The short answer
Check your consent records before the filming day, and list the pupils who must not appear. Agree a discreet way to identify them, such as a lanyard or sticker. Your school holds consent, so I follow your records.
Why consent matters
Photos and videos of pupils who can be identified are personal information. So schools handle them in line with UK GDPR and their own policies.
Most schools ask families for photo and video consent when a child starts. Those records are the starting point for any filming day.
Consent can change, so check the records are up to date. A quick reminder to families before the day can help.
For example, add a short note to the newsletter a week or two before filming. Families then have time to update their choice.
If you are unsure about anything, your data protection lead can advise. Older pupils may be able to give or refuse consent themselves, so check your policy.
Before the filming day
- Check the records. Confirm which pupils have consent for video, not just photos.
- Make a confidential list. Share it only with the staff who need it, and with me for planning.
- Agree how to identify pupils. A coloured lanyard or sticker works well, and nobody needs to know why.
- Tell staff the plan. Everyone joining the filming should know how it works.
- Think about public use. Check whether consent covers your website and social media, as well as private links.
- Plan the shots. Agree at the online production meeting where filming happens and which groups join in.
Sharing the list safely
I only need enough detail to plan the filming. I never ask for more than that, and I never share it.
So send the list in a way that suits your data protection policy. I then use it only to plan the day.
I handle all personal information in line with UK GDPR. If your data protection lead has questions, I am happy to answer them.
Once the film is approved, I have no further need for the list. So it is used for that filming day alone.
If your school has its own process for sharing personal data, simply tell me. I will follow it.
Briefing your staff contact
- Know the list. They should know which pupils must stay out of shot, and how they are identified.
- Stay close. They stay with me throughout, including between rooms and outdoors.
- Speak up early. They can ask me to move or pause before a shot is taken.
- Know the plan. A copy of the timetable helps them steer the day calmly.
- Stay discreet. Quiet guidance works best, so pupils without consent never feel noticed.
On the day
A member of staff stays with me throughout. They guide the camera around groups and classrooms, so the right pupils appear.
Camera angles and small groups chosen by the school make it easier still. Pupils without consent can carry on as normal, out of frame.
Pupils should never be singled out or made to feel different. There are many reasons a child cannot appear, and I never need to know them.
Done well, nobody notices the planning at all. My guide on planning a filming day covers the rest of the day.
If something slips through
Occasionally a pupil without consent appears by accident. When that happens, I remove the footage during the edit.
Where removing it is not possible, I blur the pupil so they cannot be identified. That is my standard practice.
Finally, your school watches and approves every film before it is published or shared. That final check is your safety net, so take the time to watch it properly.
After the film is finished
Finished films reach your school through a private link. Your footage is never shared with anyone outside the project.
I only show your films on my own website or social media with your school's written agreement.
Consent can also change after a film is made. If a pupil needs removing later, I can re-edit the film.
My guide on keeping your film current and safe covers this. If you would like footage deleted, just ask, and I will confirm once it is done.
Questions schools ask
Do you need to know why a pupil cannot be filmed?
No. I never need to know why. Your school tells me which pupils must not appear, and I treat that as confidential.
Who holds the consent?
Your school does. I rely on your records and guidance, and handle any personal information in line with UK GDPR.
What if a pupil without consent appears by accident?
I remove that footage during the edit. Where removing it is not possible, I blur the pupil so they cannot be identified.
Can older pupils refuse to be filmed?
That depends on your policy. Older pupils may be able to decide for themselves, so check with your data protection lead.
What if consent changes after the film is finished?
Stop sharing the current version and let me know. I can then re-edit the film without that pupil.
Consent is planned into every filming day I do. Read my safeguarding approach, or talk it through with me first.
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