Best Practice Update

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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 A dark image with the word "FRAUD" in white lettering on a black background, with a magnifying glass over the F. Below "FRAUD" are the words "Awareness" in orange text. In the bottom-left corner, a person in a black hoodie and a white mask holds a phone and has a finger to their lips in a shushing gesture. In the bottom-right corner is a circular logo for "Data Protection Officer" with the website "dataprotection.law/education".

Fraud awareness from the DfE

Given the Public Sector Fraud Authority estimates that every year between £39.9 billion and £58.5 billion of taxpayer's money is subject to fraud and error, it's no wonder the UK Government has published some guidance about fraud awareness.

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 A man's hand, seen from the side, reaches forward with his index finger extended, seemingly to touch a floating, transparent button with the word "COMPLAINTS" on it. Above the button, in large white text, are the words "Data Rights" and "vs General." The background is a blurry, dark office setting with faint hexagonal shapes overlaid on it. In the bottom right corner is a logo for "Data Protection Officer."

Complaints vs. Data Rights: A Guide

With the recent Data Use and Access Act, organisations must now be more precise than ever about how they handle data rights concerns; the complaints process for data rights is clarified and formalised. This article discusses best practice around which complaints process to use when you receive a complaint.

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

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