I have poked the hornets nest again!! Why do I do this to myself?

[Ineedmorepatience]

Grrr, after our disastrous yr at secondary and bearing in mind I missed my opportunity to do a complaint to primary, I decided to request Dd3's school records! I was going to use the info to put together a complaint!

They have emailed me today saying they are ready and we have been invoiced over £60 which has to be paid on collection!!

I am not working at the moment and am on carers allowance so its alot of money

I wish I could just walk away but its so wrong and it will keep happening to kids like Dd3, I dont know what to do now! This school is certainly not poor and it has made me angry!

[Nigel1]

ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1065/subject-access-code-of-practice.pdf

Number of pages of information supplied Maximum fee
1-19 £1
20-29 £2
30-39 £3
40-49 £4
50-59 £5
60-59 £6
70-79 £7
80-89 £8
90-99 £9
100-149 £10
150-199 £15
200-249 £20
250-299 £25
300-349 £30
350-399 £35
400-449 £40
450-499 £45
500+ £50

[Ineedmorepatience]

Thanks nigel but I didnt do a SARs I did an FOI! Is it the same?

[Nigel1]

No. Did you apply to the school? if so you asked for the wrong thing but got the right result. Take an extract of the web page smile and say here it is and here s my check for however much.
How many pages?
Many schools use this process to impose further control over parents. Dont be afraid of pushing back.

[Youarentkiddingme]

I just did a SAR for DS records and he's at an academy. I found their own data protection policy quoted it in letter and requested info. They state they can charge £10. They did it for free.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Thanks everyone I will try to find their data protection policy!

I did apply to the school, I seriously was expecting them to ignore it but obviously they havent, it is an academy!

I have no idea how many pages it is!

[Ineedmorepatience]

Nope, no data protection policy on the webpage!

I did find on their complaints page that it says complaints should be made within 3 months! We are passed that too!

I wish I hadnt bothered now, I am really wound up about it!

I just thought it was important to say it all in one place and hopefully help some other child following behind as well as getting it off my chest!

I also wanted an apology for Dd3, not for me but for her so that she can maybe trust teaching staff when/if she returns to a setting!

[Youarentkiddingme]

I didn't find the policy on webpage. I found it by googling data protection policy .

I'd still make the complaint. I'd say it's taken longer as you've been dealing with de schooling DD and unpicking all the damage done - so now you are in a position to be able to make a more accurate report.

[Ineedmorepatience]

Thanks you I am going to email them later!

[Nigel1]

The local policy- no matter from whom, can not increase the fess above that of the ICO guidance. Stick with the ICO guidance

[Ineedmorepatience]

Thankyou nigel I have emailed them to say we cant pay that much, so we will see!!

[Ineedmorepatience]

Ok! So we are a little further forward! It looks as though they have copied 3 tribunal bundles with all the stuff I specifically asked for! They are saying there are over 2000 pages! I have asked them why they didnt think it was sensible to contact me to check that I really wanted 3 tribunal bundles (which they know I already have)!

So it will probably turn out to be my fault fir not specifically telling them not to copy the bundles but in all honesty, why would you!!

I give up!

[Youarentkiddingme]

That's a whole tree

Hard to say re what you had. I specifically told school not to give me any emails I was a participant in but asked for mines between staff with regards DS or I. I was given a few that make the school look good - I reckon there are loads more slagging me off - the senco is a cow to my face it would be highly unlikely she's not even more of one behind my back

[Ineedmorepatience]

I know you!! Its bonkers isnt it!!

[KOKOagainandagain]

There is an official document which lists the prices that the school can charge for copying.

DS2's school charged the maximum and most of it was copies of documents that I already had from his previous school. Their section was very slim - again a selection of documents I already had but, strangely, omitting to include copies of emails and handwritten notes kindly supplied in my request to the LA, that slagged me off and the letter from the head of the BOG saying 'no' to his placement at that school and giving the reasons why.

Have you lodge a request with the LA as well? I find them much more thorough than the school.

Can't you also view the documents at the office free of charge? Does that apply to schools as well as the LA?

[Ineedmorepatience]

Yes the official maximum is £50 I will be sending them the link to the ICO web page on monday!

Then I guess I will have to suck it up and pay for it or risk them taking me to court for non payment or something!

As I said, I wish I had just walked away now!!

[Ineedmorepatience]

I have sent the link to the ICO page and said if they reduce the cost to the maximum £50 I will pay it!

I read something about accountability this morning that put a bit of fire back in my belly!