The Schools' Observatory privacy notice

Information you need to know

The Schools' Observatory privacy notice (TSO) is part of Liverpool John Moores University. See further information on the institution.

Liverpool John Moores University is the Data Controller.

Our Data Protection Officer can be contacted at DPO@ljmu.ac.uk.

This privacy notice explains how we use your personal information and your rights regarding that information.

For information about how the wider university uses personal data, please see the Privacy notice section of our website.

Information we are collecting

Visitors who browse the Schools’ Observatory website without registering do not have personal data collected about them. We may, however, collect analytical information about website usage through cookies.

If you register as an Explorer, we will collect the following information:

  • a username of your choice
  • your email address
  • your country
  • whether you are a student, teacher, or not currently in education
  • how you heard about the Schools’ Observatory

You may also choose to provide information about your age and gender. This information is optional and will be collected anonymously.

If you register as an Educator, we will collect the following information:

  • a username of your choice
  • your email address
  • the address of your school, or another address associated with your teaching role
  • your country
  • information about what you teach and the level of education (primary, secondary, or further education)
  • how you heard about the Schools’ Observatory

You may also choose to provide information about your gender and ethnicity. This information is optional and will be collected anonymously.

If you sign up to receive the Schools’ Observatory newsletter, we will use the following personal data to send this to you:

  • your name
  • a username of your choice
  • your email address

Source of the Personal Data

The personal data we process is collected directly from you when you register for an account, sign up to the Schools’ Observatory newsletter, or otherwise choose to provide information through the website.

Why we are collecting your data and the legal basis for this

LJMU processes personal data in accordance with the principles of the GDPR and only where there is a valid lawful basis to do so.

Personal data provided by users of the Schools’ Observatory (including Explorers and Educators) is processed as part of the university’s public task to support education, outreach, and engagement activities connected to teaching and learning in schools and colleges. The lawful basis for this processing is Article 6(1)(e) UK GDPR - public task.

If you choose to subscribe to the Schools’ Observatory newsletter, your personal data will be processed for this purpose on the basis of your consent, in accordance with Article 6(1)(a) UK GDPR. You may withdraw your consent to receive the newsletter at any time.

Who has access to this data

Your personal data will be accessed only by authorised Schools’ Observatory and LJMU staff where this is necessary for them to carry out their role.

How the university protects your data

We are committed to keeping your personal data safe in line with data protection legislation and the university’s information security and data protection policies.

Personal data is stored on secure systems and access is restricted to authorised members of the Schools’ Observatory team only. To ensure service continuity, data may also be held on secure backup systems.

How long the university keeps your data

Personal information relating to registered users is retained for as long as the user account remains active.

When an account is closed by the user or becomes inactive, associated personal data may be retained for a short period of up to one month to allow the account to be restored if it was closed in error.

After this period, the personal data associated with the account is deleted.

Your rights

As a data subject, you have a number of rights. You can:

  • access and obtain a copy of your data on request - this could be in a portable electronic format
  • request that the university changes incorrect or incomplete data if you think that it is inaccurate or out of date
  • request that the university delete or stop processing your data, for example where the data is no longer necessary or legally required for the purposes of processing.

Where you have provided us with consent to use your personal data, you may withdraw that consent at any time. If you have signed up for the TSO newsletter, you can do this by using the unsubscribe link at the bottom of each newsletter.

If you would like to exercise any of your other data protection rights, please contact the university’s Data Protection Officer at DPO@ljmu.ac.uk.

If you do not provide data

Some personal data, such as contact details, is required in order to create and maintain an Explorer or Educator account and to provide access to the Schools’ Observatory services. If this information is not provided, we will not be able to create an account or deliver those services.

Any optional information provided for monitoring or evaluation purposes does not need to be supplied. If you choose not to provide this optional information, you will still be able to use the Schools’ Observatory services as normal.

Transfers of data outside the UK

We normally keep your personal data within the UK. In some cases, however, we may need to transfer it to another country - for example, to deliver a contract with you or to work with a partner organisation such as a university based overseas.

Whenever this happens, we make sure your information stays protected. This could be through a UK “adequacy regulation” (which confirms that the other country’s data protection laws are up to UK standards) or by putting strong safeguards in place.

These safeguards might include:

  • model contractual clauses
  • formal data sharing or processing agreements
  • binding corporate rules

In short, even if your data travels abroad, it will continue to be treated with the same care and respect as it would under UK law.

Automated decision-making

We do not use computers to make decisions about you based solely on your personal data. Any decisions that affect you will always be made by a human, ensuring that you are treated fairly.

How to complain to the university

You have a right to complain to the university if you think it has not properly responded to your request for personal information or feel it has not handled your personal data responsibly.

If you are not satisfied with how your request for information or how your personal data has been handled, you should set out your complaint in writing to:

Maria Burquest
University Secretary and General Counsel
Legal and Governance Services
2nd Floor Exchange Station
Tithebarn Street
Liverpool
L2 2QP

or by email via DPO@ljmu.ac.uk.

How to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office

You have the right to complain to The Information Commissioner if you believe that our processing of your personal data does not meet our data protection obligations. The Information Commissioner can be contacted using the following details:

  • Post: Information Commissioners Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK95AF.
  • Telephone: 0303 123 1113.
  • Email: contact can be made by accessing the ICO website.