Unknown

[2510]

Some advice please.

My sons teacher recently agreed to and had a meeting with my father, discussing my son's progress and special needs. Neither my husband nor I were aware of this meeting, nobody at the school checked he was who he claimed to be and nor did they check with us if it was alright to discuss things with him. Had we been asked we would have refused point blank.
I am angry that they blithely went ahead without checking. Is this a breach of confidentiality?

I am pretty sure that if you and DH are the named people responsible for your son on the school's records and your father isn't named then there is no way he should have been allowed a meeting without checking with you first. VERY odd that they didn't ring you to check...did your father pose as your son's father?

That does sound very odd. I would be having words with the teacher and head.

No he didn't pose as anyone but himself (wry but still angry smile)...he can be quite persuasive though as he's articulate and well-dressed.

Does anyone know whether the school have broken any laws doing this?

No he didn't pose as anyone but himself (wry but still angry smile)...he can be quite persuasive though as he's articulate and well-dressed.

How did they contact your father or did he contact the school. I think you need to find out a bit more before blaming the school; e.g. as said above did he pose as your DS's father? Do they know what your husband looks like? Did your father assure them he was representing you? Obvioulsy if it is a you say it is then you have every right to be hopping mad with both your father and the school I would be.

Is this a state school or and independent school?

I don't know about laws, but surely your first step should be a conversation with the headteacher. It's clearly not acceptable but you do need their take on the situation before you take it further.

Yes, it is a breach of confidentiality. I trust you have complained to the school, at least in the first instance?

If you change the setting to healthcare, not education, I am pretty sure it would be a breach of the Data Protection Act.

I'm not a lawyer but I can't see why this would be any different in a school.

My father decided he wanted some information (without anyone knowing) and went up to school. Spent several minutes discussing ds with the school nurse(!) and then managed to inveigle his way into the teacher (deputy head). He assured them he was ds grandfather and in he went...

It's an independent school.
My husband has set up a meeting with woman involved ie the Deputy Head in charge of pastoral issues. Depending on what she has to say, we will then formally complain to the Head and/or the board of Governors.

Complain complain,totally unacceptable ,I work in an independent school and that would be a gross misconduct issue I am sure

Thank you for all comments. I just wish I knew if it were an actual offence legally or just a rap on the knuckles for the teacher and nurse involved.
My husband is meeting with the teacher/deputy head in question on Thursday to get their take and then , depending on what's said, we will complain formally to the head.

OP, I'm pretty sure it is an offence under the Data Protection Act.

I'm on my phone so can't link properly, but try www.ico.gov.uk - there is a section for education.

An NHS Trust has just been given a huge fine for accidentally sending a letter to the wrong person and thereby releasing details about treatment to someone else. Your school nurse' conduct would be regarded as wholly unnacceptable, I think.

Also try googling "bay house school hampshire data protection".

I'm not defending the school but at my DS's old small prep we had a grand father who was in the school as much as the parents if not more he attended every event even if his GS was in it! I suspect that he tried to discuss his grandson progress with the teachers they probably would not have hesitated to do this.

With regard to the last post I can understand that staff may well have felt at liberty to discuss the pupil if he'd been around alot doing lifts etc. my father however has never been to a parents evening, done more than 1 lift there and the school has 800 pupils so they can't claim to have 'known' him.

He is also listed as neither a contact or emergency contact.

Your school nurse has behaved incorrectly; nurses have a legal duty of confidentiality under their code of conduct "You must respect people's right to confidentiality." Also following the Gillick ruling at my senior school, yr 9 upwards, children are asked their permission for their health needs to be discussed with both their parents and their housemasters and matrons. Obviously the vast majority give it. Sometimes children are asked outright re talking to parents but if children are seen on their mobiles talking to mum and discussing their illness then permission is not sought but children are always asked when it comes to the school staff/ grandparents/aunts etc. Your school health centre will have a policy re: confidentiality and its "independence" from the rest of the school: a non judgemental place a child can go where and everything he says is confidential. Your DS should have been told about this when he started at the school or at the very least been given an information leaflet about it! Hope this helps.