LIBERTY SCHOOL LTD

Privacy Notice

Version: 1.0
Approved by: Directors of Liberty School Ltd
Data Protection Lead: Liberty School Ltd
Contact: data@libertyschool.co.uk
Last reviewed: July 2026
Next review: July 2027 (or sooner if legislation or operational requirements change)

1. Introduction

At Liberty School, we understand that families place a great deal of trust in us. Providing an outstanding education also means protecting the personal information entrusted to us by pupils, parents, carers, employees and everyone connected with our school.

We are committed to handling personal information fairly, lawfully, transparently and securely. Whether you are making an initial enquiry, applying for a place, joining our school community or simply visiting our website, we want you to understand what information we collect, why we collect it and how we use it.

This Privacy Notice explains how Liberty School Ltd collects, stores, uses, shares and protects personal information. It also explains the rights individuals have under UK data protection legislation and how those rights may be exercised.

We recognise that much of the information we hold relates to children and families. We therefore take particular care to ensure that personal information is handled with sensitivity, confidentiality and appropriate safeguards. We only collect information that is necessary to provide our educational services, fulfil our legal responsibilities, safeguard those in our care and operate the school effectively.

We continually review our systems, working practices and security arrangements to ensure that personal information remains protected and that our practices remain consistent with current legislation and recognised good practice.

This Privacy Notice applies to personal information relating to:

prospective pupils and their families;

current pupils and former pupils;

parents, carers and those with parental responsibility;

visitors to our website;

visitors to the school;

employees, workers and volunteers;

job applicants;

contractors and suppliers; and

anyone else who provides personal information to Liberty School.

Where another organisation provides services on our behalf, or where we work with Local Authorities, schools, health professionals or other agencies, we ensure that personal information is shared only where there is a lawful basis for doing so and appropriate safeguards are in place.

When you use our website, contact Liberty School or provide us with personal information, we will process that information in accordance with this Privacy Notice.

2. Who We Are

Liberty School Ltd is an independent school committed to providing a nurturing, inclusive and ambitious learning environment where every child is supported to achieve their full potential.

For the purposes of UK data protection legislation, Liberty School Ltd is the data controller for the personal information described in this Privacy Notice. This means we are responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is used and ensuring it is processed in accordance with applicable law.

Liberty School Ltd
Company Number: 16063210

Registered Office:

Media Exchange 3
Coquet Street
Newcastle upon Tyne
Tyne and Wear
NE1 2QB

Our main school address, where different from our registered office, will be provided on our website and in our admissions information.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice or how Liberty School processes personal information, please contact us using the details below.

Email: data@libertyschool.co.uk

If we are unable to resolve your concerns, you also have the right to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent authority responsible for upholding information rights.

3. Our Commitment to Privacy

Protecting the privacy and security of personal information is an important part of how Liberty School operates.

We recognise that the information entrusted to us often includes sensitive personal information relating to children, families and staff. We therefore take our responsibilities seriously and are committed to ensuring that all personal information is handled with care, respect and confidentiality.

Whenever we collect or use personal information, we will do so only where there is a lawful reason, ensuring that the information we collect is appropriate, relevant and limited to what is genuinely required. We will never collect information simply because it may be useful in the future.

We are committed to being open and transparent about how personal information is used. Wherever possible, we will explain why information is needed, how it will be used and who it may be shared with.

To protect the information we hold, Liberty School has implemented a range of technical and organisational security measures designed to prevent unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse or disclosure. Access to personal information is restricted to those members of staff, contractors or professional advisers who need it to carry out their role, and all such individuals are expected to respect the confidentiality of the information they handle.

Our responsibilities do not end once information has been collected. We regularly review the information we hold to ensure it remains accurate and up to date and securely dispose of information that is no longer required in accordance with our retention arrangements and legal obligations.

We also expect the organisations that provide services on our behalf to meet the same high standards of confidentiality, information security and data protection that we expect of ourselves.

Where we work with Local Authorities, healthcare professionals, previous schools or other organisations involved in supporting a child, we will only share personal information where there is a lawful basis to do so and where it is necessary to support a child’s education, wellbeing, safeguarding or the operation of the school.

Data protection is closely linked to safeguarding. In some circumstances, we may be required to share information without consent where this is necessary to protect a child or another individual from harm, to comply with a legal obligation or to support the prevention or detection of crime. Wherever possible, we will ensure that only the minimum information necessary is shared.

Protecting personal information is not solely the responsibility of one individual or department. It is a responsibility shared by everyone who works for or on behalf of Liberty School, and we provide appropriate policies, training and procedures to ensure that personal information continues to be handled responsibly.

This Privacy Notice is supported by internal policies and procedures, including our data protection arrangements, records retention arrangements, safeguarding procedures and breach reporting process.

4. What Information We Collect

The personal information we collect depends on your relationship with Liberty School and the services you receive from us. In many cases, you choose whether to provide certain information, although some information is necessary for us to fulfil our legal obligations or to provide education safely and effectively.

Prospective pupils and families

If you enquire about Liberty School or apply for a place, we may collect information including:

the child’s name, date of birth and current educational setting;

parent, carer and emergency contact details;

information about the child’s educational history and learning needs;

school reports, assessments and references;

information relating to special educational needs or disabilities (SEND);

Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), where applicable;

information shared during visits, meetings or admissions discussions;

correspondence relating to your enquiry or application.

This information helps us understand whether Liberty School is able to meet a child’s individual needs and allows us to manage our admissions process fairly and effectively.

Pupils

For pupils who attend Liberty School, we may collect and maintain information including:

personal details and contact information;

attendance records;

assessment and academic progress;

learning support information;

behaviour and pastoral records;

safeguarding records;

SEND information;

EHCP documentation;

medical information, allergies and medication requirements;

dietary requirements where relevant;

wellbeing information;

accident and incident records;

educational visits and consent records;

photographs and video recordings where appropriate;

any other information necessary to provide education, fulfil our safeguarding responsibilities or meet legal obligations.

Parents and carers

We may collect information including:

names and contact details;

parental responsibility information;

preferred methods of communication;

emergency contact information;

billing and payment information where applicable;

correspondence with the school;

information relating to meetings and communications;

feedback, complaints or compliments.

Website visitors

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect limited technical information such as:

IP address;

browser type;

device information;

pages visited;

referring website;

date and time of access;

cookie preferences;

information submitted through website forms.

Further information about cookies can be found later in this Privacy Notice.

Employees, volunteers and applicants

Where individuals apply to work or volunteer with Liberty School, we may collect information necessary to recruit, employ and manage our workforce. This may include identity information, qualifications, employment history, references, DBS and safeguarding checks, payroll information and employment records.

Separate privacy information may also be provided during the recruitment process or at the start of employment.

Contractors, suppliers and professional advisers

We may collect personal information relating to individuals who provide goods or services to Liberty School. This will normally include contact details, business information, payment information and correspondence necessary for the administration of our relationship.

Special category information

Some of the information we process is regarded as more sensitive under data protection legislation. This may include information relating to:

physical or mental health;

disabilities and additional needs;

medical conditions;

racial or ethnic origin;

religious or philosophical beliefs where relevant;

safeguarding concerns;

information relating to a child’s welfare;

biometric information, where this is introduced and where its use is permitted by law.

We only collect and use this information where there is a lawful basis to do so and where it is necessary to provide education, support pupils, fulfil our safeguarding responsibilities or comply with our legal obligations.

Where we process special category information, we will identify both a lawful basis under UK GDPR and a separate condition for processing special category data. Where required, this will be supported by an appropriate policy document.

Information we receive from others

In addition to information provided directly by you, we may receive information from:

parents and carers;

previous schools;

Local Authorities;

educational psychologists;

health professionals;

therapists;

social care services;

safeguarding partners;

examination bodies;

regulatory authorities; and

other professionals involved in supporting a child or family.

Where we receive information from another organisation, we will process it in accordance with this Privacy Notice and applicable data protection legislation.

5. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information in a number of different ways, depending on your relationship with Liberty School and the services you receive from us.

Information you provide directly

Much of the personal information we hold is provided directly by you. This may include information supplied when you:

make an enquiry about the school;

complete an admissions or registration form;

visit the school;

communicate with us by telephone, email or in person;

provide consent forms;

complete questionnaires or surveys;

apply for employment or volunteer opportunities; or

otherwise correspond with Liberty School.

Information provided during the admissions process

During the admissions process we may receive information from parents, carers or professionals to help us understand whether Liberty School is able to meet a child’s individual educational, pastoral and wellbeing needs.

This may include school reports, assessments, Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), professional reports and other relevant information provided in support of an application.

Information from other organisations

Where appropriate and lawful, we may receive information from other organisations, including:

previous or current schools;

Local Authorities;

educational psychologists;

healthcare professionals;

therapists;

social care services;

safeguarding partners;

examination bodies;

regulatory authorities; and

other organisations involved in supporting a child or family.

We will only obtain information from these organisations where there is a lawful basis for doing so.

Information collected through our website

When you use our website, we may collect information that you choose to provide through contact or enquiry forms, together with certain technical information about how the website is accessed and used.

This may include information collected through cookies and similar technologies. Further information is provided in the Cookies section of this Privacy Notice.

Information created during your relationship with the school

As part of providing education and operating the school, we also create records relating to our interactions with pupils, parents, carers and others.

Examples include attendance records, assessment information, safeguarding records, meeting notes, correspondence, behaviour records, accident reports and other administrative records necessary for the operation of the school.

CCTV

Where appropriate, personal information may also be collected through our CCTV system for safeguarding, security and crime prevention purposes.

Further information about our use of CCTV is provided later in this Privacy Notice and in our separate CCTV Policy.

Accuracy of information

We rely on parents, carers and others to ensure that the information they provide remains accurate and up to date.

If your contact details, emergency contacts, parental responsibility arrangements or any other important information changes, please let us know as soon as possible so that our records can be updated.

6. How We Use Personal Information

Liberty School uses personal information to provide education, support pupils and families, safeguard those in our care, fulfil our legal obligations and operate the school effectively.

The information we collect helps us to understand each child as an individual, provide appropriate support and maintain a safe, nurturing and well-managed learning environment.

Depending on your relationship with the school, we may use personal information for the following purposes.

Admissions and enquiries

We use personal information to:

respond to enquiries about Liberty School;

arrange school visits and meetings;

manage applications for admission;

assess whether we are able to meet a child’s individual educational, pastoral and wellbeing needs;

communicate with prospective families throughout the admissions process.

Providing information during the admissions process does not automatically guarantee a place at the school. Information provided before admission may be retained for an appropriate period where necessary to administer the admissions process, comply with legal obligations or establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Admissions decisions are made by appropriate members of staff. We may use information provided through enquiry forms, questionnaires or discussions to help us assess suitability, but decisions are not made solely by automated means.

Providing education

Once a pupil joins Liberty School, personal information is used to:

deliver education and learning activities;

monitor academic progress and achievement;

provide appropriate learning support;

develop individual learning approaches where required;

monitor attendance;

maintain educational records;

communicate effectively with parents and carers;

organise educational visits, activities and enrichment opportunities.

Supporting pupils

Every child is unique, and we use personal information to ensure that support can be tailored to individual needs.

This may include using information to:

understand a child’s strengths and areas for development;

provide appropriate pastoral support;

support children with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND);

work with external professionals where appropriate;

implement Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs);

manage medical conditions, allergies or medication;

support emotional wellbeing and mental health.

Safeguarding and promoting welfare

Safeguarding is one of Liberty School’s most important responsibilities.

We may use personal information where necessary to:

protect children and vulnerable individuals;

identify and respond to safeguarding concerns;

share information with appropriate agencies where required;

investigate incidents;

fulfil our statutory safeguarding responsibilities;

maintain appropriate safeguarding records.

In some circumstances, safeguarding responsibilities require us to share information without consent where permitted or required by law. Wherever possible, we will ensure that only the information necessary for the particular purpose is shared.

Communicating with families

We use personal information to communicate with parents and carers regarding:

admissions;

attendance;

educational progress;

wellbeing;

school events;

newsletters;

emergency situations;

school closures;

important operational updates;

other matters relating to a child’s education.

We may communicate by email, telephone, text message or other appropriate communication methods, depending on the nature of the communication and the contact details provided to us.

Where you have agreed to receive marketing communications, or where we are otherwise permitted by law to do so, we may contact you regarding open events, school news or other relevant services offered by Liberty School. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time. Opting out of marketing communications will not affect essential communications relating to an enquiry, application, pupil place, safeguarding matter or the operation of the school.

Operating the school

Personal information is also used to enable Liberty School to operate safely, efficiently and responsibly.

This may include:

managing school finances and billing;

maintaining accurate records;

managing staff recruitment and employment;

administering contracts;

complying with insurance requirements;

maintaining school security;

investigating complaints;

responding to legal requests;

improving our services;

planning future provision;

maintaining appropriate governance and oversight.

Security and protecting our premises

We use personal information to help maintain the safety and security of pupils, staff, visitors and school property.

This includes the operation of CCTV, visitor management systems and other reasonable security measures designed to protect those using our premises.

Legal and regulatory obligations

Like all schools, Liberty School is required to comply with a range of legal and regulatory obligations.

We may therefore use personal information to:

comply with education legislation;

meet safeguarding requirements;

respond to lawful requests from public authorities;

fulfil our contractual obligations;

comply with financial, accounting and tax legislation;

comply with court orders or legal proceedings;

meet our obligations to regulators and inspectors.

We will only use personal information where there is a lawful basis for doing so and will never use it for purposes that are incompatible with the reasons for which it was originally collected.

7. Our Legal Basis for Processing Personal Information

Data protection law requires organisations to have a lawful basis whenever they collect, use or share personal information.

The lawful basis we rely upon will depend on the purpose for which the information is being used. In many cases, more than one lawful basis may apply.

The principal lawful bases relied upon by Liberty School are set out below.

Contract

Where you apply for, accept or receive services from Liberty School, we may process personal information where this is necessary to take steps before entering into a contract or to fulfil a contract with you

For example, this includes administering admissions, providing educational services, managing school fees and communicating with parents and carers about a child’s education.

Legal obligation

Schools are required to comply with a wide range of legal and regulatory obligations.

We may therefore process personal information where it is necessary to comply with legislation, statutory guidance, court orders or other legal requirements.

This includes obligations relating to safeguarding, health and safety, employment, taxation, accounting and regulatory compliance.

Legitimate interests

In many situations, Liberty School has a legitimate interest in processing personal information in order to operate the school effectively, improve our services and provide an excellent educational experience.

Examples include:

managing admissions enquiries;

communicating with parents and carers;

maintaining accurate school records;

improving the quality of our services;

ensuring the security of our premises and systems;

investigating complaints or incidents; and

administering the day-to-day operation of the school.

Whenever we rely on legitimate interests, we carefully consider the impact on the rights and freedoms of the individuals concerned and ensure that our interests do not override those rights.

Consent

In certain circumstances, we will ask for your consent before processing personal information.

This is most likely to apply where the law requires consent or where we believe it is the most appropriate basis for processing.

Examples may include:

certain marketing communications;

the use of photographs or videos for promotional purposes;

participation in optional activities where consent is appropriate.

Where we rely on consent, it may be withdrawn at any time. Withdrawing consent will not affect any processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.

Vital interests

In exceptional circumstances, we may process personal information where it is necessary to protect the vital interests of an individual or another person.

This is most likely to arise where there is a serious risk to a person’s life, health or safety and personal information must be used or shared to protect them.

Special category information

Some personal information, such as information relating to health, disabilities, ethnicity, religion, biometric data or certain safeguarding matters, receives additional protection under UK data protection legislation.

Where we process this type of information, we will only do so where an additional legal condition also applies.

Depending on the circumstances, this may include where processing is necessary:

to fulfil our obligations in relation to education or employment;

to safeguard children or vulnerable individuals;

to provide appropriate educational support;

for reasons of substantial public interest;

for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; or

with the explicit consent of the individual, where consent is the appropriate legal basis.

Wherever possible, we will ensure that only the minimum amount of personal information necessary is processed.

8. Safeguarding and Child Protection

The safety and wellbeing of every child is our highest priority. Protecting children from harm is a fundamental responsibility of Liberty School and is central to everything we do.

Safeguarding is not only a moral responsibility but also a legal and regulatory duty. In order to fulfil that duty, we may need to collect, use, retain and, where appropriate, share personal information relating to pupils, parents, carers and others.

Personal information may be used to:

identify concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing;

assess and respond to safeguarding risks;

support pupils who may require additional help or intervention;

maintain accurate safeguarding records;

work with parents, carers and other professionals to support children; and

comply with our statutory safeguarding responsibilities.

Where appropriate, we may share information with organisations such as Local Authorities, children’s social care, health professionals, the police or other safeguarding agencies where this is necessary to protect a child, comply with the law or fulfil our safeguarding responsibilities.

In some circumstances, we may be required to share personal information without obtaining consent from a parent, carer or pupil. This will only occur where there is a lawful basis for doing so and where sharing the information is necessary to safeguard a child or another individual, prevent or detect crime, comply with a legal obligation or otherwise protect vital interests.

Whenever information is shared for safeguarding purposes, we will ensure that only the information necessary for the particular purpose is disclosed and that it is shared securely with those who have a legitimate need to receive it.

Safeguarding records are treated with a particularly high degree of confidentiality. Access is restricted to authorised members of staff who require the information in order to carry out their safeguarding responsibilities.

Further information about our safeguarding arrangements can be found within our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

Liberty School may also retain safeguarding information for longer than other educational records where this is necessary to comply with safeguarding guidance, legal obligations or to protect the interests of former pupils. Information will only be retained for as long as necessary and in accordance with our retention schedule.

9. Sharing Personal Information

Liberty School treats personal information as confidential and will only share it where there is a lawful basis to do so and where it is necessary, proportionate and appropriate.

In many cases, information is shared because it is essential to providing education, supporting pupils, fulfilling our legal responsibilities or operating the school safely and effectively.

Depending on the circumstances, we may share personal information with:

parents, carers and those with parental responsibility;

Local Authorities and other commissioning bodies;

previous or future schools;

educational psychologists and specialist assessors;

health professionals, therapists and other professionals supporting a child;

children’s social care and safeguarding agencies;

examination and awarding bodies, where applicable;

regulators, inspectors and government departments;

our professional advisers, including legal, financial and insurance advisers;

organisations that provide services on our behalf, such as IT providers, secure cloud software providers and communication platforms; and

law enforcement agencies or other public authorities where required or permitted by law.

Where information relates to a child, we will consider the child’s best interests, welfare and safeguarding needs when deciding whether information should be shared.

Where we engage third-party providers to deliver services on our behalf, they are only permitted to use personal information in accordance with our instructions and are required to maintain appropriate standards of confidentiality, security and data protection.

We do not sell personal information, nor do we share it with third parties for their own marketing purposes.

Where appropriate, we may also share information with parents, carers and professionals working together to support a child. We recognise that effective communication between those involved in a child’s education and wellbeing is often essential to achieving the best possible outcomes.

Before sharing personal information, we carefully consider:

whether there is a lawful basis for sharing the information;

whether the information is necessary for the intended purpose;

whether only the minimum amount of information required is being shared; and

whether the information can be shared securely.

Where information is shared internationally, appropriate safeguards will be applied in accordance with UK data protection legislation. Further information about international transfers is provided later in this Privacy Notice.

10. Our Systems and Technology

Like most modern schools, Liberty School uses a range of secure digital systems to help us deliver education, communicate with families, safeguard pupils and manage the day-to-day operation of the school.

These systems allow us to securely store information, communicate efficiently with parents and carers, maintain educational records, manage admissions, support safeguarding and fulfil our legal and regulatory obligations.

The systems we use may include services for:

email and communication;

website enquiries and online forms;

pupil records and school administration;

safeguarding and wellbeing;

finance and accounting;

cloud-based document storage;

customer relationship management (CRM);

telephony and messaging; and

other systems necessary to support the operation of the school.

Before introducing new systems, we consider a range of factors, including information security, reliability, compliance with UK data protection legislation and the ability of the provider to protect the personal information entrusted to them.

Where a third-party provider processes personal information on our behalf, they are required to do so only in accordance with our instructions and under appropriate contractual obligations. We require our suppliers to maintain appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse or disclosure, and we take appropriate steps to satisfy ourselves that those measures are suitable.

Access to our systems is restricted to authorised personnel who require the information to carry out their role. Where appropriate, we use measures such as password protection, multi-factor authentication, encryption and role-based access controls to help protect the information we hold.

We regularly review the systems we use to ensure they continue to meet our operational needs and our obligations under data protection legislation.

11. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and International Transfers

Liberty School uses a cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system provided by HighLevel to help manage enquiries, admissions, communications and other administrative processes.

Information submitted through our website, online forms, email, telephone enquiries or during the admissions process may be recorded and securely stored within this system. This enables us to respond to enquiries efficiently, manage applications, maintain appropriate records and communicate effectively with prospective and current families.

HighLevel acts as a data processor on behalf of Liberty School. This means that Liberty School remains responsible for the personal information held within the system, while HighLevel processes that information only in accordance with our instructions and applicable contractual obligations.

As with many cloud-based technology providers, some personal information processed through HighLevel may be transferred to or stored outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place to protect personal information in accordance with UK data protection legislation before any restricted international transfer takes place. These safeguards may include the use of approved contractual clauses, adequacy regulations or other recognised transfer mechanisms where required.

We only use reputable service providers that are committed to maintaining appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, and we regularly review the suitability of the systems and providers we use.

Further information about how HighLevel processes personal information is available within HighLevel’s own privacy documentation. Liberty School will remain responsible for ensuring that personal information entered into the CRM is processed in accordance with this Privacy Notice and applicable data protection legislation.

12. Photography, Video Recording and CCTV

As part of school life, Liberty School may create photographs, video recordings and CCTV images for a variety of legitimate educational, safeguarding, security and promotional purposes.

We recognise that images of children and adults are personal information and are committed to using them responsibly, securely and with appropriate regard for privacy.

Photography and Video Recording

Photographs and video recordings may be taken during lessons, educational visits, performances, sporting activities, celebrations and other school events.

Depending on the circumstances, these images may be used to:

support teaching and learning;

record and celebrate pupils’ achievements;

create displays within the school;

communicate with parents and carers;

produce school publications;

promote Liberty School through our website, prospectus or social media channels; and

maintain a historical record of school life.

Where consent is required by law, or where we consider consent to be the most appropriate basis, we will seek consent before using identifiable photographs or video recordings for promotional or marketing purposes. Parents and carers may withdraw that consent at any time, although this will not affect material already published or otherwise lawfully used before consent was withdrawn.

We ask parents, carers and visitors to respect the privacy of other children and families when taking photographs or videos during school events. Images should not be published online or shared more widely without appropriate permission from those concerned.

CCTV

Liberty School operates CCTV systems at its premises to help maintain a safe and secure environment for pupils, staff, visitors and contractors.

Clear signage is displayed where CCTV is in operation.

Our CCTV system is used for legitimate purposes including:

safeguarding pupils;

protecting staff and visitors;

preventing and detecting crime;

protecting school buildings and property;

assisting in the investigation of incidents;

supporting the health, safety and security of everyone on our premises.

CCTV is not used to monitor pupils or staff unnecessarily, and cameras are positioned only where they are considered appropriate and proportionate.

Access to CCTV recordings is strictly limited to authorised individuals who require access for legitimate operational, safeguarding, security or legal reasons. Recordings may be shared with the police, insurers, legal advisers or other authorised organisations where there is a lawful basis for doing so.

CCTV recordings are retained only for as long as necessary in accordance with our retention arrangements, unless they are required as part of an investigation, legal proceedings or another lawful purpose.

Further information about our use of CCTV is available within our separate CCTV Policy.

13. Website, Cookies and Analytics

When you visit the Liberty School website, we automatically receive certain technical information about your visit. This helps us ensure that our website operates correctly, remains secure and continues to meet the needs of those who use it.

Depending on how you use our website, we may collect information such as:

your IP address;

browser type and version;

operating system;

device type;

pages visited;

the date and time of your visit;

the website that referred you to us; and

information submitted through online forms.

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, remember your preferences, understand how visitors use the website and help us improve the services we provide.

Some cookies are essential for the operation of the website and cannot be disabled. Other cookies, including those used for analytics or measuring website performance, will only be placed where consent is required and has been obtained, and in accordance with your cookie preferences.

Where you submit an enquiry through our website, the information you provide will be securely transmitted to Liberty School and may be stored within our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system so that we can respond to your enquiry, manage admissions and maintain appropriate records.

We do not use website information to make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects for individuals.

Our website may contain links to third-party websites for your convenience or further information. Once you leave the Liberty School website, we are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those external websites. We encourage you to read the privacy notices of any websites you visit.

14. Keeping Personal Information Secure

Protecting personal information is an important part of our responsibility as a school. We recognise that parents, carers, pupils and staff trust us to keep their information safe, and we take that responsibility seriously.

Liberty School uses a combination of physical, organisational and technical security measures to help protect personal information against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

These measures include, where appropriate:

secure cloud-based systems and services;

encrypted connections to our systems;

password protection and multi-factor authentication;

role-based access controls, ensuring staff can only access the information they need to carry out their duties;

secure storage of paper records;

regular software updates and security patching;

secure backup and disaster recovery arrangements;

staff training in confidentiality, safeguarding and data protection;

confidentiality obligations for employees, contractors and volunteers;

appropriate monitoring, auditing and system logging where necessary; and

secure destruction of personal information when it is no longer required.

Access to personal information is restricted to those who have a genuine operational need to know it. Staff are expected to handle all information confidentially and in accordance with our policies, procedures and professional responsibilities.

Where we use third-party organisations to provide services on our behalf, we take appropriate steps to ensure they have suitable security measures in place and that they process personal information only in accordance with our instructions and applicable data protection legislation.

Although we take appropriate precautions to protect the information we hold, no method of storing or transmitting information can ever be guaranteed to be completely secure. We continually review our systems, working practices and security measures to help ensure that personal information remains appropriately protected against evolving threats.

If we become aware of a personal data breach that is likely to result in a risk to the rights and freedoms of individuals, we will investigate the incident promptly, take appropriate action to reduce any potential impact and notify the Information Commissioner’s Office and affected individuals where required by law.

Everyone who works for or on behalf of Liberty School shares responsibility for protecting personal information. We regularly review our policies, procedures and training to ensure that information security remains an integral part of how we operate.

15. How Long We Keep Personal Information

Liberty School retains personal information only for as long as it is necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, to comply with legal and regulatory obligations and to support the effective operation of the school.

The length of time we retain information varies depending on the type of information, the reason it was collected and any legal, safeguarding or regulatory requirements that apply.

For example, different retention periods may apply to:

admissions enquiries and applications;

pupil educational records;

safeguarding records;

attendance and assessment information;

financial and accounting records;

employment records;

CCTV recordings;

accident and incident records; and

complaints and correspondence.

Safeguarding and child protection records may be retained for longer than other categories of information where this is necessary to comply with safeguarding obligations, statutory guidance, regulatory expectations or to protect the interests of current or former pupils.

In some cases, we may retain information after a pupil has left the school where this is necessary to comply with legal obligations, safeguarding guidance, regulatory requirements or to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised, as appropriate.

Liberty School maintains an internal Records Retention Schedule which sets out the retention periods that apply to different categories of information. Where appropriate, those retention periods are based upon legal requirements, statutory guidance and recognised best practice.

16. Your Rights

UK data protection legislation gives individuals a number of rights in relation to their personal information. These rights are intended to help you understand how your information is used and to give you greater control over it.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to exemptions or limitations under data protection legislation, particularly where information relates to safeguarding, legal obligations, confidential references, third-party information or the rights and freedoms of others.

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

Request access to your personal information

You have the right to ask whether Liberty School holds personal information about you and, where we do, to request a copy of that information together with an explanation of how it is being used.

Request correction of inaccurate information

If you believe that any personal information we hold about you or your child is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, you may ask us to correct or update it.

Request erasure

In certain circumstances, you may ask us to delete personal information that we hold about you.

This right does not apply in every situation. Schools are often required to retain information in order to comply with legal obligations, safeguarding responsibilities or other legitimate purposes.

Request restriction of processing

You may ask us to restrict the way we use your personal information while a concern is investigated or where another legal basis for restriction applies.

Object to processing

Where we rely on legitimate interests as our lawful basis for processing, you have the right to object in certain circumstances.

We will carefully consider any objection and respond in accordance with our legal obligations.

Data portability

Where processing is based on consent or a contract and carried out by automated means, you may request that certain personal information be provided in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format so that it can be transferred to another organisation where technically feasible.

Withdraw consent

Where we rely on your consent to process personal information, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Withdrawing consent will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before consent was withdrawn, and it will not affect any processing carried out under another lawful basis.

Rights relating to automated decision-making

You have rights in relation to certain automated decision-making and profiling.

Liberty School does not make decisions about individuals solely by automated means where those decisions produce legal or similarly significant effects.

17. Exercising Your Rights

If you wish to exercise any of your rights or have any questions about how Liberty School uses personal information, please contact us using the details at the end of this Privacy Notice.

To help protect personal information, we may ask you to provide reasonable proof of identity before responding to your request.

We will respond to requests without undue delay and, in most cases, within one month of receiving a valid request and any information reasonably required to confirm identity or clarify the request. Where a request is particularly complex or where multiple requests have been made, the law allows this period to be extended. If an extension is required, we will let you know and explain the reasons.

There is normally no charge for exercising your data protection rights. However, where a request is manifestly unfounded or excessive, we may refuse the request or charge a reasonable administrative fee where permitted by law.

If a request relates to information about a child, we will consider the child’s rights, age, understanding and best interests, together with the responsibilities of those with parental responsibility and any applicable legal requirements, before responding.

18. Complaints

We hope that any questions or concerns about how Liberty School handles personal information can be resolved quickly and informally.

If you have any concerns about this Privacy Notice or about the way we have handled your personal information, we encourage you to contact us in the first instance so that we have the opportunity to investigate the matter and, where appropriate, put things right.

You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK’s independent authority responsible for upholding information rights.

Further information about making a complaint is available from the ICO at www.ico.org.uk. You can also contact the ICO using the details set out in the Contact Us section below

Making a complaint to the ICO does not affect any other legal rights or remedies you may have.

19. Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, regulatory guidance, our services, the technology we use or the way in which we process personal information.

Where changes are significant, we will take reasonable steps to bring them to the attention of those affected.

The latest version of this Privacy Notice will always be published on the Liberty School website and will include the date on which it was last updated.

20. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Notice, wish to exercise your data protection rights or would like further information about how Liberty School processes personal information, please contact us.

Liberty School Ltd
Company Number: 16063210