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Privacy notice for website users

This privacy notice tells you about the information we collect from you when you use our website. In collecting this information, we are acting as a data controller. By law (including the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025), we are required to provide you with information about us, why and how we use your data, and the rights you have over your data.

Who are we ?

Organisation name: The National Extension College (NEC).

Address: Woolpack House, 70 High Street, Sawston, Cambridge, CB22 3HJ.

Contact options: You can contact us by post at the address above, by email at info@nec.ac.uk or by telephone on +44 (0)1223 400200.

Any enquiries about our use of your personal data should be addressed to the contact details listed above.

Download a PDF of our Data Protection and Privacy Policy V3.1 June 2026.

What personal data do we collect?

When you make an enquiry through the website:

When you make an enquiry, we ask you for your name, contact telephone number, and email address. We will also ask how you heard about NEC.

We use this information to respond to your query and provide requested information about our courses and services. We may also email you several times after your enquiry to follow up on your interest and ensure we have answered your questions to your satisfaction. We will explicitly ask for your consent to do this.

When you download resources or sign up to our newsletter:

When you download resources or sign up to our newsletter, we ask for your name and email address.

We will ask for your consent to use your details to contact you about our products, courses, and other information we feel might be of interest to you. We will only contact you in accordance with current data protection guidelines. You can withdraw your consent at any time by telephone, email, or by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any newsletter.

When you use the website (Cookies):

When you browse our website, cookies are used by us and by trusted third parties to allow the website to function, to collect useful information about visitors, and to improve your user experience.

Cookies are small text files placed on your device to collect standard internet log information and visitor behaviour details. This information helps us track website activity and compile statistical reports.

For further information, please visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org. You can set your browser not to accept cookies, and these websites explain how to remove them. Please note that some website features may not function correctly as a result.

We also share anonymised information about your website use with our trusted social media, advertising, and analytics partners (including Facebook and Google) to advertise effectively. We do not share personally identifiable information with these partners.

If you are under 18

If you are under the age of 18, we require the consent of your parent or guardian to hold your personal information. We will ask them to confirm that they agree to NEC holding your details for the purpose of delivering your courses and educational services.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18 years of age without this parental consent. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected data without consent, we will act promptly to delete it.

What do we do with your information?

Your information is stored securely in our systems, which are mostly based within the United Kingdom and the European Union. If we use third-party systems that transfer data outside of these areas, we ensure legally recognized data transfer mechanisms and safeguards are in place to keep your information secure.

We do not use the information you provide to make any automated decisions that might significantly affect you

We will never share your details with third-party organisations for marketing purposes. We may disclose personal information to third parties only if:

  • It is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities or suspected fraud.
  • It is required or permitted by law to comply with warrants, court orders, or other legal processes.
  • It is in connection with the sale or reorganisation of all or part of our business, as permitted by law.

How long do we keep your information for?

If you consent to receive marketing communications, we will keep your information until you ask us to stop. Otherwise, we will keep your data for two years from your last interaction.

How secure is my information?

NEC is committed to protecting the security of your information and takes strict technical precautions to protect it. If we learn of a data security breach, we will notify you directly via your registered email address and outline any recommended protective steps. NEC complies fully with all statutory breach reporting regulations.

Your rights over your information

By law, you have specific rights regarding your personal data:

  • Access & Portability: You can ask us what information we hold about you and request a copy of it in a machine-readable format.
  • Rectification: You can ask us to correct your details if they are inaccurate.
  • Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): You can request that your data be deleted if we are processing it based on consent or legitimate interest.
  • Restriction & Objection: You can ask us to temporarily stop using your information or object to processing, though this may prevent us from providing your course services.
  • Automated Processing: You can object to decisions being reached solely through automated processing or profiling.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at student.support@nec.ac.uk or write to us at our registered address.

Your right to complain

If you have a concern or complaint regarding how we handle, store, or process your personal data, you have a statutory right to lodge a formal complaint under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.

1. Submit your complaint to NEC first

To allow us to investigate your concerns, you must lodge your complaint directly with us in the first instance. You can do this quickly by:

2. What happens next?

We will formally acknowledge your complaint within 30 calendar days of receipt. Our compliance team will investigate the matter without undue delay and provide a response detailing our findings and any action taken.

3. Escalating to the Regulator

If you remain dissatisfied with our final internal response, you retain the legal right to escalate your complaint to the UK supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). You can contact them via www.ico.org.uk or write to them at:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Use of cookies

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