Private schools in dark over database
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Local authorities are still in the dark about how private schools will link into ContactPoint, the national database of children in England currently under development.
Children's data managers in local authorities have told CYP Now they are still unsure about where private schools fit into the arrangements for adding to and accessing data on the ContactPoint system.
One said: "Children in independent schools are not covered by local authority computer systems and they don't always engage with their local council. We don't know whether we need to work with independent schools on ContactPoint and what will happen if they don't engage."
At a conference held by Capita Children's Services, a Department for Children, Schools and Families official from the ContactPoint National Team admitted a decision still hadn't been made about how private schools will work with the database.
The Independent Schools Council, which represents private schools, has been highly critical of ContactPoint, branding it "disproportionate and unsafe".
According to the organisation, around 500,000 children in the UK attend private schools.
