papers. Printed papers are retained by the Clerk for file/shredding at the end of the meeting.

 

1. Staff disciplinary panels

2. Pupil disciplinary/exclusion panels

3. Pay Panel

4. Interview Panels (Governors only get involved for SLT)

5. Redundancy panels

6. Complaints panels (when the process in school has been completely exhausted)

 

This looks like a lot, but honestly it actually results in very few meetings per year. The only one that definitely happens every year is the pay panel.

 

In all cases, the quantity of documents involved results in a file about an inch thick printed back to back.

 

I would hope that school DPOs will include governance in their reviews and be steering them. It might get the poor ones to look at getting their fingers out of the operational pie.

Edited March 3, 2018 by elsiegee40

[gsk]

This thread is confusing. I would say that all of the above is Personal Data anyway. I am sure you are right and that there is confidential data that isn't personal in a school. Can't think of what that might be though.

[PotNoodleTech]

An example of which could be:

 

You have a reprographics lease and in the documentation you have agreed that you will not disclose financial details of the lease to third parties. I.e you won't chat to the school next door and tell them how much you pay per month for each copier as doing so would breech the terms of your lease agreement.

 

This is confidential, but not personal data.

 

I think that's what elsie is trying to get across?