What information do we collect and why do we need it?
We collect and process a range of personal data about students, including:
- Personal Information: Name, unique student number, address.
- Special Category Data: Ethnicity, language, nationality, country of birth.
- Attendance Information: Sessions attended, number of absences, absence reasons.
- Additional Categories: Assessment information, relevant medical information, special educational needs (SEN) data, behavioural information.
This information is stored securely in:
- Approved databases (e.g., PICS).
- Our secure IT systems, including emails and file storage.
- Local locked and secure filing cabinets.
Access to these records is restricted to authorised personnel on a need-to-know basis, in line with UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) requirements.
Most of this information is required to fulfil legal, regulatory, or Catch22 College business obligations. Where data is collected on a voluntary basis for a specific purpose, we will ensure transparency and obtain consent.
How we use your data
We use student data to:
- support student learning.
- monitor and report on student progress.
- provide appropriate pastoral and healthcare support.
- assess and improve the quality of our services.
- comply with legal and regulatory requirements for data sharing.
- safeguard and promote the welfare of students.
- fulfil contractual and statutory obligations.
- facilitate additional student activities, including off-site projects, activities, and educational visits.
- protect and promote Catch22 College’s interests, including fundraising.
- promote Catch22 College using student images in our website and prospectus.
- conduct data analysis, improvement projects, and impact reporting to evaluate and enhance student outcomes, programme effectiveness, and overall service quality.
- communicate with students and parents via Twilio and emails from PICSWeb for attendance notifications, progress updates, and other essential information.
Who will we share your information with?
We routinely share student data with:
- schools and other educational institutions before and after attendance at Catch22 College.
- schools or educational establishments for referrals or examination centre provision.
- our local authority.
- Social Care services.
- the Police (in the event of an incident or where an appropriate request is made in the event of an investigation or to prevent crime).
- the Secretary of State for the Department for Education (DfE).
- research and evaluation bodies (where permitted under DfE data-sharing agreements and UK GDPR compliance) to assess educational and employment outcomes.
Department for Education 2025/26 – how we use your personal information
This privacy notice is issued on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Department of Education (DfE) to inform learners about the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) and how their personal information is used in the ILR. Your personal information is used by the DfE to exercise our functions under article 6(1)(e) of the UK GDPR and to meet our statutory responsibilities, including under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009. Our lawful basis for using your special category personal data is covered under Substantial Public Interest based in law (Article 9(2)(g)) of UK GDPR legislation. This processing is under Section 54 of the Further and Higher Education Act (1992).
The ILR collects data about learners and learning undertaken. Publicly funded colleges, training organisations, local authorities, and employers (FE providers) must collect and return the data each year under the terms of a funding agreement, contract or grant agreement. It helps ensure that public money is being spent in line with government targets. It is also used for education, training, employment, and well-being purposes, including research.
We retain your ILR learner data for 20 years for operational purposes (e.g. to fund your learning and to publish official statistics). Your personal data is then retained in our research databases until you are aged 80 years so that it can be used for long-term research purposes. For more information about the ILR and the data collected, please see the ILR specification at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/individualised-learner-record-ilr
ILR data is shared with third parties where it complies with DfE data sharing procedures and where the law allows it. The DfE and the English European Social Fund (ESF) Managing Authority (or agents acting on their behalf) may contact learners to carry out research and evaluation to inform the effectiveness of training.
For more information about how your personal data is used and your individual rights, please see the DfE Personal Information Charter and the DfE Privacy Notice.
If you would like to get in touch with us or request a copy of the personal information DfE holds about you, you can contact the DfE in the following ways:
- Using our online contact form
- By telephoning the DfE Helpline on 0370 000 2288
- Or in writing to: Data Protection Officer, Department for Education (B2.28), 7 & 8 Wellington Place, Wellington Street, Leeds, LS1 4AW
If you are unhappy with how we have used your personal data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at:
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. You can also call their helpline on 0303 123 1113 or visit https://www.ico.org.uk Further information about use of and access to your personal data, details of organisations with whom we regularly share data, information about how long we retain your data, and how to change your consent to being contacted, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/esfa-privacy-notice/esfa-privacy-notice