Should I give consent for online lessons to be recorded

[Naz2009]

My DD is 4 and in reception. She has 2 daily online lessons with her teachers. Literacy in morning and maths in afternoon.
It's done via Microsoft teams and the teacher wants to record the lessons. She says it's because of safeguarding reasons.
Some parents had their camera off and was told they would be removed from online learning. For security the teacher needs to see who is behind the screen.

[Professionalworrier]

I can see why she needs the camera on. As for recording I'm unsure. I'd probably feel a little uneasy but understand where she is coming from.
Is she clear about who stores the recording, how long is it kept for, is it on a device that's encrypted?etc

[Naz2009]

She didn't give any information and no one even asked. The teacher just started to record without even asking the parents if they where comfortable with this.
Yesterday I was sent a message asking to fill a form of consent. After they have been recording for the past 2 weeks

[lavenderlou]

I imagine if there are no other staff members present they feel it's necessary to record the sessions in case of allegations against the teacher. If the school agreement says that the school cannot share the content, I wouldn't have a problem agreeing to it.

[SD1978]

Would depend on what the waiver said, how the information is being kept and for how long, also the purpose. Personally, if it's due to safeguarding concerns, both for the children and teacher, I would personally probably say yes.

[Naz2009]

There are 2 teachers present during the lessons.
I researched online, read somewhere that after a school has a risk assessment they may decide to record online lessons

[FedUpWithBriiiiick]

They probably have a legitimate purpose for recording but their data protection governance is poor.

Have the considered a Data Protection Impact Assessment?
Have they got a Privacy Notice?
Do they have a clear consent form?
As a PP stated, how are they demonstrating they are compliant? What security measures do the have, what's the retention period?
Are they prepared to handle rights requests? (Access, erasure, rectification etc)

You are right to be cautious OP. I would want these questions answered before I said yes.

[Professionalworrier]

Thats not ok. Having worked with children I totally get her want to record lessons, online brings a whole other element of risk and unlike the classroom you cant quickly get another adult for support. However I would never record without the express permission of parents.
She needs everything to be digitally secure, password on computer is not enough. My workplace has a secure server we can access from personal laptops. We can only store or access sensitive data through that, I would consider the recordings to be in that category. The school needs to be very clear on who can see the recordings,why and for how long are they kept.
I get that schools are trying to keep up with all the changes and some things have to be implemented very quickly but this would be a basic GDPR requirement.(I'm outisde of UK so I dont know how Brexit affected GDPR but I'm guessing there is similar legislation in place now?)

[FedUpWithBriiiiick]

@Professionalworrier

Thats not ok. Having worked with children I totally get her want to record lessons, online brings a whole other element of risk and unlike the classroom you cant quickly get another adult for support. However I would never record without the express permission of parents.
She needs everything to be digitally secure, password on computer is not enough. My workplace has a secure server we can access from personal laptops. We can only store or access sensitive data through that, I would consider the recordings to be in that category. The school needs to be very clear on who can see the recordings,why and for how long are they kept.
I get that schools are trying to keep up with all the changes and some things have to be implemented very quickly but this would be a basic GDPR requirement.(I'm outisde of UK so I dont know how Brexit affected GDPR but I'm guessing there is similar legislation in place now?)

Now the UK GDPR following the Withdrawal.

[Xerochrysum]

I think you are thinking too much, I don't think the reasoning is anything sinister.
Usually they ask us to give consent at the start of school for filming, photos, etc, but obviously video recording wasn't included, until now. As lavender says, if they say it's because of safeguarding reasons, then I can see why.

Also the camera on is understandable, I've read somewhere on here, some children keep camera off and play game instead of participate in lessons etc.

[ipredictacarrot]

Our school isn't allowing cameras on at all - apparently for safeguarding reasons.

[Professionalworrier]

@Xerochrysum I wouldn't think the teacher has sinister reasons, its very understandable why they would want to record lessons.
However it's the casual attitude that would make me uneasy. Recording for 2 weeks without permission and no basic information that should be given out when they did seek consent. That leads me to believe they either dont know the legal requirements or think it's not important.
My company has had many attempts at accessing our servers. It's a non profit charity, goodness knows what information they are trying to find but I'm glad we are so strict about keeping information secure.

[PathOfLeastResitance]

Did you sign one of the permission forms about videos and photographs in school when your child started? Could this scenario be covered under that?
Also I strongly think that the teacher does not have sinister reasons for recording the sessions.

[FedUpWithBriiiiick]

@Professionalworrier Spot on!

[Invisimamma]

Some parents want to leave cameras off because they don't want every other family and the teacher on the lesson to see inside their home. I.e. It could be very messy or just in a poor state. Or they may have Pj's on or not brushed hair or something but still want the child to join in.

Recording of lessons, I can't see this would bother me if they are not being shared. They can even be helpful for dc who can't join in live because of sharing devices they can watch back later. They can also set to record so that only the teachers screen is recorded but no one elses.

[Naz2009]

Thank you for the help. I have made notes and I'm going to contact the head and ask the questions.
I'm not comfortable with how safe their system is if I am honest.
I want clear answers before I give my consent

[Homebirthvirgin]

Schools had no time to properly prepare for this. At least they are now sending a form. Some teachers are incredibly uncomfortable teaching live all day in other people's homes and the unions have recommended recording as a way to safeguard them. I know of a teacher who has been accused of saying/doing something over teams and it's awful for them. I also know of a colleague who was teaching and pupil turned their camera off, filmed the teacher on their phone and put it on tik tok and Snapchat mocking them. Yes the child will be punished but now it's 'out there'.
All schools will have the relevant information (privacy, gdpr compliancy) but they probably just need it signed and thought it would be better than cancelling lessons for a few days while they sent all the info out to everyone. It's not ideal and not well managed but it's been really hard and they're just doing what they can to teach your kids.

[jigglypuffcookie]

Lessons are recorded in case an allegation or something comes up later. It's to protect both staff and the pupils. It is usually a policy from higher up too and not something the school can stop doing.

The recordings don't go anywhere or are they shared unless a situation arises where they need to be.

Lastly, one of the reasons they need to see the children online is to check they are ok and engaging in schoolwork. They need to view the child to do this and that is not possible with the camera off.

Can understand your reluctance but I'm certain it isn't something sinister.

[Naz2009]

@Homebirthvirgin omg that's awful for your friend to have been mocked and put on social media like that.

[MatildaStoker]

My DC’s primary school have been recording the live online sessions from the start, but they’ve always been very clear that this is the school policy. They discussed it in the online teaching policy that they published last term, before this current lockdown started. They’ve mentioned safeguarding as an explanation - I imagine it’s as much to safeguard the teachers as it is the pupils.

We’ve been told that if we don’t want our DC’s images recorded then we can turn the video off at our end.

[Homebirthvirgin]

Yes I know. Sadly it happens more than people realise. Obviously a 4YO is highly unlikely to do anything like that (the child who did it was only 9, though) but there could be other people, siblings, in the home etc. It's been recognised that's a probably a good idea for all teachers to do it but lots of schools didn't think about because they never thought they would need to. But yes, ask them what they're doing it with and how long it's kept before being deleted. The teacher might be really anxious and is probably worried about the backlash from parents as well. Of course you don't have to give consent but then you probably won't be allowed access to the lessons or the lessons will stop if lots of others say the same.

[Professionalworrier]

@FedUpWithBriiiiick I've a feeling we both work in an area that requires a lot of data protection compliance.
It's a pain in the arse and sometimes seems over the top but you would be surprised at how unsecure your information can be. I shudder when I think of how casual I was at the start of my career.
Someone mentioned above it could be useful for DC who cant join in and want to watch it back later. Fine if only the teacher is the only one visible and unmuted and they are ok with it. However looking at youtube you'll see hundreds of funny zoom videos. Nothing stopping that video being uploaded because someone found it funny a 4 year old was picking their nose during maths.
So you are right OP to ask questions about the finer details before consenting.

[Doffodils]

Yes, absolutely definitely. All live lessons should be recorded, to protect DC and the teacher.

I don't know why they need to insist the children's camera is on though.

[Homebirthvirgin]

@doffodils possibly because of scenarios similar to what I mentioned earlier. It's so sad that the behaviour of a few impacts so many.

[Homebirthvirgin]

Although I definitely don't think think children should have their cameras on if its being sent out or available to watch later for other children/parents. Do you know if that's happening, OP?

[FedUpWithBriiiiick]

@Naz2009

Thank you for the help. I have made notes and I'm going to contact the head and ask the questions.
I'm not comfortable with how safe their system is if I am honest.
I want clear answers before I give my consent

Good for you OP!