Strictly Education Logo - 20 years of making a difference

Strictly Education Policies

Our policies
Privacy Policy

 

Strictly Education Ltd Unified Data Privacy Notice
Strictly Education understands that your privacy is important to you and that you care about how your personal data is used. We respect and value the privacy of all of our clients, employees and other people with whom we interact with and will only collect and use personal data in ways that are described here, and in a way that is consistent with our obligations and your rights under the law.

Updated 20 July 2023

  1. Information About Us & this Document

    This document applies to Strictly Education Ltd and its wholly owned subsidiaries and relates to the data that is shared between its parent company and subsidiaries. The subsidiaries are: Strictly Education, Strictly Education 4S and Strictly Education 3BM - together known as ‘Strictly Education’ or ‘we’. References within the policy to parent company and member companies include Strictly Education’s parent company, Supporting Education Group and its subsidiaries.
    In the first instance, we encourage any questions to be directed to Strictly Education’s Data Protection Lead, as follows: -
    Data Protection Lead: Tim Hart
    Email address: dpo@strictlyeducation.co.uk
    Telephone number: 0330 123 2540
    Registered address: Strictly Education Limited, Wallace House, 4 Falcon Way, Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL7 1TW
    The Data Protection Officer for Strictly and for the Group is Judicium Education whose details are as follows: -
    Data Protection Officer: Judicium Consulting Limited
    Address: 72 Cannon Street, London, EC4N 6AE
    Email: dataservices@judicium.com
    Web: www.judicium.co.uk
    Lead Contact: Craig Stilwell

  2. What Does This Document Cover?

    This document explains how Strictly Education use your personal data: how it is collected, why it is collected, and our lawful reasons for doing so, how it is held, and how it is processed. It also explains your rights under the law relating to your personal data.

  3. What is Personal Data?

    Personal data is defined by UK General Data Protection Regulation (the “UK GDPR”) as ‘any information relating to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified in particular by reference to an identifier’.
    Personal data is, in simpler terms, any information about you that enables you to be identified. Personal data covers obvious information such as your name and contact details, but it also covers less obvious information such as identification numbers, electronic location data, and other online identifiers.
    The personal data that we hold/process is set out in Part 5, below.

  4. What Are My Rights?

    Under the UK GDPR, you have the following rights, which we will always work to uphold:

    The right to be informed about our collection and use of your personal data. This Privacy Notice should tell you everything you need to know, but you can always contact us to find out more or to ask any questions using the details in Paragraph 12.

    - The right to access the personal data we hold about you. Paragraph 11 will tell you how to do this.

    - The right to have your personal data rectified if any of your personal data held by us is inaccurate or incomplete. Please contact us using the details in Paragraph 12 to find out more.

    - The right to be forgotten, i.e. the right to ask us to delete or otherwise dispose of any of your personal data that we have. Please contact us using the details in Paragraph 12 to find out more.

    - The right to restrict (i.e. prevent) the processing of your personal data.

    - The right to object to us using your personal data for a particular purpose or purposes.

    - The right to data portability. This means that, if you have provided personal data to us directly, we are using it with your consent or for the performance of a contract, and that data is processed using automated means, you can ask us for a copy of that personal data to re-use with another service or business in many cases.

    - Rights relating to automated decision-making and profiling. We do not use your personal data in this way.


    For more information about our use of your personal data or exercising your rights as outlined above, please contact us using the details provided in Part 12.
    Further information about your rights can also be obtained from the Information Commissioner’s Office or your local Citizens Advice Bureau.
    If you have any cause for complaint about our use of your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.

  5. What Personal Data Do You Process?

    The type of personal data we collect, or process may vary according to the relationship between you and Strictly Education and according to the service that we provide to you or for your benefit, directly or indirectly. The categories of personal data processed by the various Strictly Education teams are listed below.

    Employment/HR Advisory/HR Admin/DBS application teams may process the data below on clients’ employees but only where it is necessary to perform the advisory or consultancy role.

    - Personal information and contact details such as name, title, addresses, date of birth, marital status, phone numbers and personal email addresses;

    - Emergency contact information such as names, relationship, phone numbers and email addresses;

    - Information collected during the recruitment process by the client and retained during employment including references, proof of right to work in the UK, application form, CV, qualifications;

    - Employment contract information such as start dates, hours worked, post, roles ;

    - Education and training details;

    - Details of salary and benefits including payment details, payroll records, tax status information, national insurance number, pension and benefits information;

    - Details of any dependants;

    - Nationality and immigration status and information from related documents, such as your passport or other identification and immigration information;

    - Information in your sickness and absence records such as number of absences and reasons (including sensitive personal information regarding your physical and/or mental health);

    - Racial or ethnic origin, sex and sexual orientation, religious or similar beliefs;

    - Criminal records information as required by law to enable employee to work with children;

    - Trade union membership;

    - Information on grievances raised by or involving the employee;

    - Information on conduct and/or other disciplinary issues involving the employee;

    - Details of appraisals, performance reviews and capability issues;

    - Details of time and attendance records;

    - Information about the use of IT, communications and other systems, and other monitoring information;

    - Details of use of business-related social media;

    - Images of staff captured by the School’s CCTV system;

    - Your use of public social media (only in very limited circumstances, to check specific risks for specific functions within the School);

    - Details in references about employee client give to others.

    School clients may also ask advice which involves our processing of the following categories of data about pupils and parents: -

    - Personal information such as name, pupil number, date of birth, gender and contact information;

    - Emergency contact and family lifestyle information such as names, relationship, phone numbers and email addresses;

    - Characteristics (such as ethnicity, language, nationality, country of birth and free school meal eligibility);

    - Attendance details (such as sessions attended, number of absences and reasons for absence);

    - Financial details such as monies owed and financial hardship;

    - Performance and assessment information;

    - Behavioural information (including exclusions);

    - Special educational needs information;

    - Relevant medical information;

    - Special categories of personal data (including biometric data, ethnicity, relevant medical information, special educational needs information);

    - Images of pupils engaging in school activities, and images captured by the School’s CCTV system.

    - The school governance service may process the data below but only where it is necessary to perform the role as governance advisors.

    Personal data about Governors: -

    - Names, addresses and occupations;

    - Email addresses (usually personal as well as business);

    - Other identifiers such as date of birth, phone numbers;

    - DBS details (where applicable);

    - Application details (in application to become a governor);

    - Business and pecuniary interests (to determine no conflict);

    - Appointment and resignation information.

    The Payroll team may process the data below but only where it is necessary to perform the role of payroll contractor.

    - Personal information and contact details such as name, title, addresses, date of birth, marital status, phone numbers and personal email addresses;

    - Employment contract information such as start dates, hours worked, post, roles;

    - Details of salary and benefits including payment details, payroll records, tax status information, national insurance number, pension and benefits information;

    - Details of time and attendance records.

    Strictly Education process personal data on its staff (including temporary staff, casual staff and volunteers) as well as prospective applications.

    - A job applicant’s CV and any cover wording as well as relevant recruitment checks;

    - Proof of right to work in the UK;

    - Personal information and contact details such as name, title, addresses, date of birth, phone numbers and email address;

    - Emergency contact information;

    - Details of sickness and absence;

    - Performance records;

    - Education and training records

    - Information on conduct (including disciplinary issues) and records of complaints/concerns;

    - Details of salary and benefits including payment details, payroll records, tax status information, national insurance number, pension and benefits information.

    Other teams across Strictly Education including (but not limited to) Schools Finance, Facilities Services, Technology and MIS support may process the data below but only where it is necessary to perform the role as a service provider.

    - All items of personal information listed in previous sections

    - Any data supplied in order to perform is contracted or consultative role which may include personal and special category information regarding pupils or employees

    Data processed by Supporting Education Group

    Supporting Education Group may process personal data where it is necessary to enable the smooth running of Strictly Education, Supporting Education Group and its subsidiaries. Personal data will consist of names and roles of persons employed by clients of the group which may be shared within the group for the purpose of cross-marketing services.

  6. What Is Your Reason For Holding/Processing My Personal Data?

    Under the UK GDPR, we must always have a lawful basis for processing/using personal data. The lawful bases for processing are set out in Article 6 of the UK GDPR. The reasons why Strictly Education hold/process your personal data are:

    - Because we need to do so in order to perform a contract that we have with you or are taking steps to enter into with you.

    - Because we have your consent to hold/process your data.

    - Because we have a legal obligation to hold/process the data regardless of whether any contract exists between us.

    - Because we have a legitimate interest in holding/processing your data, or there is a legitimate third-party interest and there is not a good reason to protect the individual’s personal data which overrides those legitimate interests.

  7. For What Purpose Do You Use My Personal Data?

    The purposes for which Strictly Education use your personal data may be one or more of the following:

    - Communicating with you to inform you of our services

    - Communicating with you with the purpose of entering into a contract with you

    - Providing, administering and managing our contract with you.

    - Supplying our services to you or for your benefit.

    - Personalising and tailoring our services for you or for your benefit.

    - Communicating with you on matters that may fall outside the immediate contractual obligations but arise in the course of supplying our services to you

    - Advising your employer, where we are engaged as their HR/Employment law advisers, health and safety advisers or school finance and governance advisers –

              - On all matters pertaining to your employment or role

              - On all matters relating to the application and interpretation of health and safety policies and procedures to your employment or role

             - On all matters relating to the operational and educational needs of a school, including clerking and governance

    - Where permitted by law, we may also use your personal data for marketing purposes, which may include contacting you by email and/or telephone and/or text message and/or post with information, news, and offers on our services. You will not be sent any unlawful marketing or spam. We will always work to fully protect your rights and comply with our obligations under the UK GDPR and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, and you will always have the opportunity to opt-out. 

    From time to time, Strictly Education will provide marketing communications to you in various forms. Communication may come from Strictly Education or through its parent company, the Supporting Education Group (“SEG”) including communications from other companies within SEG. This is in order to provide you with a personalised and targeted service but we also wish for you to have the choice in what communications you receive from us.

    We follow laws and guidelines when sending marketing communications including: -

    Sending marketing communications to a work email address where possible
    When communicating with a non-work email address, we will ensure that we do so either under the soft opt in principles or with the user’s explicit consent to carry out marketing.
    In all instances to provide users with an ability to opt out of marketing. The user can opt out of communications from particular companies within SEG.
    When using third party companies to assist with marketing we ensure data collection and use is done in accordance with data protection laws
    We never provide your details to third party companies outside of SEG.

    Such marketing activities may include sending promotional and commercial communications regarding services offered by Strictly Education and/or SEG. This may include co-marketing or joint sale opportunities, including promotional events, training and webinars.

    In some cases, personal data that you provide us is done via group company platforms. This data may be shared and combined with personal data collected throughout your relationship with Strictly Education. Where this is done, it will be communicated to you and, where necessary, obtain your consent before doing so.


  8. How Long Will You Keep My Personal Data?

    We will not keep your personal data for any longer than is necessary in light of the reason(s) for which it was first collected. Your personal data will therefore be kept for the following periods (or, where there is no fixed period, the following factors will be used to determine how long it is kept):

    - Where the data relates to a contractual relationship between us and you where it may potentially come to be considered evidence in a dispute, we shall keep that data up to six years after that relationship has ended.

    - Where the data consists of information that we are required to retain by law, we shall keep the data as long as we are required to do so.

    - Where there is no contractual relationship between us but there exists a risk of litigation where the data may potentially come to be seen as evidence or somehow material, we shall keep the data as long as that risk is live and material.

    - Where the information is required for effective operation of our accounts or business operations, we shall keep the data, but no longer than for that required purpose and in accordance with financial best practice requirements.

    - Where the purpose for which the data was lawfully acquired is still live we shall keep the data, but no longer than is required by law.

  9. How and Where Do You Store or Transfer My Personal Data?

    We will only store or transfer your personal data within the European Economic Area (the “EEA”). The EEA consists of all EU member states, plus Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. This means that your personal data will be fully protected under the UK GDPR or to equivalent standards by law.

  10. Do You Share My Personal Data?

    Strictly Education will not share any of your personal data with any third parties for any purposes, subject to these exceptions:

    - To make effective the objectives of a contract that we have with you or for your benefit

    - Where we have your consent to share your data

    - Where we are legally obliged to do so by statute, a court order or other type of legal obligation

    If any of your personal data is required by a third party, as described above, we will take steps to ensure that your personal data is handled safely, securely, and in accordance with your rights, our obligations, and the third party’s obligations under the law, as described above. If in the exceptional circumstance that any personal data is transferred outside of the EEA (where, for instance, a laptop is taken on holiday to US), we will take suitable steps in order to ensure that your personal data is treated safely and securely.

  11. How Can I Access My Personal Data?

    If you want to know what personal data Strictly Education have about you, you can ask us for details of that personal data and for a copy of it (where any such personal data is held). This is known as a “subject access request”.
    All subject access requests should be made in writing and sent to the email or postal addresses shown in Part 12.
    There is not normally any charge for a subject access request. If your request is ‘manifestly unfounded or excessive’ (for example, if you make repetitive requests) a fee may be charged to cover our administrative costs in responding.
    We will respond to your subject access request within one month of receiving it. Normally, we aim to provide a complete response, including a copy of your personal data within that time. In some cases, however, particularly if your request is more complex, more time may be required up to a maximum of three months from the date we receive your request. You will be kept fully informed of our progress.

  12. How Do I Contact You?

    To contact us about anything to do with your personal data and data protection, including to make a subject access request, please use the following details:
    For the attention of: Tim Hart
    Email address: dpo@strictlyeducation.co.uk
    Telephone number: 0330 123 2540
    Postal Address:
    Victoria House
    199 Avebury Boulevard
    Milton Keynes
    MK9 1AU

  13. Changes to this Privacy Notice

    We may change this Privacy Notice from time to time. This may be necessary, for example, if the law changes, or if we change our business in a way that affects personal data protection. Any changes will be made available online.
Cookie Policy
Cookie Policy
Quality Policy

 

Strictly Education Quality Policy Statement
Strictly Education is the UK’s leading education specific provider of professional support services and solutions to schools, academies and multi academy trusts (MATs). Our Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles are set out in our Business Plan.

Our organisation is committed to quality assurance the continuous improvement of our Quality Management System. We use internal and external sources of data to analyse our performance and set measurable targets for improvement to ensure we meet or exceed our clients’ expectations.

The Leadership Team shall ensure that all services and products are provided in accordance with the specified requirements and service level agreements and be responsible for establishing, reviewing, and maintaining the quality policy and quality objectives. The Quality Manager is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the quality system and reports regularly to the Managing Director on the system's implementation, status and effectiveness.

To achieve this objective, we maintain a Quality Management System (QMS) which is compliant with BS EN ISO 9001: 2015 with full accreditation planned for September 2022 within the following scope:

EduPeople HR and Payroll Services

The Quality Control processes and procedures held in the QMS are mandated for all employees delivering services under the scope above. All employees receive appropriate communication and training and have recognised channels to provide feedback for continuous improvement purposes. All processes are subject to annual internal audit; the results are reviewed by the Leadership Team and any corrective actions taken.

Our commitment to continuous improvement is to ensure that Strictly Education maintains its reputation and position as a quality and trusted supplier.

We make this policy statement available to all employees, our clients and other relevant third parties.

Heather Marchbank
Managing Director

Social Values Policy

At Strictly Education, our approach to creating the maximum social value in the communities where we operate is underpinned by our mission and guiding principles – with a key focus on improving outcomes for children and young people.

Working exclusively in the education sector, we are mindful that we operate in accordance with The Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 which requires public authorities to consider economic, social and environmental wellbeing in connection with public services and commissioning contracts. It is our belief that our value to communities lies in not only the provision of improved and efficient service delivery to schools and academy trusts, but also through investing and making a social impact in the local communities where we work.

Our social goals are based around 4 distinct areas and many initiatives are driven by our educational proclivity and company values:

  • Building and sustaining excellent relationships
  • Valuing people and their differences
  • Challenging ourselves and each other
  • Protecting reputations
  • Being trusted to deliver great services
  • Striving to deliver excellent services
Through collaboration with our own employees, customers, suppliers and other stakeholders we are committed to enhancing both the lives of our staff and those within our wider community by focusing on:
  • Community Engagement
  • Staff Wellbeing
  • Local Economy, Employment & Skills
  • Environment
Community Engagement - Encouraging staff to undertake volunteering activities that deliver benefits to local communities

The company supports five school governors and several trustees of local charities

Working with local charities to deliver additional benefits to the communities in which we work

On an annual basis several charities we support have benefitted from donations of £1,500

Beneficiaries include the Milton Keynes Foodbank and Night Shelter, Trussell Trust Foodbank, Harry & Edwards’s Aspiration Trust (HEART), Harry’s Rainbow and The British Heart Foundation

Helping local schools and organisations to make a difference for the young people in their care

Sponsoring Doverhouse Lions Youth & Disability Football Club – encouraging diversity and a more cohesive community

Sponsoring MK City Jaspers - Young girls' football club, to attend a tournament at St George's Park, home of the England National Team.

Donating prizes and book tokens for school projects including funding for Great Linford Primary School’s entry to Greenpower (a STEM competition where schools build an electric car and race it at Goodwood Racecourse)

Supporting our client schools with a dedicated Covid-19 hub with free to access resources and information including our HR online platform

Supporting our people and customers to live healthier lives

An annual virtual prize giving walking competition for employees and staff in the schools where we work. Last year 500 participants walked 300 million steps over a six-week period

Staff Wellbeing

Measurement of employee mental health and wellbeing

Undertaking regular staff surveys to identify any issues and who is at risk; last survey achieved 72% engagement score, which compares favourably with industry average

Provision of Employee Assistance Scheme (EAP) to all 250 Strictly Education employees

The same scheme is also offered to our school customers at a competitive rate

Availability of 12 qualified Mental Health First Aiders for employees to contact

Regular internal communications to enhance employee engagement

Termly staff newsletter (Strictly News) and staff briefings with Managing Director, Heather Marchbank

Covid-19 Staff eBook to providing updates and protocols in relation to remote working, school visits and office working

Team building activities and social events

Many have been run remotely in 2020 due to Covid-19. MacMillan Coffee Morning and bake-off competitions, Christmas desk decorating competition, Christmas card design competition open to employees’ children and extended family and dressing up for events such as World Book Day. Off-site gatherings for the Platinum Jubilee and summer celebrations.

Local Economy, Employment & Skills

Procuring goods and services locally where possible

Three print suppliers based near to our offices in Dorking and Milton Keynes

Two mailing houses in Milton Keynes, providing postal services

Daily provision of food on site and buffet lunches to our Milton Keynes office by local independent lunch sellers and cafe

Annual staff conference held at the Milton Keynes Christian Centre

Creating employment opportunities within the communities that we work

Appointment of two apprentices into our IT and Pensions’ teams

Offering work experience opportunities for local young people

Providing our employees with new skills for the future workplace

Payroll and HR employees are provided with opportunities to study for CIPP and CIPD qualifications up to Level 7 and both apprentices are studying IT and Pensions qualifications

Environmental

Using resources efficiently to reduce waste

Introduction of internal paperless systems

Recycling of printer cartridges and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (W.E.E.E.)

Shredding and recycling of 200kg per month of confidential documents

Playing our part to reduce emissions to improve health in the local community

Introduced a Cycle to Work scheme which is available to all employees

We continue to monitor and report our social value impact and review our statement on an annual basis.

Environment | Social | Governance

As a division of the Supporting Education Group, download the group's ESG Impact Report 2023 to discover how we are making improvements in operations to positively impact environment, social and governance concerns.

Heather Marchbank
Managing Director

Last updated: 23rd May 2023

Health & Safety Statement

 Strictly Education is the UK’s leading education specific provider of professional support services and solutions to schools, academies and multi-academy trusts (MATs). Our Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles are set out in our Business Plan.

This Strictly Education policy aims to prevent incidents and ill health by documenting, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an occupational health & safety management system. The system exists to control health and safety risks and performance arising from all our work activities.

The Strictly Education Occupational Health & Safety Management System meets the requirements of ISO 45001:2018 in respect of activities carried out by Strictly Education and its employees.

The purpose of this policy is to set out a framework for setting objectives and the processes and procedures that, through correct delegation of duties, will as far as reasonably practicable:

  • Provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions for the prevention of work-related injury and/or ill health
  • Provide adequate welfare facilities
  • Eliminate hazards and reduce occupational health and safety risks using the hierarchy of controls
  • Provide the essential, relevant, and appropriate level of health and safety information, instruction and training for all employees and other persons working under the control of Strictly Education
  • Fulfilment of legal and other requirements
  • Consultation and participation of employees and our health and safety representatives on matters affecting their health and safety in the workplace
  • Ensure health and safety in not compromised by other business objectives
  • Provide an open-door policy to talk to a safety of HR representative
  • Continual improvement of the occupational health and safety management system
Strictly Education’s senior management give their full support and commitment on all occupational health and safety issues and will provide sufficient funds and resources to enable correct implementation of this policy.

The successful implementation of this policy relies on all duties and responsibilities being fulfilled, including compliance with applicable legal requirements and with other requirements that relate to Strictly Education’s occupational health and safety hazards, with the aim of continual improvement through programming monitoring and periodic reviews. Continuous improvement objectives will be set as part of our regular management review process.

This document is reviewed at least annually or when changes occur, and a revision may be required.

Heather Marchbank
Managing Director

Issued: 24/06/2022
Review date: 23/06/2023

This policy is displayed in all offices and is available to all employees via the Strictly Education SEG People Portal. All employees are encouraged to read it and communicate any queries via the Director of Operations & Strategic Programmes. A copy of this policy can also be obtained on request from the Strictly Education Managing Director (to any interested parties) and is available on the Strictly Education website.

GDPR Statement

 

The new European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law will come into effect on 25 May 2018. The aim of this law is to ensure all personal data relating to living EU citizens (including the UK) is protected and the companies who work with such data are held accountable for its protection.

At Strictly Education we have always been committed to data privacy and protection. However, to ensure we are operating at the highest standards we have taken several additional steps for GDPR compliance. As a business with data collection at the core of many of our services, safeguarding personal data is of the utmost importance to us.

GDPR compliance has been driven at Board-level and our main areas of focus and actions we have taken in preparation for GDPR are:

Personal data review

  • Reviewed all existing data policies and procedures to make sure they adhere to new legislation and uphold the highest standards of privacy and protection of personal rights
  • Audited all data held and processed in the business, to confirm and record
    • Nature and purpose of processing
    • Categories of data subject
    • Types of personal data held and processed
  • Identified the lawful basis for all our personal data processing
Transparency

  • Re-written our privacy policies to align with GDPR guidelines
  • Reviewed all our procedures to align with the individual’s rights as specified under GDPR
  • Updated our subject access request procedure to manage requests for data
Processes, clients and employees of Strictly Education

  • Reviewed our existing processes that cover data breach reporting and made necessary adjustments to accommodate GDPR rules.
  • Implemented the necessary Data Protection Impact Assessments for projects that may involve high risk processing as covered under GDPR.
  • Implemented a new addendum to contracts with existing clients to ensure all parties take account of their respective obligations under GDPR.
  • Trained all staff on the new legislation to complement their existing training on data protection.
Page updated 4th May 2018