Unit 8 of 12
Making changes to your personal information
People can ask the school to correct information about them — and the school must review, then correct or attach a statement.
Meet a relief teacher
The school must consider correction requests when someone says their information is wrong. A relief teacher is sent to different departments at short notice. After each placement, the department sends a short note on how it went, which the school keeps and uses when deciding on future work. The relief teacher's notes have always been positive.
Mixed-up reports
On one day, the relief teacher and another reliever cover classes in the same department. The other reliever arrives late, is unprepared, and is sent home early after several errors. The department then mixes up the two names in its feedback notes.
When the relief teacher discovers the negative note attributed to them, they ask the school to remove it from their file.
What must the school do here? Choose the best option.
The relief teacher has asked the school to delete the incorrect note.
Correct, or add a statement
Generally, correct information that is clearly wrong, and add a statement where accuracy can't be confirmed or is genuinely a matter of opinion. In the relief teacher's case the school does both: it attaches a statement while it checks with the department, then removes the note once it confirms the mix-up.
Should the school correct the information, or add a statement?
A typo means a student's date of birth is recorded a year out.
A student feels a behaviour note describing her as "defiant" should say "frustrated".
Should the school correct the information, or add a statement?
A family has changed banks and wants the direct-debit details for fees updated.
A staff member was the subject of an internal complaint that was investigated and not upheld. They want all record of the investigation removed.