Daily Archives: May 15, 2012


According to Public Servant magazine: Schools are being forced to gain parental permission if they want to use pupils’ fingerprints or other biometric data, the government has confirmed. Some schools and colleges have already been using facial scanning and fingerprint identification to record attendance and allow pupils to access facilities like the school library. But under new rules schools will be required to gain written permission from parents who will be given the right to veto the use of such sensitive data. “I have heard from many angry parents after they have learned that their children’s personal data was being used by schools without their knowledge,” said schools minister Nick Gibb. “The new legislation gives the power back to parents, as it requires parental consent before the information can be collected. The new rules are out for consultation: visit the consultation page here to read them and have your say.

Pupils and parents to deny schools biometric data