Privacy Policy

Last updated: [Date]

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how FirstBridge Learning Lab ("we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal data when you use our educational services, websites, platforms, and any related applications (collectively, the "Services").

We are committed to respecting your privacy and protecting your personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws in England, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

By using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.

2. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal data is:

FirstBridge Learning Lab [Registered Address] England, United Kingdom

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, you can contact us at: [Contact Email] [Contact Telephone Number]

3. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

3.1 Identification and Contact Data

• Full name
• Email address
• Telephone number
• Postal or billing address
• Age or date of birth (where necessary, for example to verify eligibility or provide age‑appropriate content)

3.2 Educational and Account Data

• Account username and password
• Course enrolment information
• Learning progress, test results, assignments, and assessment records
• Feedback, survey responses, and communications related to our educational Services

3.3 Payment and Transaction Data

• Payment method details (processed via secure third‑party payment processors)
• Billing history and transaction records

3.4 Technical and Usage Data

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Device identifiers
• Operating system and platform
• Login data, session information, and time zone settings
• Usage data such as pages visited, time spent on pages, clicks, and other interaction data

3.5 Communication Data

• Records of correspondence with us (email, contact forms, phone calls, chat messages)
• Preferences for receiving marketing and information from us

4. How We Collect Personal Data

We collect personal data in various ways, including:

4.1 Directly from You

• When you create an account or register for a course
• When you subscribe to our newsletters or request information
• When you participate in classes, assessments, or surveys
• When you contact us for support or make an enquiry

4.2 Automatically

• Through cookies and similar technologies when you visit our websites or use our online platforms
• Through log files and analytics tools that measure usage and performance

4.3 From Third Parties

• Payment service providers
• Learning management systems or educational platforms we use to deliver our Services
• Partners or institutions that refer you to us or with whom we jointly offer educational programs (where applicable)

5. Legal Bases for Processing

We process your personal data only when we have a lawful basis under UK data protection law. These bases include:

• Performance of a contract: To provide and manage the Services you request, including course delivery, assessments, and certification.
• Legal obligation: To comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, such as record‑keeping and financial reporting.
• Legitimate interests: To operate, protect, and improve our Services; to prevent fraud; to analyse usage; and to communicate reasonable updates, provided that these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Consent: For certain activities, such as sending some types of marketing communications or using non‑essential cookies, we rely on your explicit consent, which you may withdraw at any time.

6. How We Use Personal Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• To create and manage your account and learner profile
• To provide and personalise educational content and support
• To process enrolments, payments, and billing
• To monitor learning progress, deliver assessments, and issue certificates or confirmations
• To communicate with you about your courses, updates, changes to our Services, and administrative matters
• To respond to your queries, requests, and support needs
• To improve, test, and develop our platforms and Services
• To conduct analytics, reporting, and quality assurance
• To send you marketing communications regarding our courses and events, where permitted by law and your preferences
• To prevent, detect, and investigate fraud, security incidents, or misuse of our Services
• To comply with applicable legal obligations and regulatory requirements

7. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Enable core site functionality
• Remember your preferences and settings
• Improve the performance and security of our Services
• Analyse how users interact with our websites and content

Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before placing non‑essential cookies on your device. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings or via any cookie management tools we provide. Blocking or deleting certain cookies may impact your ability to use some features of our Services.

8. How We Share Personal Data

We do not sell your personal data. We may share your personal data with:

8.1 Service Providers Third‑party providers who help us deliver our Services, such as:

• IT hosting, cloud storage, and learning management systems
• Payment processors
• Communication and email services
• Analytics and security providers

These third parties are required to use your personal data only as necessary to provide their services to us and must protect it in accordance with applicable laws and our instructions.

8.2 Educational and Business Partners Where relevant to your enrolment or participation, we may share limited personal data with:

• Partner institutions involved in the design or delivery of courses
• Accreditation bodies or professional organisations that validate or recognise our programmes

8.3 Legal and Regulatory Authorities We may disclose your personal data when required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities, including:

• To comply with legal obligations or court orders
• To protect our rights, property, or safety, or those of our learners, staff, or others
• To detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues

8.4 Business Transfers If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or transfer of all or part of our business, your personal data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to safeguards and, where necessary, your rights under data protection law.

9. International Data Transfers

We are based in England, and your personal data is primarily processed in the United Kingdom. If we transfer personal data to countries outside the UK that may have different data protection standards, we will:

• Ensure that the destination country has been deemed to provide an adequate level of protection by the UK government; or
• Implement appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent measures, to protect your data.

You may contact us for more information about international transfers and the safeguards in place.

10. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including for:

• Providing the Services and maintaining your account
• Meeting legal, regulatory, tax, and accounting obligations
• Resolving disputes and enforcing our agreements

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the context of processing. When personal data is no longer required, we will securely delete or anonymise it.

11. Data Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from:

• Unauthorised access or disclosure
• Accidental loss, destruction, or damage

These measures include access controls, encryption where appropriate, secure storage, regular security reviews, and staff training. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the following rights in relation to your personal data, subject to certain conditions and exceptions:

• Right of access: To obtain a copy of your personal data and information about how we process it.
• Right to rectification: To have inaccurate or incomplete personal data corrected.
• Right to erasure: To request deletion of your personal data, where there is no lawful reason for us to continue processing it.
• Right to restriction: To request that we limit the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
• Right to data portability: To receive the personal data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine‑readable format and to transmit it to another controller where technically feasible.
• Right to object: To object to processing based on our legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
• Rights related to consent: Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact details provided in this Policy. We may need to verify your identity before responding to your request.

13. Children’s Privacy

Our Services may be used by children and young learners as part of our educational offering. When we process personal data of children, we take additional care to protect their privacy, including:

• Obtaining consent from a parent or legal guardian where required by law
• Providing age‑appropriate information and safeguards

If you are a parent or guardian and believe we have collected personal data from a child without appropriate consent, please contact us so that we can address the issue.

14. Marketing Communications

We may send you information about our courses, events, and educational opportunities that we believe may be of interest to you, in accordance with your preferences and applicable law.

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by:

• Clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any email we send; or
• Contacting us directly using the contact details in this Policy.

Even if you opt out of marketing communications, we may still send you non‑marketing messages relating to your account, enrolments, or the Services you use.

15. Third‑Party Websites and Services

Our Services may contain links to third‑party websites or integrate third‑party tools or content. We are not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of those third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external websites or services you visit or use.

16. Complaints

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal data, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK supervisory authority:

Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Website: https://ico.org.uk/ Telephone: +44 (0)303 123 1113

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make significant changes, we will take appropriate steps to inform you, such as posting a prominent notice on our website or emailing you where appropriate.

The "Last updated" date at the top of this Policy indicates when it was most recently revised.

By continuing to use our Services after any changes become effective, you acknowledge the updated Privacy Policy.