Privacy - Google Workspace for Education

Privacy policy and collection notice

When a school chooses to use Google Workspace for Education applications with their students it is essential that schools update their privacy policy and collection notices to reflect the use of these technologies.

The sample Privacy Policy and Collection Notice for schools available on the Catholic Education Victoria Network (CEVN) site includes wording for the use of ICON and Google Workspace for Education.

Schools can access the sample privacy documents on CEVN.

Access to Google applications by schools to meet child safety standards – advice for schools

Schools making decisions about using Google Core Services and Additional Services should understand the risks and responsibilities associated with these services.

Schools can refer to the CEV Google Services Advice for Schools for information regarding the use of these services. The advice has been developed to ensure that the management of Google Services meets child safety standards.

The following Google Services are available through the CEV Google Workspace for Education instance: Core Services and Additional Services.

Some Google Services may have age restrictions. Parental consent must be sought before allowing any students under the age of 18 to use Additional Services. The standard collection notice does not cover this consent.

Schools are asked to:

  • in conjunction with their Google administrators, understand the settings for G Suite services and make decisions about associated risks

  • consider requesting that ‘Additional Services’ be enabled/disabled for the various users in the school (this will be managed through Google Organisational Units at the school level)

  • ensure they obtain Parental consent to allow any students under the age of 18 to use Additional Services

  • update their child safety risk registers, as appropriate.

Updates to the privacy policy and collection notice

Information provided to Catholic Education Melbourne at the Minter Ellison privacy seminar in October 2015 indicated that schools are not required to have Standard Collection Notices signed by parents. Instead, it is important that schools take all reasonable steps to ensure their parent community is informed about the any update to the Standard Collection Notice and Privacy Policy.

Reasonable steps means telling the school community more than once and in ways that all parents would be expected to have been notified. This is likely to include:

  • updating the collection notice

  • updating the Privacy Policy

  • publishing the updated policy in the newsletter

  • publishing a notice in the newsletter at a later date with links to the updated the privacy policy on the school website and making a copy available in the school office

  • publishing the updated policy on the school website for a reasonable time, e.g. three months

  • providing a copy to families with enrolment material.

For further information see the Minter Ellison privacy seminar video and PowerPoint presentations, available on CEVN under Finance, Legal, Operations / Privacy.

Sample text for notifying updates to the privacy policy and collection notice

The Privacy - Information for Parents sample text is available on CEVN under Finance, Legal, Operations / Privacy for schools to use in their school newsletter when notifying their parent community about the changes.