Privacy Policy

Who we are

Edinburgh Chess Academy is a partnership providing chess tuition, clubs, classes, tournaments and related educational services.

We are the data controller for the personal information described in this policy.

For questions about your information, contact: andrew@edinburghchessacademy.com

Information we collect

Depending on the service, we may collect:

a parent or guardian's name, email address, telephone number and postal address
a child's name, age, date of birth, school and school year
chess experience, class, attendance and progress information
emergency contacts and collection arrangements
relevant health, allergy, accessibility or additional-support information
invoice, payment and transaction records
correspondence with parents, guardians, schools and other organisations
photographs where permission has been obtained
technical information collected through our website or online services.

We only collect information that is relevant to providing and administering our services.

Where we obtain information

We normally receive information:

directly from parents or guardians
from schools arranging a chess club or providing a register or parent contact details
through our website and online services
from chess organisations or tournament organisers where relevant to a specific activity.

Where a school provides us with parent or child information, we will normally include a link to this privacy policy in our first email to the parent or guardian.

How we use information

We use personal information to:

register children for classes, lessons and events
communicate with parents, guardians and schools
manage registers, attendance, waiting lists and payments
provide suitable chess tuition and monitor progress
manage health, accessibility, safeguarding and emergency requirements
administer tournaments and other chess activities
maintain accounting and business records
respond to questions and complaints
meet legal, tax, insurance and regulatory obligations.

Lawful bases

We normally process information because:

it is necessary to provide a service or fulfil an agreement
it is in our legitimate interests to run and improve Edinburgh Chess Academy
we must comply with a legal obligation
consent has been given for an optional use, such as publishing photographs.

Health, allergy, disability and medical information is treated as special category personal data. We normally process this with the explicit consent of the parent or guardian so that we can safely support the child.

In an emergency, we may use or share relevant information where necessary to protect someone's vital interests.

Who we share information with

We only share information where it is necessary and proportionate.

We may use or share information with:

Google Workspace Business Standard for email, calendars, forms, documents, spreadsheets, file storage and video meetings
QuickBooks for invoicing, payments, expenses and accounting
Wix for our website and associated online forms
video-conferencing, online chess and educational platforms used to provide our services
schools, venues and chess clubs involved in hosting or arranging activities
coaches, administrators and authorised workers who need the information for their role
accountants, insurers, banks and professional advisers
legal, regulatory or safeguarding bodies where required.

Where a child takes part in a tournament, league or other chess activity, we may also share necessary information with organisations such as Chess Scotland, Lothian Junior Chess, Edinburgh Chess Club or another relevant organiser.

We do not routinely share information with these organisations simply because a child attends our classes, and we do not sell personal information.

Artificial intelligence and automated tools

Some of the business software we use, including Google Workspace and QuickBooks, may offer artificial intelligence or automated features.

We may use suitable features to assist with administrative work such as:

• preparing and improving communications;
• organising information;
• managing spreadsheets and registers;
• reviewing business records;
• identifying errors or duplicated information; and
• improving administrative processes.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is only used where appropriate, access is limited and important outputs are reviewed by a person.

Where practical, we may limit, remove or anonymise personal information before using an artificial intelligence feature.

We do not use automated decision-making to make significant decisions about a child or family without meaningful human involvement.

International processing

Some service providers may process or store information outside the United Kingdom.

Where this happens, appropriate legal safeguards will be used.

How long we keep information

We keep information only for as long as it is reasonably needed.

Accounting and transaction records are normally kept for at least six years. Other records are kept for as long as they remain relevant to the service, a legal obligation, safeguarding, insurance, a complaint or a possible dispute.

When information is no longer required, we will securely delete, destroy or anonymise it.

Security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information, including:

• using password-protected accounts and multi-factor authentication;
• limiting access to people who need the information;
• using reputable business software and service providers; and
• keeping devices and software updated.

No electronic system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but we will respond appropriately if we become aware of a personal data breach.

Emails about our services

We use email to communicate about classes, term dates, renewals, payments, cancellations, tournaments and other administrative matters.

We may occasionally email existing customers about similar Edinburgh Chess Academy classes, events or services.

Anyone who does not wish to receive promotional emails can opt out by replying to the email or contacting andrew@edinburghchessacademy.com.

Opting out of promotional emails will not prevent us from sending necessary administrative messages about an existing class, booking, payment or service.

We do not use an external email marketing or mailing-list provider.

Photographs and online classes

We will not publish identifiable photographs of a child for promotional purposes unless appropriate permission has been obtained.

Permission may be withdrawn for future use, although this may not affect photographs already lawfully published.

During an online class, a participant’s name, video or audio may be visible or audible to coaches and other participants.

We do not record our classes.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• request a copy of your personal information;
• ask us to correct or delete information;
• ask us to restrict how information is used;
• object to certain uses, including direct marketing;
• receive certain information in a portable format; and
• withdraw consent where consent is being relied upon.

These rights are not absolute and may depend on why we hold the information.

To make a request, contact andrew@edinburghchessacademy.com.

We may need to verify your identity and will normally respond within one month.

Complaints

Please contact us first if you have a concern about how we have used personal information.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK’s independent data protection regulator.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our services, technology providers or legal obligations change.

The latest version will be published on our website with an updated date.

Last updated: 26 July 2026