Your privacy, explained simply

Who I am

ATT English Academy is run by me, Shaun Simpson. I am the data controller for the personal information described here, which means I decide how it is used and I am responsible for looking after it.

If you have any question about your data, email me at [email protected]. I reply personally.

What I collect and why

When you sign up for a free resource or email

When you sign up for the free anxiety lessons, the 50 idioms guide or my weekly emails, I collect your email address. My email service also records which emails you open and which links you click, so I can see what is useful and stop sending what isn't.

Why: to send you what you asked for and, if you stay subscribed, my regular emails about learning British English and my courses. Legal basis: your consent, which you give by signing up and confirming your email address. You can withdraw it at any time by unsubscribing.

When you book a session

When you book a consultation, lesson or coaching session, I collect your name, email address, time zone and your answers to the booking questions. For professional coaching and company training these include your job, company, role and work email.

Why: to arrange and run your sessions, prepare for them and keep in touch about them. Legal basis: to take steps before, and to carry out, our agreement with you.

When you pay

Payments are handled by Stripe. Your card details go directly to Stripe and I never see or store them. I receive a record of the payment: your name, email address, the amount and the date.

Why: to take payment and keep accurate business records. Legal basis: our agreement with you, and my legal duty to keep tax records.

During lessons and coaching

I may keep short notes on your progress and the goals you share with me, so each session builds on the last. If you share work material with me (such as a presentation or an interview question), I use it only to help you and treat it as confidential.

Why: to give you a useful, personal service. Legal basis: our agreement with you.

When you visit this website

I use Cloudflare Web Analytics to count visits and see which pages are popular. It does not use cookies, does not track you across other websites and does not identify you personally.

Why: to understand how the website is used and improve it. Legal basis: my legitimate interest in running a useful website, with very little impact on your privacy.

Who helps me (my processors)

I use a small number of trusted services to run ATT English Academy. They only process your information on my instructions and are required to keep it secure.

This website also loads its fonts from Google Fonts, which means your browser connects to Google's servers and shares your IP address with them.

Patreon and Discord

If you join the community or a membership through Patreon or Discord, those companies collect your information under their own privacy policies. I can see your name or username, your membership tier and anything you post in the community.

Where your data is stored

Some of these services store or process data outside the UK, including in the European Union and the United States. Where that happens, they protect it with the safeguards UK law requires, such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or the UK Extension to the EU–US Data Privacy Framework.

How long I keep it

• Email address: until you unsubscribe. I may also remove addresses that haven't opened an email for a long time.
• Booking, lesson and payment records: for as long as HMRC requires me to keep business records, currently at least 5 years after the 31 January tax return deadline for that year.
• Lesson and coaching notes: for up to 12 months after our last session, unless you ask me to delete them sooner.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

• ask for a copy of the information I hold about you
• ask me to correct anything that is wrong
• ask me to delete your information
• object to, or ask me to limit, how I use it
• ask for your information in a format you can take elsewhere
• withdraw your consent at any time, for example by unsubscribing

To use any of these rights, email [email protected]. It's free, and I will reply within one month.

How to unsubscribe

Every email I send has an unsubscribe link at the bottom. One click removes you straight away. You can also simply reply to any email and ask.

How to ask for deletion

Email [email protected] with the subject "Delete my data" from the email address you used with me. I will delete your information from my email list, booking system and notes, and confirm when it's done. The only exception is payment records I must keep by law, which I will keep securely until that period ends.

Cookies

This website does not set any cookies of its own, and its visitor statistics are cookie-free. When you click through to a booking page (TidyCal), payment page (Stripe) or Patreon, those websites may set their own cookies under their own policies.

Children

My services are designed for adults. If you are under 18, please ask a parent or guardian before signing up or booking.

Making a complaint

If you're unhappy with how I've handled your information, please tell me first so I can put it right. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint or on 0303 123 1113.

Changes to this notice

If I change how I use your information, I will update this page and the date at the top. If the change is important, I will also let subscribers know by email.