ROSELYN HOUSE SCHOOL / THE RHISE SERVICE

Clear Desk Policy

Introduction

Roselyn House School / The RHISE Service aims to implement and maintain data protection measures to ensure that personal data is secured away appropriately to assist in the reduction of risk of unauthorised access, loss and damage to information. 

This policy/guidance checklist is designed to give staff assistance on how to secure personal information (both paper and electronic). This policy/guidance applies to all staff including temporary and agency staff.

Good practice

Staff must abide by the following practice points when handling personal data.

Leaving a room                    

Whenever a room is unoccupied for an extended period of time you should do the following:

• Remove all sensitive and confidential paperwork from plain sight and lock it in a drawer or filing cabinet. This includes mass storage devices such as USB drives and hard drives, or laptops and iPads.
• Draws should be locked and keys for accessing drawers or filing cabinets should not be left unattended at or near a desk.
• Rooms should be locked where possible.

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Confidential waste

• All waste paper which contains sensitive or confidential information must be disposed of either by using the school’s onsite secure disposal (shredder) .
• Under no circumstances should this information be placed in regular waste paper bins.
• If the school destroy large scale files such as pupil files or HR records, they should be recorded on the data destruction log.

Computer Screens
 

• Laptops must be locked away at the end of the day.
• Computer workstations must be locked when the desk is unoccupied and completely shut down at the end of the work day.
• Computer / laptop screens to be locked when left unattended.

• An appropriate passcode/password must be set for all accounts. Passwords must be complex (a mix of letters, numbers and special characters) and must not be shared with others.
• Screens in offices will have privacy screens to prevent people accidentally viewing information that they are not supposed to see.
• Devices are configured to automatically lock after a period of inactivity

• Passwords should not be left in open areas which are visible to others.
• Sensitive or confidential personal data displayed in classrooms should not be left visible or displayed to unauthorised persons.
• Personal data (including but not limited to seating plans and student lists) shall be stored in folders or in secure places.
• When sharing screen to the class, the school will ensure that no personal data is shared on the projector.
• Before displaying any names and photos, the school will ensure that the student/parent has provided consent.
• The School will limit the amount of data on displays. If names are necessary, only first names will be used.

Taking data offsite

Sensitive and confidential data should never be taken off site.   This should be stored securely at Roselyn House School / The RHISE Centre.

• You are responsible for security of the data in your possession and when transporting it off site you must always take steps to keep it secure.
• Paper documents are not removed from the School without the prior permission of Rachel Smith.  When such permission is given reasonable steps must be taken to ensure the confidentiality of the information is maintained during transit. In particular, the information is not to be transported in see-through bags or other un-secured storage containers.
• Paper documents should not be used in public spaces and not left unattended in any place where it is at risk (e.g. in car boots, in a luggage rack on public transport).
• Paper documents taken home or printed at home containing personal information, sensitive data and confidential information are not left around where they can be seen, accessed or removed.
• Paper documents are collected from printers as soon as they are produced and not left where they can be casually read.
• The master copy of the data is not to be removed from School premises.
• Paper documents containing personal data are locked away in suitable facilities such as secure filing cabinets in the home just as they would be in School.
• Documents containing confidential personal information are not pinned to noticeboards where other members of the household may be able to view them.
• Paper documents are disposed of securely by shredding and should not be disposed of with the ordinary waste unless it has been shredded first.

• Any print jobs containing personal information should be retrieved immediately.

• To release printing the school uses print codes

Compliance

If you have misplaced any information, then you must let Rachel Smith (School Business Manager) know as quickly as possible.

These guidelines will be monitored for compliance by Rachel Smith and may include random or scheduled inspections and walkthroughs.

May 2024