Privacy Policy

Gradus Academy is operated as a sole trader by Rebecca Harrigan. This privacy policy explains how I collect, use, store and protect your personal data when you use this website or engage with my tutoring services. I am committed to handling your personal information with care, transparency and in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1. Who I Am

Gradus Academy is a sole trader tutoring service operated by Rebecca Harrigan, based in Northern Ireland. For any data-related queries, you can contact me directly:

2. What Information I Collect

When you use this website or enquire about tutoring, I may collect the following personal information:

• Your name and the name of your child
• Your email address and phone number
• Your child's year group and the subjects they need support with
• Any additional information you choose to provide in the enquiry form
• Basic website usage data collected through analytics tools (see Cookies section)

I do not collect payment card details directly. Any payments are processed securely through a third-party payment provider.

3. How I Use Your Information

The personal information you provide is used for the following purposes:

• To respond to your enquiry and discuss your child's tutoring needs
• To arrange and deliver tutoring sessions
• To send session-related communications, updates and written progress reports
• To maintain records of lessons for safeguarding and quality purposes
• To comply with legal and safeguarding obligations

The legal basis for processing your data is primarily the performance of a contract (or steps taken prior to entering a contract), and in some cases, compliance with a legal obligation. Where I send you optional communications, I rely on your consent, which you may withdraw at any time.

4. How Long I Keep Your Data

I retain personal data for as long as is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, including any legal or safeguarding obligations. As a general principle:

• Enquiry and contact information is retained for up to 12 months if no tutoring relationship is established
• Records relating to active or past students are retained for six years from the end of the tutoring relationship, in line with standard practice and legal requirements
• Safeguarding records may be retained for longer where required by law

You may request deletion of your data at any time, subject to any legal obligations I hold to retain it.

5. Who I Share Your Data With

I do not sell or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes. I may share data in the following limited circumstances:

• With the tutoring platform provider used to deliver online sessions, to the extent necessary to operate the service
• With statutory authorities (such as Children's Social Care or the police) where I have a legal obligation or safeguarding duty to do so
• With payment processors, solely to facilitate the processing of lesson fees

6. Session Recordings

All online tutoring sessions conducted through the Gradus Academy platform are recorded. Recordings are stored securely and are available for parents and students to review. They are used for safeguarding purposes, quality assurance, and to support student revision. Recordings are retained for a reasonable period and then deleted.

7. Cookies

This website may use cookies to understand how visitors use the site. This may include basic analytics data such as which pages are visited and how long visitors spend on the site. No personally identifying information is collected through cookies without your knowledge. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings at any time.

8. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

• Right of access — you may request a copy of the personal data I hold about you
• Right to rectification — you may ask me to correct inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure — you may ask me to delete your data, subject to legal obligations
• Right to restrict processing — you may ask me to limit how I use your data
• Right to object — you may object to certain types of processing
• Right to data portability — you may request your data in a portable format

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me at hello@gradusacademy.co.uk. I will respond within one calendar month.

9. How I Protect Your Data

I take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss or misuse. All online tutoring sessions take place through a secure, encrypted platform. I do not store sensitive personal data in unsecured formats.

Please be aware that no method of data transmission over the internet is entirely secure. If you have concerns about the security of your data, please contact me directly.

10. Complaints

If you have a concern about how I handle your personal data, please contact me in the first instance at hello@gradusacademy.co.uk. If you remain unsatisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK's data protection regulator:

• Information Commissioner's Office (ICO): ico.org.uk
• ICO helpline: 0303 123 1113

Rebecca Harrigan · Gradus Academy · Last updated March 2026