Privacy Policy

Effective date: 1 October 2025

This Privacy Policy explains how The British Academy collects, uses, stores and protects personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).

1. Information we collect

We may collect and process the following personal information (where applicable):

  • Identity and contact: name, surname, email address, phone number, postal or physical address.
  • Student and applicant data: admission and registration forms, academic history, date of birth, guardian/parent details.
  • Communication records: emails, contact form messages, phone call logs, and social media messages.
  • Technical data: IP address, browser type, device, operating system and website usage information collected via cookies and analytics tools.
  • Payment and billing: invoice and payment details when fees are processed.
  • Volunteered information: any additional information you provide in forms, surveys or feedback.

We collect information directly from you, from parents/guardians where applicable, and from trusted third parties when necessary for educational or administrative purposes.

2. How we use your information

  • To respond to enquiries and communicate with students, parents, staff and stakeholders.
  • To manage admissions, enrolment, assessments and academic records.
  • To provide school-related services, support and activities (including safety and safeguarding measures).
  • To send newsletters, announcements and other communications where you have consented to receive them.
  • To comply with legal, regulatory and financial obligations (e.g. tax, audits, reporting).
  • To maintain and improve our website, learning platforms and administrative systems.

Where required by POPIA we will rely on your consent, contractual necessity, legitimate interests or other lawful bases for processing. For direct marketing we will always ask for consent first where required.

3. Sharing and disclosure

We will only share personal information when necessary and under strict controls. Common recipients include:

  • Third‑party service providers who support our operations (IT hosting, email services, payment processors, student management systems). These parties are contractually bound to keep data secure and use it only for the services they provide.
  • Accreditation bodies, partner schools or educational authorities where required for academic purposes.
  • Legal or regulatory authorities where disclosure is required by law.

We do not sell or trade personal information for marketing purposes.

4. Cookies and tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality and analyse usage. You may disable cookies in your browser settings, but some features of the site may not work correctly.

Analytics: We may use analytics services (for example Google Analytics) to understand site traffic. These tools collect aggregated, anonymised usage data and do not identify individual users.

 

5. Data retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes stated or to meet legal, regulatory or contractual obligations. Examples:

  • Student records: retained for the duration of enrolment and for a reasonable period thereafter to support alumni queries and verification.
  • Financial records: retained in line with tax and accounting requirements.

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

6. Data security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data, including secure servers, access controls and staff training. While we strive to protect data, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.

 

7. Your rights

Under POPIA you have the right to:

  • Request access to personal information we hold about you.
  • Request correction or deletion of inaccurate, irrelevant or excessive data.
  • Withdraw consent where processing is consent‑based.
  • Object to or restrict certain processing activities.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below. We will respond in accordance with POPIA timeframes.

8. Contact us

If you have questions, want to exercise your rights, or wish to make a complaint, contact our Data Protection Officer / Privacy Representative:

The British Academy
Address: 202 Main Street, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Email: info@britishacademy.co.za
Phone: +27 (0)12 940 5343

 

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The most recent version will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. Significant changes will be notified where appropriate.