I have a contact list for my class; can I upload parent details to Classlist on their behalf?

If you hold a contact list on behalf of the PTA you can use the email addresses on the list to invite parents to join Classlist without getting their express permission. This is because the PTA is already acting as a 'data controller' and the invitation is covered by what is known as 'legitimate interest'. However you cannot enter personal details on their behalf; parents will need to enter their own personal data when they join so they can decide what to share with other parents (see below).

Parents can also request to join Classlist without having to be invited from the Classlist.com website.

Go to the 'Add and Invite' feature found on the Admin side of Classlist and you can simply copy and paste in your list of email addresses and click send. You can group your invitation to parents by their school class if you know it. For more assistance on adding and inviting parents click here, or click here for some useful tips on getting parents to sign up by themselves. 

One of the key benefits of Classlist is that we are data protection registered.  This means that unlike a contact list produced using other methods, we have to comply with the 1988 Data Protection Act and ICO requirements.  When parents sign up to Classlist.com, not only is their data securely encrypted it also meets data sharing best practice.  For instance, we have a report button, where a member may be reported if another parent feels their information has been used for any purpose not intended.

We therefore recommend that class reps and PTAs ask parents to register on their school’s Classlist site themselves, so there is no grey area about data sharing permission. Parents can decide which information they feel comfortable about sharing with other parents and can update their profile any time should they change their minds using their secure password.

We find once parents are aware that other parents in their school/class are using Classlist.com they sign up very willingly.  It only takes a minute or so for each parent to register, saving you the hassle of preparation, distribution and maintenance of a parent contact list in the future.