schools collecting immigration data last day to opt out TODAY

[HorseheadNebula]

Have your school informed you that they will be submitting the children's immigration data that is 'nationality' and 'country of birth' to the department of education TOMORROW on census day? In my sons school i have not been told about this, also not presented with the right to have this data recorded as 'refused'. I'm worried this controversial policy is being implemented secretively without informing parents that our children's data is the foundation of this new policy! Have you had similar experiences?

You haven't been because it's a statutory requirement and not something for which they have to ask consent.

If you've given this information to them, they cannot say it was refused. They don't have the right to ask to see proof, so all they can do is report what the parents say. I guess you could come to them today and say actually, he was born in XXX and is XXX nationality - and outright lie. Or you could have refused in the first place.

In any event, the information passed on is not linked to your child by name or any way to identify them.

Given today's news, I can understand it's an unsettling time to not be British in the UK (and I am very uncomfortable with that and I'm sorry).

Have you seen the guidance for schools by the way? It does explain what they are collecting and why they want it. www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/554478/School-census-2016-to-2017-guide-version-1.3.pdf

I feel there are several issues with this policy and the lack of information provided to parents through schools (who are the main collectors of this information). Its is a requirement for schools to submit data, but its also a parental right to be presented with the opportunity to have it recorded as 'refused'.

Parents have the legal right to decide how this information is recorded in the database, but its impossible to take any decisions if we are not told about the policy or our rights in the first place. Some of the concerns are raised by Against Borders Children www.schoolsabc.net/get-active/parents-2/ and Defend Digital Me: defenddigitalme.com/what-can-i-do/ who look at the broader implications of this policy

I actually can't see an issue with this. DD's school already knows she has dual nationality and speaks two languages as it was part of the documents we filled out when she started. This is also known to various other government agencies. I so wish there would be a central register, I hate filling out x identical forms.

I agree, the guidelines why something is collected should be more transparent. But the collection itself - I don't mind.

In DD's year group we have several non-British nationalities.

It seems as if there was a hidden agenda after all...

"the DfE has continued issuing statements that the collection of pupil nationality and country of birth data will help improve children’s education."

"But the documents also state that one of “strategic aim” of the data-sharing is to create a “hostile environment” for those who “seek to benefit from the abuse of immigration control”."

schoolsweek.co.uk/dfe-had-agreement-to-share-pupil-nationality-data-with-home-office/?utm_content=bufferbbda4&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer