Terms & Conditions

Last updated: 05/11/2025

Privacy and Data Protection

The Bedford ESOL Service is committed to protecting your privacy and personal data. We comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), following ICO guidance and best practices in data handling.  We will incorporate any changes introduced under the Date (Use and Access) Act 2025 as they come into effect.

We only collect and use personal information as necessary to provide our services, and we do not share your information with third parties except as required by law or with your explicit consent.

What information do we collect?

• Personal information you provide via forms on our website (e.g., name, contact details, application information).
• Special category data where relevant (e.g., health conditions)
• Information about your use of the website (see Cookies section below).

How do we use your information?

• To process your enquiries and applications.
• To provide and improve our services.
• To comply with legal obligations.
• Communicate important updates regarding courses.

Data Protection Officer

The Data Protection Officer for Bedford Borough Council is Jashpal Mann, he can be contacted at:

• Email: dpo@bedford.gov.uk
• Address: Information Governance, Bedford Borough Council, Borough Hall, Cauldwell Street, Bedford MK42 9AP

Legal basis for processing

We process your personal data by virtue of the following Lawful Basis: Consent of the data subject, Performance of a task carried out in the public interest.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• Access your personal data.
• Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Request erasure of your data (“right to be forgotten”).
• Restrict or object to processing.
• Request data portability.
• Withdraw consent at any time (where applicable).

For more information, please see our full Privacy Statement.

Data Retention

Personal data is retained only as long as necessary to provide our services. For ESOL learners, data is kept until all relevant courses are completed or for up to 5 years of inactivity, after which it is securely destroyed. Secure disposal includes permanent deletion of electronic files and shredding of paper records.

Disclosure

We do not disclose your information to third parties except:

• Where you have given explicit permission.
• Where required by law.
• Where necessary to prevent or detect crime.
• To trusted service providers who support our website, under strict confidentiality agreements.

Cookies

We use cookies to improve your experience on our website. Essential cookies are required for the site to function. Non-essential cookies (such as analytics) are only set with your consent.

• Essential cookies: Enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility.
• Analytics cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our site so we can improve it. These are only set if you accept them.

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time.

System Security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data. This website uses log files to record visitor use, which helps us improve the site. Log files do not contain personal information and are kept secure. Access is restricted to authorised personnel and trusted service providers.

We make no attempt to track or identify individuals except where there is a reasonable suspicion of unauthorised access. In such cases, we reserve the right to use access logs to identify users.

Breach Notification: In the event of a data breach that may affect your personal data, we will notify you and the ICO if applicable, as required by law.

Terms of Use & Disclaimer

This website is operated by the Bedford ESOL Service. Every effort is made to ensure the information on this website is accurate and complete, but no warranty is given as to its accuracy or completeness. Information may not always be up to date, and we cannot accept liability for any errors or omissions.

We may revise these terms at any time without notice. Continued use of the website after changes have been made indicates your acceptance of those changes.

System availability

We strive to ensure high availability of our website but cannot guarantee uninterrupted access. We accept no responsibility for any damages arising from loss of use of this service.

Links and Third-Party Sites

Links provided on this website are for information only. We are not responsible for the reliability or content of external sites and cannot guarantee their availability. A link does not imply endorsement.

You do not need permission to link directly to pages on this site, but our pages must not be loaded into frames on other websites.

Copyright

Material on this website is copyright protected except where otherwise indicated. You may reproduce material free of charge for research, private study, or internal circulation, provided it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. Where material is reproduced or published, the source must be acknowledged.

Images

Names, images, and logos on this site are proprietary marks. Copying or use of logos, images, or third-party content is not permitted without prior approval from the relevant copyright owner.

Virus protection

We make every effort to check and test material at all stages of production. However, you should run an anti-virus programme on all material downloaded from the Internet. We cannot accept responsibility for loss, disruption, or damage to your data or computer system while using material from this website.

Email disclaimer

Internet and web mail are not secure mediums. Emails sent via the Internet could be intercepted and read by others. We cannot guarantee complete confidentiality when sending information via email. Please bear this in mind when sending confidential material.

Review

This policy is reviewed regularly and was last updated on 05/11/2025