What counts as 'special category' data?
'Special category’ data is personal data that's more sensitive because there could be significant risks posed to an individual's rights and freedoms if it's lost or stolen. Therefore, this kind of data needs more protection.
It includes personal data that reveals:
- Racial or ethnic origin
- Political opinions
- Religious or philosophical beliefs
- Trade union membership
And data concerning:
- Genetic information
- Biometrics (such as fingerprints, retina and iris patterns), where used for identification purposes
- Health – physical or mental
- Sex life
- Sexual orientation
What this means for your school
You are likely to be processing the following types of special category data:
You also process some pupil information that's sensitive, but doesn't