Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 20th 2026

I am a private dyslexia assessor and specialist teacher. I am committed to protecting your personal data and respecting your privacy in accordance with the UK GDPR.

What information I collect

I may collect and process the following personal data:

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Information provided in contact forms or email enquiries

This may include information relating to learning needs where voluntarily provided.

How I use your information

I use your information to:

  • Respond to enquiries

  • Provide assessment and teaching services

  • Maintain records of communications

How your data is stored

  • Your data is stored securely using Google Drive.

  • I take reasonable steps to ensure your data is protected.

Legal basis for processing

I process your data under:

  • Legitimate interest (responding to enquiries)

  • Contract (where services are agreed)

Data Sharing

I do not sell your personal data. I may share information with:

  • The child's school or SENCO, where the assessment has been commissioned or requested for educational planning purposes

  • Exam boards (e.g. JCQ), where required to support access arrangement applications

  • Other professionals involved in the child's care, only with your consent or where legally required

  • Cloud service providers (e.g. Google Drive) who store data on my behalf, under their own security safeguards

Children as Data Subjects 

Where I collect data relating to a child, this is usually provided by a parent, guardian, or school on the child's behalf. I take particular care to protect children's data and only use it for the purposes of assessment, teaching, and related educational support.

Special Category Data 

Some of the information I collect, such as details of learning needs, diagnoses, or health-related history, is classed as "special category data" under UK GDPR. I only process this data:

  • With your explicit consent, given when you complete a consent form or background information questionnaire, or

  • Where necessary for the substantial public interest of providing SEN or SpLD assessment services, in line with my professional obligations as an APC-registered specialist assessor

Data Retention

I retain personal data only for as long as necessary:

  • Enquiries that do not proceed to an assessment: up to 12 months, then deleted

  • Client records, including assessment reports and background data: retained for 7 years from the date of the report, in line with professional indemnity and safeguarding record-keeping practice. Records relating to a child may be retained until the child's 25th birthday, where required for future reference (e.g. exam board or educational appeals)

  • After the retention period, data is securely deleted

Your rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

  • Request access to your data

  • Request correction or deletion

  • Withdraw consent where applicable

  • Lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you are unhappy with how your data has been handled

To exercise these rights, please contact me using the details below.

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or your data, please contact: jess@birchallhouse.co.uk