Privacy Policy

StudyCore is a UK-based online tutoring service providing online tutoring support for students, starting with GCSE Maths.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use and protect personal information when parents, tutors, students, applicants or visitors use our website and services.

For privacy questions, contact: contact@studycoretutors.co.uk

For safeguarding-related concerns, contact: safeguarding@studycoretutors.co.uk

This policy applies to:

• •parents or guardians using StudyCore
• •students receiving tutoring through StudyCore
• •tutor applicants
• •approved tutors
• •visitors to our website
• •people who contact us through forms, email or messages

For students, the parent or guardian is the account holder, main contact and payer. Students do not need their own StudyCore account for the MVP service.

When a parent uses StudyCore, we may collect:

• •parent full name
• •parent email address
• •parent phone number
• •account login details
• •student first name
• •student year group
• •subject requested
• •current grade, if provided
• •target grade, if provided
• •topics or areas the student is struggling with
• •preferred lesson days and times
• •payment status and payment reference information
• •lesson booking information
• •messages or support requests
• •feedback or complaints

We do not ask for a student surname, student email address or student phone number for the MVP service.

When someone applies to become a tutor, we may collect:

• •full name
• •email address
• •phone number
• •age
• •subjects they can teach
• •GCSE grades and other qualifications
• •current education or work status
• •tutoring or teaching experience
• •availability
• •proof of qualifications where requested
• •identity check information
• •DBS status where applicable
• •safeguarding agreement status
• •tutor application answers
• •admin notes linked to the application
• •lesson assignments and tutor availability
• •lesson notes submitted after sessions
• •CVs, cover letters, portfolios or supporting documents uploaded with tutor applications

CV upload is optional. If a tutor applicant uploads a CV or supporting document, we use it only to review their tutor application, assess suitability, verify experience or qualifications where relevant, and manage onboarding. Applicants should avoid including unnecessary sensitive information in uploaded documents.

CVs and supporting documents are visible to admins only. They are not visible to parents, students or other tutors.

We aim to collect only the student information needed to provide tutoring.

This may include:

• •first name
• •year group
• •GCSE subject
• •current grade
• •target grade
• •learning struggles or topics needing help
• •preferred availability
• •lesson notes after a tutoring session

Parents may choose to provide extra information that helps the tutor support the student. Parents should avoid sharing unnecessary medical, health or sensitive personal information unless it is genuinely needed to support the lesson.

Payments are processed through Stripe.

StudyCore does not store full card details. Stripe processes card payments securely and may collect payment information directly from parents during checkout.

We may store:

• •payment status
• •payment amount
• •payment date
• •Stripe payment/session reference
• •linked lesson record

Lessons are online. StudyCore may use Google Meet or similar online meeting tools.

We may store:

• •lesson date
• •lesson time
• •tutor assigned
• •student first name
• •subject
• •lesson link
• •lesson status

The lesson link is shared with the parent and tutor. The student joins through the parent's dashboard, email or the parent-provided device/link.

We may send emails or in-app notifications for:

• •account updates
• •tutor match updates
• •payment confirmation
• •lesson confirmation
• •lesson link notifications
• •lesson reminders
• •tutor application updates
• •safeguarding or support matters
• •service updates
• •marketing emails, if the user has not opted out

Marketing emails will include an unsubscribe option.

We use necessary technologies to make StudyCore work, including for authentication, security and booking functionality. These are always active and do not require consent.

With your permission, we may also use optional analytics and advertising technologies to understand how our marketing performs and improve our advertising. These are only loaded after you give consent through our cookie banner or Cookie Settings.

Optional advertising and analytics technologies are turned off by default. You can accept or reject them on your first visit, and you can change your choices at any time using the Cookie Settings link in our footer.

Third-party advertising providers, such as Meta, may be used only if and when actually enabled in future, and only where you have given consent. StudyCore does not currently run any advertising or analytics pixel.

You can withdraw or change your consent at any time. Withdrawing consent will stop optional advertising and analytics technologies from loading going forward.

We use personal information to:

• •create and manage accounts
• •process tutor matching requests
• •match students with suitable tutors
• •schedule lessons
• •process payments
• •provide lesson links
• •allow tutors to prepare for lessons
• •provide lesson notes to parents
• •manage tutor applications
• •carry out tutor screening and onboarding
• •handle support requests and complaints
• •manage safeguarding concerns
• •improve the service
• •keep records for business, legal and safety reasons

We may process personal information because:

• •it is needed to provide the tutoring service
• •it is needed to take steps before providing the service
• •it is needed for our legitimate business interests
• •it is needed to comply with legal obligations
• •consent has been given, for example for certain optional communications

We may share limited information with:

• •tutors, where needed to deliver lessons
• •Stripe, to process payments
• •Google Meet/Calendar or similar tools, to provide online lesson links
• •Base44 or other website/app infrastructure providers
• •email service providers
• •professional advisers, if needed
• •safeguarding or legal authorities if required

Tutors only receive the student and lesson information needed to deliver the lesson. Parents do not see private tutor information such as tutor phone number, email address, pay, internal notes or checks.

For the MVP service:

• •students do not create their own accounts
• •parents are the account holders
• •parents are the main contact
• •student email and phone number are not requested
• •lesson links are provided through the parent dashboard/email
• •parents are responsible for ensuring the student can access the online lesson

We keep information only as long as reasonably needed for the service, safeguarding, legal, tax, accounting and record-keeping purposes.

As a general guide:

• •account and payment records may be kept for up to 6 years where needed for business/tax records
• •lesson notes may be kept for up to 3 years unless a longer period is needed for safeguarding, complaints or legal reasons
• •tutor application records may be kept for up to 3 years unless deleted earlier
• •unnecessary test or duplicate records may be deleted sooner

Tutor application documents, including CVs and supporting documents, may be kept for up to 12 months after rejection or withdrawal, unless a longer period is needed for safeguarding, legal, dispute or record-keeping reasons. For approved tutors, relevant application and onboarding documents may be kept while they tutor with StudyCore Tutors and for a reasonable period afterwards.

Users can request deletion of personal data by contacting: contact@studycoretutors.co.uk

Some records may need to be kept where required for legal, safeguarding, tax or dispute reasons.

We take reasonable steps to protect personal data, including:

• •account-based access
• •role-based dashboards
• •restricting parent, tutor and admin access
• •limiting student data collected
• •using secure payment processing through Stripe
• •keeping safeguarding concerns restricted to appropriate admin contacts

No online system can be guaranteed completely secure, but we aim to protect personal information responsibly.

Depending on the situation, users may have rights to:

• •access personal data
• •correct inaccurate data
• •request deletion
• •object to certain uses
• •restrict processing
• •request data portability
• •withdraw consent where consent is the basis for processing

To make a request, contact: contact@studycoretutors.co.uk

If a parent, student or tutor has a safeguarding concern, they should contact:

safeguarding@studycoretutors.co.uk

If someone is in immediate danger, contact emergency services.

We may update this Privacy Policy as the service develops. The latest version will be available on our website.