The number of cyber-attacks across industries continues to grow, with around 30% of businesses reporting a cyber incident in the last 12 months. Schools are particularly vulnerable to these attacks, as cybercriminals look to secure vital school data and hold the school to ransom.
Understaffed IT teams, the increase in technology use, and the variety of devices used by staff has also left schools more at risk compared to previous years.
The goal of GDPR is to help mitigate these risks to the data stores of all businesses within the UK and Europe. It also provides a clear framework for your approach to a breach of data.
While this legislation is a requirement, its goal is to help your school implement best practices for the safety of your sensitive data stores. Keep your data processing practices secure for the safety of your data and the efficiency of your departments.
The GDPR legislation splits the protection of data across two main roles: the data processor and the data protector. Within the school environment, this could cover a variety of job roles.
Within the context of the legislation, the data processor is the party or parties that determine what or whose data to collect and why that information is needed. This will likely be those representing the school as an institution.
The data processor is the party or parties collecting the data. The processor ensures information is stored and gathered securely and ensures that data retention policies are adhered to. Within the school, this might be the data manager, a third party, or responsibilities might fall across a number of staff.
For many schools, these responsibilities will fall primarily to the data manager. Teaching and other staff members that utilise the software will need to take part in training on its safe use and their data protection responsibilities. But overall, IT teams will need to make sure effective safeguards are in place.
By not prioritising GDPR within your school, there are obvious risks to data privacy and security. But what does this really mean for your school?
Direct consequences include fines and reprimands from relevant authorities in the event of a breach, which could considerably impact finances and your ability to operate efficiently using your data. But this is just the specific impact on your institution.
Your school community would be heavily impacted by a breach in GDPR. Depending on the data, individuals within your school could see considerable social ramifications. Data like special needs information, data relating to staff pay, student achievement records and child protection records all hold some of the most sensitive information relating to individuals at your school.
Financial loss is also a considerable risk. Access to your financial data or billing software represents a considerable risk for independent schools.
It’s also worth considering the potential for reputational damage caused by a GDPR or data breach at your school. While you may be able to rectify the losses from a database perspective – it’s more challenging to fix the impact on your school's overall brand image.
These are just a few reasons that protecting your school’s data stores and prioritising GDPR is critical to your students, staff, and overall establishment.
GDPR is extensive and it’s important to have a complete understanding of the requirements for your school. Your data managers should ensure that your primary systems are set up to adhere to this legislation. However, there are a few key components to consider to best protect your school and your school community:
This isn’t an exhaustive list. Take the time to check in with your IT and data management teams to ensure that GDPR continues to be a priority with updates to software and changes in the legislation. Your choice of software can also support you in managing GDPR where possible.
While GDPR will always present a challenge for schools, your software can help make the process easier and provide some level of automation. You need a dedicated system that understands the need for data protection and the specific tools you’ll require as a school.
The iSAMS Data Protection module integrates seamlessly with the iSAMS MIS and the parent and admissions portal. Offering consent management features, the module enables you to gather the right consents at the application stage. Parents or students can then make changes to their consents within their dedicated portals.
You can also manage the full progress of DSARs (Data Subject Access Requests) from request to completion – with full individual data reports available.
If you’d like to learn more about the iSAMS Data Protection module, you can find details here. If you’re new to iSAMS, request an iSAMS MIS demo below to see what powerful, integrated school software can do for independent schools.