This privacy notice explains how the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) looks after your personal data when you take part in photography commissioned by EEF. Photographs may be used internally by EEF or published online, including on our website, social media channels, reports and other communications.
This page should be read in conjunction with our main privacy notice, which covers information relevant to anyone whose personal data is used by the EEF.
The processing involves professional photography in educational settings, including early years settings, nurseries, schools and 16 – 19 settings.
Photographs may include:
- Children and young people engaged in learning activities
- Staff working with pupils to support learning and development
- Teachers, leaders and other staff participating in professional development or collaborative activity
- Wider school life, such as shared spaces and everyday interactions
The UK GDPR lawful basis we rely on to process personal data is consent or legitimate interests (UK GDPR Articles 6(1)(a) and 6(1)(f)).
- For children under 16, we rely on consent from a parent, carer, or person with parental responsibility.
- For young people aged 16 – 17 and adults, we may rely on legitimate interests, supported by clear information and an opt‑out process, or on consent where appropriate.
Our legitimate interests are that using photography helps bring the evidence to life by showing what education looks like in practice, in real settings with real pupils and educators. This supports evidence‑informed practice by making guidance and resources more accessible, relatable and grounded in everyday experience.
Where schools already hold valid image permissions, these may be checked and relied upon to support this lawful basis.
Photographs that include children, young people and/or staff.
For photography carried out in classrooms or school spaces, images are likely to include individuals who are present on the day. In addition to the photographs themselves, we may also collect personal information as part of the consent process (for example, via consent forms or records held by the school).
Edited photographs published online (for example on the EEF or Research Schools Network websites) will be retained for as long as the resource or communication they support remains in use.
Photographs stored within EEF systems will be retained for as long as they remain useful for the purposes described in this notice.
Unedited photographs held by EEF or its contracted third parties will be stored securely and retained only for as long as necessary to complete the project and will always meet our legal and safeguarding obligations.
Photographs produced by EEF and hosted on our website or other platforms may be shared with organisations and partners that help us meet the purposes set out above. These may include:
- Social media platforms
- The Research Schools Network
- Evidence mobilisation partners
In some cases, photographs may be shared with host schools for their own use. In these circumstances, the school will act as a separate data controller for any reuse of the images.
EEF may also work with professional photographers or photography agencies, who act as data processors on our behalf and process personal data only in line with our instructions
You can withdraw consent or object to the use of photographs:
- On the day of photography, by informing a member of staff
- After the photography has taken place, by contacting EEF at info@eefoundation.org.uk
If consent is withdrawn, EEF is responsible for removing images that we control (for example, images held on our systems, published on our websites or social media channels, or held by our photographer).
If images have been shared with schools or other organisations for their own use, we will inform you who the images were shared with. You will then need to contact those organisations directly, as they are separate data controllers.
Once images have been published (for example in print or on social media), it may not be possible to remove them. However, we will make reasonable efforts to stop further use where possible.
EEF takes safeguarding and privacy seriously. We take steps to minimise risks by:
- Avoiding identifiable information wherever possible
- Carefully reviewing images before use
- Ensuring photography is respectful, appropriate and non‑intrusive
- Making participation voluntary and allowing individuals to opt out
If you have any questions about EEF photography projects or this privacy notice, please contact your school’s nominated lead or email info@eefoundation.org.uk.