Active School Travel – School Case Studies: privacy notice

In compliance with the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK-GDPR), there are certain things that we need to let you know about how your information will be handled.

In this privacy notice, we explain the legal reason for data processing, what personal data we will collect, who will have access to your personal data, how your data will be used, when it will be deleted, and who you can contact about a query and complaint.

1. The legal reason for handling data

Active Travel England (ATE) is an executive agency of the Department for Transport (DfT). For the purposes of the UK GDPR, the Department for Transport is the Data Controller for this evaluation. This means that they are responsible for deciding the purpose and lawful basis for processing personal data from this study. NatCen is the Data Processor. This means NatCen processes personal data on behalf of the Department for Transport and follows their instructions about how the data should be handled.

The lawful basis for processing personal data from this study is ‘public task’: Article 6 (1)(e) the processing is necessary for the Data Controller to perform a task in the public interest or for their official functions, and the task or function has a clear basis in law.

2. What personal data will be processed?

Personal data processed in this evaluation will include:

  • Names and contact details of schools in England.
  • Names and email addresses of participants taking part in research activities. Email addresses shared with NatCen only for the purpose of sending the e-voucher or sharing the results of the study if you agree. NatCen will not use shared email addresses for research purposes.
  • Interview data collected from parents/guardians, school staff, and local stakeholders during case study fieldwork. This may include your experiences and views on active school travel and the role of wider factors in this, including your personal circumstances or job function.

3. Who will have access to personal data

Only the NatCen researchers listed in the project’s Data Security Plan will be allowed to access personal information from this evaluation.

4. How will your personal data be used, stored, and deleted?

Personal data collected (excluding email addresses) as part of this evaluation will only be used for research purposes and processed in accordance with the UK GDPR. Data collected through the study will be analysed by the research team at NatCen.

No pupil, parent/carer, or school will be named or identified in any reports from the case studies. Your school will not be able to see your interview answers.

All data will be treated with the strictest confidence – no individual participants will be identified in any report arising from the case studies; no schools will be named unless permission is granted.

The information you give will be treated as confidential as directed by the Code of Practice for Statistics. Data collected will be stored securely on NatCen computer system in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018. Only the NatCen research team will have access to the data in its raw and aggregate form.

Information collected during the case study interview and observations will be stored securely with names and email addresses of participants removed and held separately.

NatCen will securely delete personal information 12 months after the evaluation is finished (by December 2027 at the latest) (with explicit permission of ATE as the data controller).

5. Withdrawal from the case studies

You can stop taking part in the case studies at any time. If you do, we will not collect any more information from you. If we can, we will also delete any personal details we have that haven’t already been made anonymous.

If you wish to withdraw from the case studies after taking part, please contact NatCen at ASTCS@natcen.ac.uk. 

6. Your data protection rights

Under GDPR, you have the right to: 

  • Ask ATE for access to information about you that we hold.
  • Have your personal data rectified, if it is inaccurate or incomplete.
  • Request the deletion or removal of personal data where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.
  • Restrict processing of your personal data (i.e. permitting its storage but no further processing).

However, once the data has been analysed, made anonymous, or the report has been published, we will not be able to change the findings by removing an individual’s information. Nonetheless, you may request that your personal data be deleted or updated. We will let you know whether this is possible.

7. Who can I contact with a query or complaint?

If you have any questions about how your data will be used, please contact NatCen’s Head of Data Protection at dpo@natcen.ac.uk or via post at:

Data Protection Officer
NatCen Social Research
3rd Floor (Tiller)
250 City Road
London
EC1V 2AB

Data Protection Officers are responsible for upholding your rights and making sure we process your information correctly.

When we are processing your personal data with your consent, you have the right to access a copy of your personal data, ask for your personal data to be corrected, or ask for your personal data to be deleted. If you would like to make any request related to your personal data or to withdraw your consent, please contact NatCen at ASTCS@natcen.ac.uk. 

If you would like to contact ATE about this research, please do so via contact@activetravelengland.gov.uk. 

Under UK-GDPR, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if your query is not satisfactorily addressed by us.

Information Commissioner’s Office:

Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113 Or please go to https://ico.org.uk for more information.