Entries by Tanya Taylor

Sentry System Updates 2024

12 Months, 30+ Enhancements, and One Seriously Upgraded System – Here’s Sentry’s Year in Review Over the past year, we’ve been busy building, refining, and supercharging your system with over 30 significant improvements, each one designed to make your experience more powerful, more intuitive, and, dare we say, a little more enjoyable. Whether you’ve spotted […]

Wall Displays and Data Delays: Preparing for Inspection Without Breaching GDPR

There’s something unmistakable in the air when an inspection is on the horizon. You can feel the hum of preparation in every corridor; policies being printed, classroom displays getting a refresh, and colleagues exchanging knowing glances over the photocopier. It’s all hands-on deck, and every detail matters. But as walls are re-pinned and cupboards reorganised, […]

Data Protection vs. Information Security in Schools — Why Both Matter, and How to Get Them Right

Let’s face it, school leaders today wear a lot of hats. One minute, you’re supporting staff wellbeing; the next, you’re signing off on an EdTech contract, responding to a Subject Access Request, or checking if the new Wi-Fi rollout has encryption (whatever that means, right?). In today’s increasingly digital world, two terms often crop up: […]

SARs vs School Records: Subject Access or Education Regulations?

If you’ve ever opened your inbox and seen a message from a parent asking for “all the information you hold on my child,” your first thought was probably: “Subject Access Request!” But hold on — not every request for pupil information automatically falls under the UK GDPR. Sometimes, it’s actually a request under education regulations, […]

Sentry System Updates 2023

Over the past 12 months, we’ve been busy behind the scenes, rolling out exciting new features, fine-tuning your favourite tools, and delivering enhancements that make your day-to-day work a little bit smoother (and a lot more efficient). Whether it’s a shiny new module or subtle improvements to existing systems, we’ve been listening to your feedback […]

FOI Requests in Schools: Navigating Transparency and Avoiding Misuse of Exemptions

As public bodies, UK schools are increasingly in the spotlight when it comes to transparency. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests are a key legal mechanism for parents, campaigners, and the media to access information about how schools operate but they’re also on the rise, especially around exams, assessments, and decision-making processes. For school administrators and […]