Managing Images of Children Policy
1. This policy has been authorised by the Directors of Ashbourne Independent School Limited, known as Ashbourne Independent Sixth Form College (the College) and is addressed to all members of staff and available to parents and students on request. The policy relates to the taking, using and storing of images of children:
1.1. on College premises; or
1.2. in connection with College activities; or
1.3. for other legitimate purposes of the College.
2. It covers the activities of staff, students, parents, and visitors to the College.
3. In this policy the following expressions have the meanings described below
3.1. “Images” includes:
3.2. “Taking images” includes, unless otherwise stated, making, editing, using, exhibiting and storing images of students.
4. The aims of this policy are:
4.1. to promote safety and welfare and respect for others;
4.2. to ensure a sensible balance between privacy, creative self-expression and routine collating of information;
4.3. to comply with the law and good practice without adhering to unnecessary bureaucratic procedures.
5. No person is authorised to take images of children that:
5.1. might cause embarrassment or distress; or
5.2. are associated with distressing or sensitive issues; or
5.3. are unnecessarily intrusive; or
5.4. which are otherwise not in accordance with the reasonable expectations of the student or their parents. Consent should be obtained in accordance with this policy.
6. If there is any doubt about these matters, the person wishing to take the image must obtain consent . Any consent must be in writing unless otherwise agreed by the College
7. Filming and photography by television or newspaper journalists will take place only with the consent of the Principal and under appropriate supervision. When images are taken for publication by television or newspaper journalists, children will only be named if there is a particular reason to do so, for example if they have won a prize or award, (the College may obtain consent depending on the circumstances) and home addresses will not be given out. If it is expected that the press will be attending College events, wherever possible this will be indicated in newsletters, bulletins or on publicity materials.
8. The College may use images (which includes photographs and video) of students in the College’s promotional material. This may include publication in our prospectus, in newsletters, on our website and on the College’s officially sanctioned social media sites.: Images of students may also be used for press and media purposes, for example, in a local newspaper.
9. A student’s image may be used by the College as part of the curriculum or in connection with extra-curricular activities.
10. The parents of a student who is sufficiently mature should consult with their child before asking the College not to use their child’s image. A student of sufficient maturity may ask the College not to their image for any purpose. This request does not need to be made in writing.
11. Although consent of parent(s) or students is not always a legal requirement, the College will seek express prior consent where the use of the image is considered to be privacy intrusive. For example, the College may obtain consent:
11.1. for use of portrait style images of students;
11.2. for use of students’ images by or with commercial sponsors;
11.3. where a student wishes to use images of other students as part of GCSE, A-level work;
11.4. where the College might receive a payment or other tangible benefit for allowing the use of a photograph, for example, providing a photograph for the media where the student has subsequently become a celebrity.
12. Consent does not need to be in writing.
13. All students are photographed at the beginning of each academic year. This forms part of the student’s personal record. These images are processed by the College in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and will therefore:
13.1. be stored securely (e.g. protected by the use of encryption);
13.2. not be shown, copied or given to any unauthorised person.
14. When publishing images of children in College documents or on the website or the College’s official sanctioned social networking sites, care will be taken to minimise the risk of such images being modified to create inappropriate or indecent images. The Designated Safeguarding Lead can give specific advice as requested.
15. Staff will be mindful of child protection issues and will raise concerns with the Designated Safeguarding Lead if they become aware of anyone: