Using images of children in newspapers - and access to schools by press photographers - will be discussed at a key meeting between Whitehall education officials and industry experts.

Discussions will also cover the reporting of exam results, and photography of school plays and sports teams.

There can be difficulties under the Data Protection Act over identifying children without their parents' consent. Schools can claim they are constrained by the law over releasing details of children involved.

The Newspaper Society is looking for real instances of problems covering these areas for when the meeting takes place.

In a recent letter to the Society, the Information Commissioner confirmed that where schools merely allow access to a photographer they are not directly affected by the Data Protection Act 1998 unless they provide the details of the pupils in the photographs.

If the names were collected directly from the youngsters - subject to parental wishes in the case of younger students - the school itself would not have to release personal data at all. Alternatively, if the school had canvassed the wishes of parents and/or students and they had agreed the release, the Data Protection Act would not prevent disclosure.

The Commissioner said: "It may well be that if local newspapers enter into a dialogue with the relevant bodies, including the schools themselves, it will be possible for schools to put in place procedures which enable them, without too much extra administrative effort, to ensure that students/parents are given prior notice and are able to indicate objection.

"In such cases details can be disclosed routinely - except where, as a matter of deliberate choice, there has been a specific objection."

The Society can be contacted on 020 7636 7014.

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