Can a school publish a child's information?
Schools are allowed to publish your child's information if you (or your child) have given them permission to do so. Schools may seek permission from you through enrolment forms, or specific consent forms.
Principles 10 and 11 of the Privacy Act put limits on the use and disclosure of personal information. A school can only use or share a learner's personal information when one of the exceptions in IPP 10 or 11 applies.
The starting point for schools is to only use or share a learners’ personal information unless they have been given specific consent to do so.
Schools need to make their purposes for using and sharing personal information clear when they collect information from learners and their parents - this includes the collection, use and sharing of photos and video recordings.
Many schools use photos or videos of learners in school publications, websites and on social media pages. When a child enrols in a school, the school should obtain specific consent to use the learners’ personal information (including photos and videos) in its publications. Schools should update this consent each year.
A learner or their parent's refusal to have a photo, video or other personal information published on a school’s website or social media site is not a ground to refuse enrolment. Read photography and filming guidance about children and young people.
Some schools publish directories of learners with their parents’ contact details. These directories are permitted, as long as the schools tell the learners and their parents that they are going to be in the directory when they collect their personal information. There may be situations where they do not want their contact information made available to other people, for example, where protection orders are in place. Therefore, we recommend that learners and their parents are given the opportunity to opt out of being included in school directories to ensure they have a choice about who their contact information is shared with, and to maintain good relations in the community.
For more information on how the Privacy Act applies to schools, you can complete our free e-learning module Privacy ABC for Schools.
October 2025