At Little Acorns Nursery, we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This privacy notice explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal information in accordance with the UK Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Who We Are

Little Acorns Nursery is a childcare provider located in Lancashire and Wigan. We offer care and early education for children aged 0-5 years. We are the “data controller” of the personal data we collect and process.

2. Information We Collect

We collect and process the following personal data to provide our services:

• Child Information: Full name, date of birth, medical conditions, allergies, dietary requirements, special educational needs, emergency contact details, and other relevant health or welfare information.
• Parent/Guardian Information: Full name, address, contact numbers, email addresses, and details of parental responsibility.
• Attendance Information: Dates and times your child attends the nursery and session bookings.
• Billing Information: Invoicing details, payment history, and financial records.
• Photographs and Observations: Photos and written observations used for learning journeys, developmental assessments, and progress reports, including on our on-line learning apps, Tapestry and Famly.
• Legal/Referral Information: Details shared with local authorities, schools, or multi-agency teams for safeguarding or other legal obligations, and to access funding or support.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use your personal data for the following purposes:

• To provide high-quality childcare and early education services.
• To ensure the health, safety, and well-being of your child while in our care.
• To communicate with parents/guardians about your child’s progress, attendance, and any incidents.
• To process payments, manage billing, and handle any financial records.
• To comply with legal obligations, such as safeguarding laws and other child protection regulations.
• To share information with appropriate third parties, such as local authorities, schools, and multi-agency teams, as needed for safeguarding, funding, or referrals.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Contractual Necessity: To fulfill our agreement with you to provide childcare services.
• Legal Obligation: To comply with child protection laws and other legal requirements.
• Consent: Where required, we will ask for your consent for certain activities, such as photos of your child or participation in specific outings.
• Legitimate Interests: For maintaining accurate records of your child’s attendance and learning journey.

5. How We Protect Your Data

We implement strong physical, technical, and organizational measures to ensure the security of your personal data, including:

• Restricted access to personal data—only authorized personnel have access.
• Secure storage of personal data.
• Use of encryption and secure systems to prevent unauthorized access to data.

6. Data Sharing

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

• Local Authorities: For safeguarding, funding, or other legal purposes.
• Schools and Multi-Agency Teams: For transitions or referrals to support services.
• Service Providers: For example, IT services, software providers, and emergency services when necessary.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations or a valid legal request.

7. Your Rights

As a data subject, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you and your child.
• Correction: You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion: You may request the deletion of your data, though we may need to retain some data to comply with legal obligations.
• Restriction: You can ask us to restrict how we process your data in certain situations.
• Objection: You have the right to object to how we use your data, including direct marketing.
• Data Portability: You may request that we transfer your data to another service provider in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact your nursery manager.

8. Data Retention

We will keep your personal data for as long as is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected. In most cases, we will retain records until your child turns 21 years old to comply with legal requirements related to safeguarding and education.

9. Changes to This Privacy Notice

We may update this privacy notice from time to time. When we do, we will notify you of any significant changes. The updated version will be posted on our website at: www.littleacornshindleygreennursery.school

10. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding your personal data, please contact your nursery manager.