Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

VQ Solutions Ltd ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

VQ Solutions Ltd is the data controller responsible for your personal data. If you have any questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us using the details provided at the end of this policy.

2. Information We Collect

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

2.1 Information You Provide

• Contact information: Name, email address, phone number, postal address
• Enrolment information: Date of birth, National Insurance number, employment details, educational history, prior qualifications
• Account information: Username and password for our Learning Management System (LMS)
• Payment information: Processed securely through Stripe (we do not store full card details)
• Communications: Records of correspondence with us

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Technical data: IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting, operating system
• Usage data: Information about how you use our website, collected via cookies and similar technologies
• Analytics data: Collected through Google Analytics to help us understand website usage

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• Service delivery: To provide apprenticeship programmes, training courses, and educational services
• Administration: To manage your enrolment, track progress, and maintain learning records
• Communication: To send you information about your course, updates, and respond to enquiries
• Legal compliance: To meet our obligations to funding bodies including the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and Ofsted
• Marketing: To send promotional materials (only with your consent)
• Website improvement: To analyse website usage and improve our services
• Payment processing: To process payments through our payment provider, Stripe

4. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data on the following legal bases under UK GDPR:

• Contract: Processing necessary for the performance of a contract with you (e.g., delivering training services)
• Legal obligation: Processing necessary to comply with our legal obligations (e.g., ESFA reporting requirements)
• Legitimate interests: Processing necessary for our legitimate interests (e.g., improving our services, marketing to existing customers)
• Consent: Where you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for specific purposes (e.g., marketing communications)

5. Data Sharing

We may share your personal data with the following third parties:

• Funding bodies: Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), Department for Education
• Regulatory bodies: Ofsted, awarding organisations
• Employers: Where you are enrolled on an apprenticeship programme
• Service providers: Third parties who provide services on our behalf, including:
  • Stripe (payment processing)
  • Google (Analytics and advertising)
  • Netlify (website hosting)
  • Ahrefs (SEO analytics)
  • Bookwhen (course booking)

We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law. We do not allow our third-party service providers to use your personal data for their own purposes.

6. International Transfers

Some of our third-party service providers are based outside the UK. Where we transfer your personal data outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including:

• Learner records: Retained for a minimum of 6 years after completion of your programme, as required by funding body regulations
• Financial records: Retained for 7 years as required by UK tax law
• Marketing contacts: Until you withdraw consent or unsubscribe
• Website analytics: Typically retained for 26 months

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights:

• Right of access: To request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Right to rectification: To request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to erasure: To request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal obligations)
• Right to restrict processing: To request limitation of how we use your data
• Right to data portability: To receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
• Right to object: To object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing
• Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw at any time

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below. We will respond to your request within one month.

9. Data Security

We have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include:

• Encryption of data in transit (SSL/TLS)
• Secure hosting with Netlify
• Access controls and authentication for our systems
• Regular security reviews and updates
• Staff training on data protection

10. Cookies

Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience and analyse website traffic. For detailed information about the cookies we use and how to manage them, please see our Cookie Policy.

11. Marketing

We may use your contact details to send you marketing communications about our services, but only where you have consented to receive such communications or where we have another lawful basis to do so.

You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any marketing email or by contacting us directly.

12. Children's Privacy

Some of our apprenticeship programmes are available to learners aged 16 and over. Where we process data relating to learners under 18, we take additional steps to ensure their privacy is protected and may require parental or guardian consent where appropriate.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

14. Complaints

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

15. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us: