Privacy

 

The privacy of information is of the utmost importance to the department. This page explains what information is collected when using Assessing Literacy and Numeracy (ALAN), including PLAN2 and online assessments, as well as how the information is used.

 

Any information provided to the department will be used, disclosed and stored, consistent with NSW privacy laws. To understand more about how the department protects personal information, see our Privacy Statement.
 

Users should note that there are risks associated with the transmission of information over the internet and should therefore make their own assessment of risks in the provision of information to the department's information systems.


 

What information do we collect?


Technical information

When you look at the pages on this site, our computers automatically record information using cookies.


We also use cookies from third-party partners such as Google and Chameleon to provide in browser support, gain insights and improve functionality of the ALAN platform.


Data collected can include:

  • IP (internet protocol) address of the machine which has accessed it
  • pages accessed and documents downloaded
  • top-level domain name (for example .com or .gov)
  • type of equipment (PC or tablet etc.)
  • date and time of the visit
  • type of browser and operating system used.


Personal information

Personal information includes identifying information about principals, teachers and students. For government schools, this data comes from other information holdings held by the department, such as enrolment data. For AIS and CSNSW schools, this information is provided by school and system staff via spreadsheets. For CSNSW schools this information is provided by Catholic Schools NSW. Student Information includes:

  • name
  • gender
  • date of birth
  • student reference number
  • school reference number
  • class and group associations
  • assessment results.

 

 

Teacher/ principal information includes:

  • information extracted from the Staff Management Utility (SMU) or CSNSW authentication processes including teacher name and school location
  • actions taken in the software, including lodge assessment, making observations and entering comments.


 

How do we use this information?

Primarily, non-aggregated assessment data will be used by teachers in the classroom, for teaching and learning purposes. This data may also be viewed by other teachers and/or the principal within the same school (in the form of teaching plans and viewing assessment results). The information is intended as a teaching aid and for feedback reports to parents (verbally or in writing). 

 

The department, AIS and CSNSW will have access to information (their own sector) for the purposes of reporting, testing, research and analysis.

 

 

What happens when a student changes schools or moves between sectors? 

 

PLAN2 captures National Literacy and Numeracy Learning Progressions information about NSW students, including status, date and comments.


When a student moves between schools / sectors, this information becomes available to a new school using PLAN2.  Users are advised to keep comments objective and use neutral language as they can be seen by other users at the same school. Where a student has moved to a new school, a comment author’s name at the previous school will be obscured.

Regardless of student movement, comments are no longer displayed after 3 years.

 

Unauthorised and unlawful use of the website

Information will not be disclosed other than for the purposes outlined above, unless authorised or required by law. The department reserves the right to make disclosures to relevant authorities where the use of its information holdings raises a suspicion that an offence is being or has been committed.


Access and correction

You can request to access or amend your information by contacting the department’s Information Access Unit. 

If you have any questions about your privacy on this website or a general inquiry about the department's handling of your personal information, please contact:


Privacy Contact Officer

Legal Services Directorate

Level 5, 105 Phillip Street 

Parramatta NSW 2150, Australia

Email: legal@det.nsw.edu.au


Related information: