Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
Red Robin Learning Ltd ("we", "our" or "Red Robin Learning") is committed to protecting your privacy and personal information. This policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your data when you use our website and services.
This privacy policy applies to all users of our platform, whether you are a student, parent, or tutor. We act as the data controller under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.
We may update this privacy policy from time to time by posting changes on our website. Please check this page regularly to stay informed about how we protect your information.
2. Information We Collect Automatically
When you use our platform, we automatically collect certain information to help us provide and improve our services. This collection is necessary to fulfill our contract with you and for our legitimate business interests.
- How You Use Our Platform: We track which pages you visit, tutors you search for, bookings you make, messages you send, and other activities on our website.
- Technical Information: We collect details about your device, browser, IP address, when you visit our site, and any technical issues that occur. This helps us keep our platform running smoothly.
- Cookies and Tracking: We use cookies and similar technologies to remember your preferences, analyze how our website is used, and improve your experience.
- Location Data: We may collect your approximate location through your IP address or device GPS to help match you with nearby tutors and improve our services.
3. Information You Provide to Us
We collect information that you voluntarily provide when using our services. The type of information depends on how you use our platform:
- Basic Account Information: When you create an account or book lessons, we collect your name, email address, phone number, and other contact details.
- Tutor Verification: If you apply to become a tutor, we collect identification documents (such as passport or driving license), background check certificates, and banking details for payments.
- References: Tutors may provide contact details of referees, and referees provide information about the tutor's suitability.
- Background Checks: Tutors may provide DBS certificates or criminal conviction details as required for safeguarding.
- Payment Information: We collect payment details when you book lessons. However, all payment card information is securely handled by our third-party payment processor, not by us directly.
- Communications: We store messages you send through our platform, files you upload, and records of your communications with us.
- Lesson Recordings: All online lessons are recorded and stored for safeguarding purposes and quality assurance. Students and parents can access these recordings.
4. How We Use Your Information
We use your information to provide our tutoring platform services and improve your experience. Here's how we use different types of information:
- Providing Our Services: We use your information to give you access to our platform, connect students with tutors, and process bookings and payments.
- For Students: We connect you with suitable tutors, process lesson payments, and keep you updated about your bookings and our services.
- For Tutors: We verify your identity and qualifications, process your application, handle payments to you, and ensure you meet legal requirements to work in the UK.
- Background Checks: We verify tutor references and check DBS certificates against official databases to ensure student safety.
- Tax Compliance: For tutors, we may share necessary information with HMRC as required by law, including earnings and lesson details.
- Matching System: We use automated systems to rank and match tutors with students based on various factors. Tutors can see their scores in their dashboard. Low-scoring or inactive tutors may be removed from search results.
- Communication and Support: We store your messages and communication history to provide ongoing support and resolve any disputes.
- Safety and Quality: We record all online lessons for safeguarding purposes and quality assurance. Students and parents can access these recordings.
- Marketing (with your consent): We may contact you about our services and offers through various channels if you have agreed to receive marketing communications.
- Research and Improvement: We may contact you for feedback to help us improve our services.
- Legal Requirements: We may retain information from closed accounts to comply with legal obligations, prevent fraud, and resolve disputes.
You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting us at support@redrobinlearning.com.
5. Legal Basis for Processing Your Data
Under data protection law, we must have a legal basis for processing your personal information. The table below shows the different types of data we collect, how we use it, and our legal basis for doing so.
We may process your data under multiple legal bases depending on the specific purpose. If you need more details about our legal basis for any particular use of your data, please contact us.
| Category of Personal Data | Purpose/Activity | Lawful basis for processing including basis of legitimate interest |
|---|---|---|
| Personal details including name and contact information | To enable us to register you as a new customer and to enable us to manage and process transactions and our relationship with you. We also use contact information to deliver notifications and relevant marketing materials. | (a) Performance of a contract with you. (b) Necessary for our legitimate interests (to recover debts due to us). (c) Necessary for our legitimate interest (to develop and grow our business). |
| Identity verification information | To enable us to verify the identity of Tutors using the Website and comply with money laundering regulations. | (a) Performance of a contract with you. (b) To meet our legal obligations. |
| Profile details | Profile details provided by Tutors are used to process Tutor applications to join the site. Some data collected by third parties and automatically generated data (Tutor reviews and Tutor scores for example) are used to assess Tutor's continuing suitability to use our platform. | (a) Performance of a contract with you (b) Necessary for our legitimate interests (to keep our records updated and to study how customers use our products/services) |
| Credit card information and payment details | To facilitate transactions including billing Students for Lessons as agent for the Tutor and passing on payments to Tutors for lessons taught. | (a) Performance of a contract with you. (b) Necessary for our legitimate interests (to be able to take payments for services). |
| Location details | To enable us to fulfil our contract in helping to facilitate matches between Tutors and Students through the Website and to allow us to invoice for Lessons. Anonymised location data is also used to aid us in understanding our user base through analytics. | (a) Performance of a contract with you. (b) Necessary for our legitimate interests (to be able to provide and take payments for services). |
| Special categories of personal information including criminal conviction information | (a) Performance of a contract with you. (b) Necessary for our legitimate interest (to be able to display "Background Checked Status" on Tutor accounts). | |
| Electronic identification data including IP address and information collected through cookies | To enable us to analyse the use of the Website and help improve the Website's usability. | (a) Necessary for our legitimate interest (to define types of customers for our products and services, to keep our website updated and relevant, to develop our business and to inform our marketing strategy). |
| User activity details and user preferences | To enable Users to communicate with other Users of the Website, to facilitate matches between Tutors and Students and to aid our understanding of our User base. User preferences are stored to enable us to comply with user preferences. Online lessons are recorded for safeguarding and to ensure quality. | (a) Performance of a contract with you. (b) Necessary for our legitimate interest (to define types of customers for our products and services, to keep our website updated and relevant, to develop our business and to inform our marketing strategy). |
| Contractual details including the goods and services provided | To enable us to facilitate transactions correctly and to fulfil our legal obligations to keep financial records. | (a) Performance of a contract with you. (b) To meet our legal obligations. |
| Device and browser details | To help us improve the Website's usability. | (a) Necessary for our legitimate interest (to enable us to keep our Website updated and relevant, and improve its usability). |
6. Who We Share Your Information With
We may share your information with others in certain circumstances to provide our services and meet our legal obligations:
- Third-Party Service Providers: We work with trusted companies to help run our platform (like payment processors and hosting providers). We have agreements with all these companies to ensure they protect your data properly.
- International Transfers: Some of our service providers may process your data outside the UK/EU. When this happens, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place and only transfer the minimum data necessary.
- Between Students and Tutors: When you book a lesson, we share necessary contact information between you and your tutor so the lesson can take place.
- Background Check Status: We display DBS-checked status on tutor profiles when appropriate background checks have been completed.
- References: We contact referees provided by tutors and may display reference information (with limited personal details) on tutor profiles.
- Payment Processing: We use secure third-party payment processors for all financial transactions. We never store your full payment card details ourselves.
- Legal Requirements: We may share information if required by law, to enforce our terms, prevent fraud, or protect safety.
- Business Transfers: If we sell our business or merge with another company, your information may be transferred to the new owners.
We never sell your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
7. How We Protect Your Information
- Security Measures: We take data protection seriously and use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your information from unauthorised access, loss, or damage.
- Internet Security: While we implement strong security measures, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of information sent electronically.
- Privacy by Design: We build privacy protection into all new features and services from the start, following data protection principles and conducting privacy impact assessments when necessary.
8. How Long We Keep Your Information
- General Rule: We keep your personal information for 7 years from your last activity on our platform.
- Lesson Recordings: Online lesson recordings are kept for 90 days only.
- DBS Certificates: Physical DBS certificates are held for 6 months, but we keep records of the verification for the full 7 years to maintain the validity of background-checked status.
- Public Records: Reviews, messages, and booking records may remain on our platform after your account is deleted, but we remove any information that identifies you personally.
- Legal Requirements: We may keep some records longer if required by law or regulation.
9. Your Rights
Under data protection law, you have several rights regarding your personal information:
- Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correction: You can ask us to correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Deletion: You can request that we delete your personal data in certain circumstances.
- Objection: You can object to how we process your data in some situations.
- Restriction: You can ask us to limit how we use your data while we resolve any issues.
- Portability: You can request your data in a format that allows you to transfer it to another service.
- Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time.
- Automated Decisions: You have rights regarding automated decision-making, such as our tutor ranking system.
How to Exercise Your Rights: Contact us at support@redrobinlearning.com with your request. Please be as clear as possible about what you want.
No Fees: Exercising your rights is usually free. However, we may charge a reasonable fee for excessive or clearly unfounded requests.
Identity Verification: We may need to verify your identity before processing your request to protect your privacy.
Response Time: We aim to respond to all requests within one month. Complex requests may take longer, but we'll keep you informed.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make changes, we will post the updated policy on our website and, where appropriate, notify you by email.
11. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us at support@redrobinlearning.com.
If you're not satisfied with our response or believe we are not handling your personal data in accordance with the law, you can complain to the UK data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office, at ico.org.uk.