The Information Commissioner’s Office is displaying its ‘fluffy side’ by urging students who have cocked-up their A-levels to use data legislation to find out exactly where they went wrong.
On the day that hundreds of thousands of teenagers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receive their A-level results, the ICO is reminding students that under the Data Protection Act they can see information held about them, such as a breakdown of their marks, by making a subject access request to the examination body.
Deputy commissioner and director of data protection David Smith said: “Results day can be an exciting time for many students; however it can also be a time of great stress for those who don’t get the marks they require. That is why we are reminding students that they have a right under the Data Protection Act to see information held about how their marks were arrived at, before deciding whether to re-sit an exam or pursue a particular subject at college or university.
“Having access to information – such as a breakdown of their overall mark and examiners’ comments – may not lead to their grades being altered but it could help them understand the process and make important decisions about their future.
“We are keen to provide advice to students on submitting their request and have published guidance on our website. If examination bodies fail in their legal duty to respond, then students can bring a complaint to the ICO.”
Once a subject access request is received an organisation generally has 40 days to respond. In the case of exam results, exam bodies must respond within 40 days from the date the results were published or within five months of the request being received – whichever of the two is the earliest.
