Parity Education and Careers Services Ltd (“Parity Education”, “we”, “us” or “our”) provides alternative education, tuition and support to children and young people on behalf of families, schools, local authorities and other commissioners.
Parity Education and Careers Services Ltd is the data controller where we decide how and why personal information is used. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Information we collect
The information we hold depends on your relationship with Parity Education.
Children and young people
- name, date of birth and contact information
- parent/carer and emergency contact details
- school, local authority and commissioner information
- referral information and education history
- SEND information, EHCP information and details of additional needs
- health, medical, disability and allergy information where relevant
- attendance, absence and session records
- engagement, progress, learning and assessment information
- behaviour, risk-assessment and support information
- safeguarding and child-protection information
- communications and records relating to the learner's provision
- photographs or other media where there is an appropriate reason and lawful basis to use them
Some of this is special category data, including information about health, disability, ethnicity, religion or other sensitive matters. Safeguarding records may also contain particularly sensitive information.
Parents, carers and other family members
We may hold names, contact details, relationship to the learner, communications with us and information relevant to arranging and safely delivering the learner's provision.
Tutors, contractors, applicants and staff
We may process contact and identity information, employment and work history, qualifications, references, right-to-work information, DBS and safeguarding checks, payment information, performance and training records and other information required for recruitment, safer recruitment and the management of our workforce.
Commissioners and professionals
We may hold professional contact details and communications relating to referrals, placements, safeguarding, reviews, reporting, invoicing and the delivery of our services.
Website visitors and people who contact us
We may collect information submitted through our website, email or other contact channels, together with limited technical information about use of our website and cookies where applicable.
Where we get information from
Information may be provided directly by you or obtained from organisations and professionals involved in a learner's education, care or support. These may include:
- parents and carers
- schools and education settings
- local authorities and commissioners
- social workers and Virtual Schools
- SEND and inclusion teams
- health and other professionals
- tutors and other people delivering Parity Education provision
- previous education providers, where appropriate
We may sometimes receive personal information before we have direct contact with the child, young person or family, for example when a commissioner sends us a referral.
Why we use personal information
We use personal information where it is necessary to:
- assess referrals and determine whether we can safely and appropriately meet a learner's needs
- plan, deliver and review education and support
- match learners with suitable tutors and provision
- record attendance, engagement, progress and outcomes
- communicate with families, commissioners and professionals
- safeguard children and young people and respond to welfare concerns
- manage risks, incidents, health and safety and emergencies
- make reasonable adjustments and support SEND
- recruit, vet, manage and pay staff and contractors
- meet commissioner, contractual, insurance and legal requirements
- manage complaints, enquiries and information-rights requests
- maintain and improve the quality, safety and effectiveness of our services
- protect our systems, information and organisation
We do not sell personal information.
Our lawful bases
Data-protection law requires us to have a lawful reason for using personal information. Depending on the particular activity, Parity Education may rely on:
- contract — where processing is necessary to enter into or perform a contract
- legal obligation — where we need to process information to comply with the law
- legitimate interests — where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests or those of another organisation or individual, provided those interests are not overridden by the person's rights and interests
- vital interests — in limited circumstances where information is needed to protect someone's life
- consent — where consent is the appropriate lawful basis and a genuine choice can be provided
Where we process special category information, we also identify an additional condition under data-protection law. Depending on the circumstances, this may include safeguarding children and individuals at risk, health or social care, substantial public interest, employment and social protection obligations, legal claims or explicit consent where appropriate.
We take particular care when relying on legitimate interests in relation to children's information.
Safeguarding and information sharing
Protecting children and young people is a fundamental part of our work.
Where we have a safeguarding concern, we may share relevant information with organisations or professionals who need it to protect a child or another person. This can include local authority children's services, the police, schools, commissioners, the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), health professionals and other safeguarding partners.
We will not seek consent where doing so would be inappropriate, place someone at greater risk or prevent us from meeting a safeguarding or legal obligation.
How we protect information
We use organisational and technical measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or disclosure.
Access to learner and safeguarding information is restricted according to role and need. Staff and contractors are expected to follow Parity Education's data-protection, confidentiality and safeguarding requirements.
Where external technology providers process information on our behalf, we take appropriate steps to assess data protection and security arrangements and put suitable contractual safeguards in place.
How long we keep information
We keep personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet safeguarding, legal, contractual, insurance and regulatory requirements.
Different records therefore have different retention periods. Safeguarding and child-protection records may need to be retained for significantly longer than routine administrative information.
Our retention arrangements are reviewed periodically and information that is no longer required is securely deleted or destroyed.
Your rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:
- ask for a copy of personal information we hold about you
- ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- ask us to delete information
- ask us to restrict how information is used
- object to certain uses of information
- request transfer of information in certain circumstances
- withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
These rights are not absolute. For example, safeguarding, legal or record-retention requirements may mean that we cannot delete particular information when requested.
Children and young people have data-protection rights in their own right. Where appropriate, we will take account of a child's age, understanding and ability to exercise those rights themselves.
To make an information-rights request, contact info@parityeducation.co.uk.
Data-protection concerns and complaints
If you are concerned about how Parity Education has collected, used, shared or protected personal information, please contact:
Parity Education
Email: info@parityeducation.co.uk
We will acknowledge a data-protection complaint within 30 days, investigate it appropriately and tell you the outcome.
You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data-protection regulator. Visit the Information Commissioner's Office.
Changes to this notice
We review this Privacy Notice regularly and will update it when our services, systems, legal obligations or use of personal information materially changes.
Last updated: August 2026