Privacy Policy

Who we are

Sottovoce Languages is an online language school teaching Spanish, French, Italian and German through small live group classes and one-to-one lessons with qualified native-speaking teachers. We are the controller of the personal information described here. If something in this policy is unclear, ask us. We would rather explain it properly than leave you guessing.

The information we collect

When you book a level test, enrol on a course or join a conversation club, we collect your name, email address and phone number, along with the language you want to learn. We also keep your level test results, the classes you have booked and attended, and any notes your teacher records about your progress. If you write to us, we keep that correspondence. Our website collects technical data such as your IP address, browser type and the pages you visit, as set out in our Cookie Policy.

We do not ask for sensitive information. Please do not share it with us in class chats or messages unless you have a clear reason to.

How we use it

We use your details to place you in the right group, schedule your lessons and send you joining links for live classes. We also use them to answer your questions and to send reminders before your evening sessions. Some of this we do because we have a contract with you. Some we do because it is in our legitimate interest to run the school well, for example improving our timetable or spotting where a class is too full. We send marketing emails, such as news of a new conversation club, only where you have agreed to them or where the law allows it, and every message includes a way to unsubscribe.

Live classes and recordings

Classes take place on a video platform. Your name and image will be visible to your teacher and to other learners in your group. We do not record classes unless we tell you beforehand and explain why.

Payment data

Payments are handled by a regulated third party payment provider. We never see or store your full card number. We receive confirmation that you have paid, the amount and the last four digits of your card, which we keep for our accounting records.

Who we share it with

We share personal information only with the service providers who help us run the school, such as our video platform, email service, booking system and payment provider. Each of them may use your data only to provide that service to us. We never sell your data. We may disclose information where the law requires it.

International transfers

Some of our providers, and some of our teachers, may be based outside the UK. Where your data leaves the UK, we make sure appropriate safeguards are in place, such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or an adequacy decision.

How long we keep it

We keep your learner record for as long as you are studying with us and for a reasonable period afterwards, so you can come back next autumn and pick up at the right level. Financial records are kept for six years, as UK tax rules require. After that we delete or anonymise the data.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies. Some are needed for the site to work, and others help us understand how visitors use it. You can find the details, and how to control them, in our Cookie Policy.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 you have the right to access the personal information we hold about you and to have it corrected. You can also ask us to delete it, restrict how we use it, object to certain uses, or receive a copy in a portable format. Where we rely on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time. To use any of these rights, email us. We may ask you to confirm your identity first.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, please talk to us. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF, telephone +44 121 7936385, ico.org.uk.

Security

We use password protected systems, limit access to the people who need it and choose providers with sound security practices. No system is perfect, though.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our services or the law change. The latest version will always be on this page.

Contact us

Sottovoce Languages
226 Victoria Road
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 121 7936385