Privacy
Website Use and Privacy Policy
This Privacy Notice has been written to inform you about how Synergy Schools Federation processes your personal data when you visit our website and in particular our use of cookies and web analytics. This notice only applies to how the Federation uses your data when you visit our website. For more information about how the school uses personal data in general please see our other privacy notices on each school website.
Who are we?
The Synergy Schools Federation comprises Brompton-on-Swale Church of England, Crakehall Church of England, Leeming & Londonderry Community and Pickhill Church of England Primary schools. Each school is a ‘Data Controller’ as defined by Article 4 (7) of the UK GDPR for all processing activities. This means that we determine the purposes for which, and the manner of processing. We will only collect and use this in ways which are compliant with data protection legislation.
For certain processing involving the use of cookies and insight data collected through the use of ‘like’ buttons and widgets inserted on our website, a third party i.e. Facebook and Twitter, will be a Data Controller in its own right. You can visit their individual websites for their privacy information.
The school has appointed Veritau Ltd as its Data Protection Officer (DPO). The role of the DPO is to monitor our compliance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 and advise on data protection issues. If you would like to discuss this privacy notice or our use of your data, please contact Veritau or the school administrator.
Veritau’s contact details:
Schools Data Protection Officer
Veritau Ltd
West Offices
Station Rise
York
YO1 6GA
01904 554025
Please ensure you include the name of your school in all correspondence
When you visit our website we want to ensure that it offers the best service to our users.
Web Analytics?
Web analytics is the collection and analysis of the data generated when people visit and use a website. This helps the website owner know such things as the number of visitors to various parts of the website, the time they spend on the website and if they return to the website. Various tools are used to produce web analytics, such as Google Analytics, which uses a set of cookies to collect data.
This website uses the following web analytics:
What are Pixels?
A Pixel is a code that is placed on our website. It collects data that helps track conversions from ads, optimise ads, build targeted audiences for future ads and remarket to users who have visited our website. This data is collected through the use of third party widgets (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube). These will be referred to as cookies throughout this privacy notice.
What are cookies?
A cookie is a small file of text that may be saved on the memory or storage of your electronic device (computer, phone, or tablet etc) when you visit a website. Cookies are used to improve the way the website works and can be used to remember the information you’ve provided so that you don’t have to re-enter it whenever you visit a new page.
Two types of cookies are typically used:
Session cookies – these are temporary and are removed when you close your browser or leave a website. These are used to remember visitors as they move from page to page on a website and are typically used to store your basket when using online shopping.
Persistent cookies – these remain on your device for much longer, even after you close the browser or restart the device. They remain until you remove them or they expire, which can be up to 12 months. They are typically used to store information such as your name, language preferences or login information.
We use third-party widgets (standalone application that is inserted into the website i.e. a newsfeed or banner) on the site, such as, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. These widgets may set their own cookies, and they also may use cookies that we have no control over.
What do we use cookies for?
We use cookies so that:
- We can distinguish you from other users of our website and provide a good experience
- We can remember the information you’ve provided us with while on our website, so you don’t have to keep re-entering the information whenever you visit a new page
- We can look at how you use our website so that we can improve it for other users.
We do not use cookies to:
- Monitor your usage of other websites (privacy intrusive cookies)
- Collect any personal information about you (without your express permission);
- Collect any sensitive information;
- Pass data to any advertising networks;
- Pass personal data to third parties.
Consent for Cookies
When you first visit our website using a new browser we will provide you with a cookies permission banner, seeking your consent to the use of certain cookies.
Not all cookies require consent. Those which are required for the operation of the website, known as ‘strictly necessary’ cookies do not require consent. Without these cookies the website cannot work as designed.
Other types of cookies do require consent. These include:
- Functionality cookies, which are used to improve the usability of the website; Analytical or performance cookies, which are used to help us improve the website; and
- Advertising or marketing cookies, which are used to target advertising on a website.
You can change your cookie preferences at any time through our cookie banner, but please be aware that opting out of cookies may affect your user experience on our website.
What cookie types do we use?
Cookie types and expiry:
Session cookies - these are temporary and are erased when you close your browser at the end of your visit, or if you delete them earlier. The next time you visit our website we will not recognise you and will treat you as a completely new visitor.
Persistent cookies - these remain on your hard drive until you erase them or they expire, this is after 12 months.
We may use one or more of the following kinds of cookies:
- Strictly Necessary Cookies. These cookies are required for the operation of our website. This can include cookies that will enable you to log into a secure area of our website, e.g staff, parent or pupil area. Without these the website will not work as designed. These cookies do not require consent.
- Functionality cookies. These cookies require consent. They are used to recognise you when you return to our website. The content is then personalised to you and can greet you by name (once in the secure area) or remember preferences that you may set.
- Analytical/performance cookies. These cookies require consent. They allow us to count and recognise the number of visitors to our site. It also allows us to see when and how visitors navigate our website. Using these cookies helps us improve our website and make popular searched items easier to find. We also use the following widget(s) for this purpose:
- Google Analytics. They help us to analyse how you engage with and use our website. For more information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data using cookies, please visit www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.
- YouTube. We embed videos from our official YouTube channel using YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode. This mode may set cookies on your computer once you click on the YouTube video player, but YouTube will not store personally-identifiable cookie information for playbacks of embedded videos. For more information on how Youtube collects and processes data using cookies, please visit YouTube embedding information page
- Facebook. We have embedded our Schools Facebook widget on the website. To find out more about these cookies please visit https://www.facebook.com/policies/cookies/
- Google Maps. We use Google maps in our website to help users find us. For more information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data using cookies, please visit www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.
- Marketing cookies. These cookies require consent. These are served by third parties and are used for targeted content and advertisements based on user behaviour across websites, and provision of social media features. We use the following third parties for this purpose and you should refer to their privacy policy for what data they collect:.
- YouTube. We embed videos from our official YouTube channel using YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode. This mode may set cookies on your computer once you click on the YouTube video player, but YouTube will not store personally-identifiable cookie information for playbacks of embedded videos. For more information on how Youtube collects and processes data using cookies, please visit YouTube embedding information page
- Facebook. We have embedded our Schools Facebook widget on the website. To find out more about these cookies please visit https://www.facebook.com/policies/cookies/
- Google Maps. We use Google maps in our website to help users find us. For more information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data using cookies, please visit www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.
How do we obtain consent for the use of cookies?
When you first visit our sites using a new browser, or if you visit in private browsing mode, we will provide you with a cookies permission banner seeking your consent to use of cookies as required by law.
How do I erase or opt out of the use of cookies?
You can change your cookie preferences at any time through our cookie banner, but please be aware that opting out of cookies may affect your user experience on our website.
Alternatively, most web browsers allow some control of most cookies through the browser settings. To find out more about cookies, including how to see what cookies have been set, visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org.
Find out how to manage cookies on popular browsers:
• Google Chrome
• Microsoft Edge
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Opera
• Apple Safari
To find information relating to other browsers, visit the browser developer's website.
To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, visit http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
You can also use specialist software that protects against malicious cookies. These applications can be customised to let you change the content of the cookies you want to receive or will allow to be stored on your device.
What is our lawful basis for processing your information?
Under the UK GDPR, it is essential to have a lawful basis when processing personal information. We normally rely on the following lawful bases:
• Article 6(1)(a) - consent
• Article 6(1)(f) – legitimate interest
We only rely on legitimate interests when we are using your data in ways you would reasonably expect.
Copyright
All information on this website, including but not limited to graphics, design, text, and images, is subject to the copyright of the school or a third party that has given permission for the school to use the material. The school grants permissions to electronically copy, print to hard copy, or transfer such material, so long as it is for school business only.
Disclaimer and external links
The school makes every effort to ensure the content on this website is correct and factual. The school accepts no liability for any inconvenience or loss caused by reliance on any information contained on this website.
The school makes every effort to ensure links to external websites are secure. The school accepts no liability for the privacy practices of those external websites.
Accessibility
Synergy Schools - Accessibility
What rights do you have over your data?
Under the UK GDPR, individuals have the following rights in relation to the processing of their personal data:
- to be informed about how we process your personal data. This notice fulfils this obligation.
- to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- to request that your personal data is amended if inaccurate or incomplete.
- to request that your personal data is erased where there is no compelling reason for its continued processing.
- to request that the processing of your personal data is restricted.
- to object to your personal data being processed.
If you have any concerns about the way we have handled your personal data or would like any further information, then please contact our DPO using the details provided above.
If we cannot resolve your concerns then you may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, which is the UK’s data protection regulator. Their contact details are below:
Phone: 0303 123 1113 or via their live chat. Opening hours are Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm (excluding bank holidays).
You can also report, enquire, register and raise complaints with the ICO using their web form on Contact us | ICO.
Changes to this notice
We reserve the right to change this privacy notice at any time. We will normally notify you of changes that affect you. However, please check regularly to ensure you have the latest version.
This privacy notice was last reviewed September 2023.
