Gateway Qualifications is committed to protecting your personal information and respecting your privacy.

This notice explains when and why we might collect personal information from you when you use our websites (including our online registration and awarding systems) or otherwise interact with us and how we will store and use that information.

We may change this notice from time to time so please re-read the notice occasionally to ensure that you are happy with any changes. By continuing to use our website or access our services you are agreeing to be bound by this notice.

Any questions about this notice or our privacy practices should be sent by email to enquiries@gatewayqualifications.org.uk or by writing to Lorraine Wreford, Director of Finance, Gateway Qualifications, Gateway House, 6 Tollgate Business Park, Colchester, CO3 8AB. Alternatively, you can telephone 01206 911 211.

Who are we?

We’re Gateway Qualifications, an Awarding Organisation and Access Validating Agency. We provide qualifications, assessments and quality assurance to a wide variety of education and training providers in the UK and beyond.

Gateway Qualifications is a registered charity (no. 1114282) and a company limited by guarantee (no. 5502449). Our registered address is Gateway House, 3 Tollgate Business Park, Colchester, CO3 8AB.

How do we collect information from you?

We may collect and process the following data about you:

Information you provide to us
Such as when you fill in a form on our website, create a login to one of our systems, make a purchase from us, get in touch by email or phone, give us feedback, enter a competition or prize draw or speak to us at an event.

Information we collect about you
Such as how you use our websites and services using tracking tools like cookies and other similar technologies stored on your computer, mobile or other devices. For more information please see our Cookie Notice.

Information we receive from other sources
We may also receive information about you if you use the services of certain third parties and their privacy policy allows the sharing of information with third-parties. We receive information about learners from our Recognised Centres. For example, if you attend a conference which shares delegate information with exhibitors and sponsors, or if you interact with us on certain third-party websites or social media.

What type of information do we collect?

We may use the following information for the purposes set out in this privacy notice, depending on the nature of our relationship with you.

Contact details
We will hold contact details such as your name, email address, phone number and other information relevant to the products and services that we provide.

Information from your use of our websites and systems
When you use our websites or systems we may collect information about your use of these from our server logs, including information such as your IP address. We may also look at how you found our website and what information you looked at on our website to analyse activity on our website.

Email activity
We may collect information about how you respond to our emails and whether you open them or click any links in them.

Other online or offline dealings
We may collect details of your interactions with us at conferences, events and meetings, on social media, and correspondence via email or telephone.

We might add to the above information with information received from other companies or sources including demographic information, market research or other publicly available information. Combining this information with your information enables us to provide you with a better service and more focused information. For example, if your organisation delivers a qualification to learners and other similar organisations who deliver that qualification also deliver a different qualification we might provide you with information about that qualification.

Learner data
Our Recognised Centres provide us with information about learners they are registering on our qualifications and programmes, including name, date of birth, gender, ethnicity and details of any reasonable adjustments or special considerations.

How might we use your information?

We may use your information to;

  • fulfil any agreements we have made, whether with you as an individual or with the organisation you represent
  • process orders that you have submitted
  • process a job application
  • communicate with you in a relevant manner
  • personalise our communications with you
  • assist your use of our website and systems
  • measure and understand the effectiveness of our website and communications
  • improve our website and systems generally
  • contact you and advise you of the products and services that we provide
  • make suggestions and recommendations about products and services that may interest you
  • display advertising on other websites based on what you have viewed on our website
  • dealing with entries into a competition or prize draw
  • seek your views or comments on the products and services we provide or may be developing
  • notify you about changes to our services.

If you are a learner registered on one of our qualifications or programmes we may use your information to;

    • record details of your registration on our qualifications and programmes
    • record details of your achievements
    • facilitate your participation in externally set assessments
    • award any certificates or unit transcripts you are entitled to
    • to administer requests for special considerations or reasonable adjustments
    • to monitor the use of our qualifications and ensure their validity and accessibility.

Sensitive Personal Data

We collect sensitive personal data relating to learners’ age, ethnicity, employment status, ability status and gender. We use this data in aggregate and anonymously to allow us to measure use and accessibility of our qualifications and assessments across different sections of society. We also use this data to ensure the validity of our qualifications and assessments.

In certain circumstances, we may require sensitive personal data relating to a learner’s physical or mental health to enable us to administer requests for special considerations or reasonable adjustments. We may also need to request such information if it is required for the investigation of a complaint or appeal.

Profiling and automatic decision making

We may use the information you provide to us to better understand your interests so we can try and predict what other products, services and information you might be most interested in. This enables us to tailor our communications to make them more relevant and interesting for you. If you don’t want us to do this you may opt-out on our communications preferences page on our website.

We do not use profiling to make automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects.

Grounds for processing

We may process information on the following grounds:

  1. Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract. For example, if you are a Recognised Centre or are enquiring about using our qualifications or becoming a Recognised Centre or if you are a learner registered on a qualification or programme of study by a Recognised Centre.
  2. Where processing is with the consent of the natural person. For example, where you have indicated that you wish to receive information from us.
  3. Where processing is in the legitimate interests of the controller, or a third party, except where such interests are overridden by the interests or fundamental rights and freedoms of the natural person. For example, where we are required to make information about our qualifications and services available, particularly, but not limited to, cases where there is a regulatory requirement, or where the communication is in the interests of learners or potential learners. This could be to notify you about changes to existing qualifications, or the availability of new qualifications.

What might happen if you choose not to give us your information?

You have the right to decide whether to supply your information or not.

We have a regulatory requirement to hold certain information about individuals involved in the delivery of our qualifications and some of our services also require that we hold contact information for named individuals. This information may be provided when applying for Centre Recognition or Course Approval or during the on-going operation of your account. Failure to supply this information may mean that you are unable to meet your obligations under our Recognised Centre Agreement and therefore you may not be able to work with us.

Who has access to your information?

We will not sell or rent your data to third parties.

We will not share your data with third parties for marketing purposes.

From time to time we may need to share your information with selected third-party business partners, suppliers and sub-contractors for the performance of a contract we have with them. In such circumstances, we only share the data necessary for them to deliver the service and have in place a contract or data sharing and usage agreement that requires them to keep your data secure and not to use it for their own marketing purposes.

If Gateway Qualifications Limited, or a substantial part of its assets, is acquired by a third party we may need to transfer your personal information to this third party as part of any business restructuring or reorganisation.

We may be required to share your information if we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal information to comply with a legal obligation or as required by the relevant regulator.

Where is your information is stored?

Wherever possible we will store your data in the UK, the European Economic Area (EEA) or a jurisdiction that complies with the UK GDPR. The data we collect from you may be transferred to, and stored at, a destination outside of these areas. When this is the case we will take steps to ensure that appropriate security measures are taken with the aim of ensuring that your privacy rights are protected as outlined in this notice.

If you use our services while you are outside the UK or EEA, your information may be transferred outside the UK or EEA to provide these services.

Aged 13 years or under?

Our website and services are designed to be used by those aged over the age of 13 years.

We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under the age of 13. If you are under the age of 13, please do not submit any personal data through our services. We encourage parents and legal guardians to monitor their children’s Internet usage and to instruct their children never to provide personal data without their permission. If you have reason to believe that a child under the age of 13 has provided Personal Data to Gateway Qualifications without permission, please contact us, and we will endeavour to delete that information from our databases.

How long will we keep your information?

We will retain your information in line with our data retention schedule. Typically, we retain your information for no longer than three years after the end of your relationship with us. Learner data is retained for a minimum of 10 years in line with the requirements of the relevant regulator.

How can you access and update your information?

You have a right to withdraw or change the consent you have given us, and you also have the right to object to processing for legitimate interests. You can do this on our Communication Preferences page on our website.

The accuracy of your information is important to us. If you have changed your email address or believe any of the other information we hold about you may be inaccurate or out of date please email us at enquiries@gatewayqualifications.org.uk or write to Customer Excellence, Gateway Qualifications, Gateway House, 3 Tollgate Business Park, Colchester, CO3 8AB. Alternatively you can telephone 01206 911 211.

You have the right to ask for a copy of the information Gateway Qualifications holds about you. We will need to verify your identity as part of this process and may require a copy of a form of photographic ID to do this. You can do this on our Communication Preferences page on our website.

Who can you contact if you wish to make a complaint?

In the event that you wish to make a complaint about how your personal data is processed by Gateway Qualifications (or the third parties we work with), or how your complaint has been handled, you have the right to lodge a complaint directly with the supervisory authority and Gateway Qualifications’ data protection representative.

The details for each of these are:

Gateway Qualifications
Lorraine Wreford,
Director of Finance,
Gateway Qualifications,
Gateway House,
6 Tollgate Business Park,
Colchester,
CO3 8AB
enquiries@gatewayqualifications.org.uk
01206 911 205

The supervisory authority in the UK is the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and guidance on how to contact them is available online at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/. Alternatively, they can be contacted as follows:

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113 (local rate) or 01625 545 745 if you prefer to use a national rate number
Fax: 01625 524 510