Best Practice Update

Supplier due diligence process for secure third-party data processing, contracts, and risk management.

Supplier Due Diligence Step by Step: Are you sharing personal data with a third party organisation?

Sharing personal data with a third-party organisation?

Supplier due diligence is about the contracts between controllers and processors.  As a controller you determine the purpose and means of the processing (Article 4 (7)) and are responsible for ensuring processors  (i.e. suppliers and third-parties) have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk for any data processed. 

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Visual representation of digital filtering and monitoring systems crucial for online safety in schools, adhering to KC

The DSL’s Guide to Filtering and Monitoring

The Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025 document obliges schools and colleges in England to “ensure appropriate filters and appropriate monitoring systems are in place and regularly review their effectiveness”. This responsibility is now a standard, no just a technical tick box, but a core leadership and safeguarding function.

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Recording and Transcription Policy Template. Manage meeting recordings and transcriptions securely.

Introducing our new Recording and Transcription Policy

In a world of hybrid work and virtual meetings, the ability to record and transcribe discussions has become an essential tool for productivity.  However, with this convenience comes a responsibility to protect privacy, maintain security and consider your lawful basis for recording/transcribing.  To provide clear guidance we are introducing our new Recording and Transcription Policy Template.

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AI Due Diligence: DfE Standard announced. Generative AI safety standards in education.

New DfE AI Standards

The DfE previously issued training and guidance about the use of AI in Education - this has now changed to standards.  Standards define minimum requirements that must be met, whereas a guideline offers recommended best practice or advice. The standards outline the safety standards that generative AI products and systems should meet to be used in educational settings.

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Image of two CCTV cameras and text: ' CCTV Policy Update'

CCTV Policy update: retention

We've updated the CCTV policy to consider the requirements of retention, especially over the summer holiday.

There may be situations where at the start of a summer holiday a subject access request comes in for CCTV footage - but there are no resources available in school to stop the footage from being deleted under the regular retention schedule. 

Therefore, where organisations are unable to access and retrieve this footage over the holidays, we recommend extending the re

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  1. Sharing information to safeguard children and young people in the education sector in the UK
  2. Subject Access Requests (SARs) - Half term
  3. Fraud awareness from the DfE
  4. Complaints vs. Data Rights: A Guide
  5. Data Breach: School sends out names and contact details in a spreadsheet.
  6. September 2025 Policy and Document Updates
  7. KCSIE 2025: Data Protection, AI, and Cyber Security
  8. The Online SCR Data Breach: What You Need to Know
  9. Back to School Basics for Data Protection and Cyber Security Compliance
  10. Building a Secure School: Using the ICO Accountability Framework to Meet DfE Digital Standards
  11. Why Physical and Data Security Must Go Hand-In-Hand
  12. Digital Safeguarding: DfE announces statutory DfE Digital Standards
  13. Safeguarding Smiles & Social Media!
  14. The Data Protection Lead/Champion Role
  15. Changes to the Academy Trust Handbook 2025
  16. Social Media Day 2025
  17. How Ofsted looks at AI during inspection and regulation
  18. Preschool Employment tribunal for the use of WhatsApp
  19. Data Breaches 2025 Report Highlights
  20. Not everyone needs access: The Key to Protecting Sensitive Data
  21. West Lothian Schools in Cyber Attack
  22. National Honesty Day: Transparency
  23. FOI Request - BBC News
  24. Social Media and Marketing Guidelines and Training
  25. New Governor Resources
  26. Does stress lead to more data breaches?
  27. World Backup Day
  28. Are teachers using AI? 83% say its a time-saver
  29. DfE Digital Standards - narrowing the digital divide
  30. Arbor AI - On By Default
  31. DfE Guidance: Choosing a new MIS
  32. Sharing photos on World Book Day: Privacy considerations
  33. HCRG Care Group data breach
  34. The Importance of AI literacy and training staff
  35. How to verify visitors the right way
  36. Short Guide to AI Video
  37. Safer Internet Day, Cyber Security & Data Protection
  38. The Cyber Resilience Championship
  39. The Multiple Dimensions of Supplier Due Diligence
  40. School shares sensitive pupil information as part of an FOI response
  41. AI (Artificial Intelligence) Best Practice Area & Policy
  42. Blacon High School Cyber Attack
  43. WhatsApp and FOI's: ICO Warnings
  44. New AI Guidance from the DfE
  45. What the proposed Government legislative proposal around cyber crime means
  46. ICO report on AI tools in recruitment
  47. DfE update to record keeping and management
  48. Update to data sharing for school immunisation programmes
  49. Early Years Settings and Cyber Security
  50. SLT Digital Lead Profile
  51. The role of governors in cyber security and data protection
  52. Navigating Privacy at the End of Term , Special Occasions and End of Year
  53. Contracts Register
  54. DfE Digital Standards Autumn Update
  55. The importance of knowing how to access your CCTV footage!
  56. Cyber Attack on a Special School
  57. Stealing children's data
  58. What is dark data? (and why does it matter?)
  59. Ofqual highlights the value of cyber security training in schools
  60. Searching for data when you receive a Subject Access Request
  61. Fylde Coast Academy Trust Cyber Attack This Week
  62. Calling all IT leads in schools and mult academy trusts!
  63. Ransomware cyber attack on a school in Bromley
  64. Join Our Social Media Family!
  65. School hit by Cyber Attack
  66. Cyber Security Best Practice Area
  67. DfE Digital Standards for Schools and Colleges Tracker
  68. New Policies, Documents, Letters and Posters page
  69. Schools and Trusts Best Practice Area
  70. The DPE Retention Schedule
  71. Making the Rounds Update (now includes reporting)
  72. ESFA Cyber Essentials Requirement for Colleges from 2024/2025
  73. ICO Reprimands a School
  74. Out of date technology
  75. Data Retention and the Pupil File
  76. Have you assigned your SLT Digital Lead yet?
  77. Getting Started with AI (Artificial Intelligence)
  78. Cyber attack on a school during half term
  79. Update to the DfE Digital Cyber Security Standards for Schools and Colleges (May 2024)
  80. The rise of cyber attacks in schools are causing pupils to miss classes
  81. ICO: Learning from the mistakes of others report
  82. Cyber attack on a Trust; the aftermath
  83. School Focus: The Vale Federation | Aylesbury
  84. DfE Dealing with Subject Access Requests (SARs) Guidance
  85. Update to the Guidance on Information Sharing from the DfE
  86. FOI Requests generated by Artificial Intelligence
  87. Social Media Best Practice Area
  88. Lettings Best Practice Area
  89. MFA Bombing - What is it?
  90. Protecting your Social Media Accounts
  91. Why we recommend using checklists
  92. Product Focus on Checklists : Initial Trust Plan
  93. Product Focus on Checklists : End of Term Checklist
  94. Product Focus on Checklists : Information and Cyber Security
  95. Product Focus on Checklists : Social Media
  96. Product Focus on Checklists : Lettings
  97. Product Focus on Checklists : Record of Processing
  98. Milk Island: The secret location that allows children to view restricted content on Google Maps
  99. Why Data Should Stay Put: Benefits of Keeping Data in Its Original System
  100. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Retention and Destruction
  101. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Migration
  102. Product Focus on Checklists : Biometrics
  103. Product Focus on Checklists : Supplier Due Diligence
  104. Free Cyber help, advice and training with the Cyber Resilience Centres
  105. The Perils of Paper: The Printing Vulnerability
  106. Product Focus on Checklists : FOI
  107. Product Focus on Checklists : Governors and Data
  108. Product Focus on Checklists : DPIA
  109. Product Focus on Checklists : Site Moves
  110. Product Focus on Checklists : Data Breaches
  111. Product Focus on Checklists : Subject Access Requests
  112. Product Focus on Checklists : Bring your own device
  113. Product Focus on Checklists : Working out of school/offsite
  114. Cyber Attack on a School
  115. Product Focus on Checklists : Redaction
  116. Why Due Diligence is Important: Fake apps
  117. Product Focus on Checklists : CCTV
  118. Product Focus on Checklists : Clear desk
  119. Product Focus on Checklists : Commitment to compliance
  120. Product Focus on Checklists : Photos and video
  121. Product Focus on Checklists : Passwords
  122. Product Focus on Checklists : Information Classification
  123. Free cyber training for staff
  124. DfE Digital Standards Update
  125. The Mother of all Breaches
  126. International Data Transfers (part 1): Navigating Cross-Border Data Transfers: Understanding EU SCCs, UK Addendum, and UK IDTA
  127. ClassCharts Possible Data Breach
  128. Where is your data stored?
  129. IAPP looks at AI privacy risks
  130. If you suspect a financial scam .....
  131. School Focus: St Bernadette's Catholic Primary School | Brighton
  132. Guardians of Privacy: 16. Social Media Checklist
  133. Guardians of Privacy: 15. Navigating Social Media in Educational Settings Summary
  134. Guardians of Privacy: 14. Social Media and Cyber Bullying
  135. Guardians of Privacy: 13. Social Media, Copyright and Intellectual Property
  136. Guardians of Privacy: 12. Social Media and Going Viral
  137. Guardians of Privacy: 11. Staff Social Media Accounts
  138. Guardians of Privacy: 10. Social Media and Cookies
  139. Guardians of Privacy: 9. Social Media and Morality
  140. New Resources for Schools from the ICO
  141. Guardians of Privacy: 8. Social Media Policies
  142. Guardians of Privacy: 7. Social Media Data Retention
  143. Guardians of Privacy: 6. Posting Safely
  144. Guardians of Privacy: 5. Social Media and Consent
  145. Guardians of Privacy: 4. Social Media Access Control
  146. Guardians of Privacy: 3. Social Media Channels
  147. Guardians of Privacy: 2. Law and Regulations
  148. Guardians of Privacy: 1. Social media, privacy and children
  149. The ICO reprimands a Multi Academy Trust
  150. Guidance for the use of school email and applying email retention in schools
  151. Data Protection Tips for Early Years Settings
  152. Children's Privacy around the world is a puzzle
  153. Trust Initial Plan Checklist Update
  154. Records Management Best Practice Update
  155. What do I need to redact?
  156. Trust Initial Plan for Data Protection Compliance (for Multi Academy Trusts)
  157. Google for Education Resources: Helping IT Admins meet DfE digital and technology standards
  158. Lettings Best Practice and Guidance
  159. Considerations when migrating to a new MIS
  160. Public bodies and sensitive data
  161. Get a DPE Badge for your website!
  162. ICO: 10 Step guide to sharing information to safeguard children
  163. Help after a Cyber Attack/Incident
  164. Data Protection and Cyber Security (Inset Day) Training Ideas
  165. How KCSIE is linked to Cyber Strategy
  166. Handling Freedom of Information Requests the right way
  167. Where's Harry the Hacker?
  168. The ICO Reprimands a school
  169. Redaction Guidelines Updated
  170. Using WhatsApp in Schools
  171. How to contact us for support, subject access requests, data breaches and FOI's
  172. FOI: Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete
  173. FOI: Henry Jackson Society
  174. FOI: Vaccination Justifications
  175. How the Record of Processing Can Help You
  176. What does a Data Protection Officer Do?
  177. Carrying out Supplier Due Diligence
  178. How Long Should You Keep Personal Data For?
  179. B&H FoI: Racist/religious incidents/bullying
  180. Protocol for Setting Up and Delivery of Online Teaching and Learning
  181. Class Dojo International Data Sharing
  182. Model Publication Scheme: Amendments, Improvements and Updates
  183. Transparency
  184. SAR? ER? FOI?
  185. Research projects and GDPR
  186. Secure file transfer of files using Royal Mail
  187. Emergency contacts and consent
  188. Key elements of a successful DPIA
  189. FOI Publication Schemes
  190. Best Practice for Managing Photos and Video
  191. New Drip Feeds: Recognise and Respond to Subject Access Request
  192. When to contact the Data Protection Officer?
  193. National child measurement programme
  194. Make sure DPE is your registered DPO with the ICO
  195. Headteacher fined for breach of data protection legislation
  196. Acceptable Use Policy

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