سياسة الخصوصية

Privacy Notice

Last updated: 2 September 2026

Dakodas is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of the children, young people, families and adults who use our services.

Because we provide dance and performing arts education primarily to children and young people, we recognise that we have a particular responsibility to handle children's personal information carefully, fairly and securely.

This Privacy Notice explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use and share it, how long we keep it and the rights you have in relation to it.

1. Who we are

For the purposes of UK data protection law, the data controller is:

Dakoda LLP
22 Pont Street
London
SW1X 0AA
United Kingdom

Referred to throughout this notice as “Dakodas”, “we”, “us” or “our”.

For privacy or data protection enquiries, please contact:

robert@dakodasdanceacademy.com

This Privacy Notice applies to personal information processed through our website, bookings, classes, courses, camps, private lessons, examinations, performances, events and other services.

2. Who this Privacy Notice applies to

This notice applies to personal information relating to:

  • children and young people attending or enquiring about Dakodas;

  • parents, guardians and carers;

  • prospective students and families;

  • adult students;

  • customers purchasing services or products from us;

  • people attending trials, camps, workshops, parties, performances or other events;

  • website visitors; and

  • other individuals who communicate or interact with Dakodas.

Separate privacy information may apply to employees, freelance teachers, contractors and job applicants.

3. The personal information we collect

The information we collect depends upon your relationship with Dakodas and the services you use.

Children and young people

We may collect information including:

  • full name;

  • date of birth and age;

  • gender where relevant to a service or examination;

  • class, course and enrolment information;

  • attendance records;

  • trial information;

  • progression and training information;

  • examination entries and results;

  • performance, production or competition information;

  • school attended, where relevant;

  • parent or guardian details;

  • emergency contact information;

  • authorised collection information;

  • information relating to private lessons;

  • correspondence relating to the child;

  • photographs and video recordings where applicable;

  • accident, injury or incident information;

  • safeguarding information where necessary; and

  • information needed to ensure that a child can participate safely and appropriately.

Health, medical, SEND and additional-needs information

Where necessary, we may collect information relating to:

  • allergies;

  • medical conditions;

  • medication;

  • injuries;

  • disabilities;

  • Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND);

  • access requirements;

  • reasonable adjustments;

  • additional support needs; and

  • other relevant health or wellbeing information.

Health information is treated as special category personal data and receives additional protection under data protection law.

We ask families only to provide information which is relevant to the child's safety, wellbeing or participation in our activities.

Parents and guardians are responsible for keeping this information up to date.

Parents, guardians and adult customers

We may collect:

  • name;

  • postal address;

  • email address;

  • telephone number;

  • emergency contact details;

  • relationship to a child;

  • account and booking information;

  • payment and transaction information;

  • invoices and payment history;

  • correspondence with Dakodas;

  • marketing preferences; and

  • information you choose to provide when communicating with us.

Payment information

Payments may be processed by third-party payment providers.

Dakodas does not generally need to hold complete debit or credit card details where these are processed securely by our payment providers.

We may retain transaction information such as:

  • amounts paid;

  • dates;

  • payment status;

  • invoices;

  • refunds;

  • payment references; and

  • associated customer information.

Website and technical information

When you visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically, including:

  • IP address;

  • browser type;

  • device information;

  • website activity;

  • pages visited;

  • referring website;

  • cookie information; and

  • information about how you interact with our website.

Our website uses Shopify and may also use other technology providers for functions including website hosting, analytics, communications and advertising.

4. How we collect information

We may collect personal information:

  • directly from parents or guardians;

  • directly from adult students or customers;

  • from children or young people where appropriate;

  • through our website;

  • through booking and class-management systems;

  • when someone enquires about a class or trial;

  • when a student enrols;

  • when someone books a camp, workshop, private lesson, party or event;

  • through forms and registration documents;

  • through email, telephone, messaging or other correspondence;

  • through payment providers;

  • through schools or partner organisations where appropriate;

  • from teachers and authorised members of the Dakodas team;

  • from examination bodies;

  • during classes, performances, events and activities;

  • from cookies and similar technology; and

  • from other organisations where there is a lawful and appropriate reason for information to be shared with us.

5. Why we use personal information and our lawful bases

We will only use personal information where we have a lawful reason to do so.

Depending upon the circumstances, we may rely upon one or more of the following lawful bases under UK data protection law.

Contract

We may process information because it is necessary to:

  • respond to a request before someone enters into a contract with us;

  • enrol a student;

  • provide classes, courses or private lessons;

  • administer bookings;

  • process payments;

  • manage an account;

  • communicate about the service being provided; or

  • otherwise fulfil our agreement with a customer.

Legal obligation

We may process information where necessary to comply with legal or regulatory responsibilities, including those relating to:

  • safeguarding;

  • health and safety;

  • taxation;

  • accounting;

  • insurance;

  • responding to lawful requests from authorities; and

  • other legal requirements applying to our organisation.

Legitimate interests

We may process information where it is reasonably necessary for the legitimate operation of Dakodas and where those interests are not overridden by an individual's rights.

This may include:

  • administering classes and timetables;

  • managing attendance;

  • communicating with families;

  • maintaining appropriate records;

  • developing and improving our services;

  • maintaining appropriate teaching and training standards;

  • managing venues;

  • preventing fraud or misuse of our systems;

  • protecting our organisation and those using our services;

  • responding to complaints;

  • establishing, exercising or defending legal claims; and

  • maintaining the security of our website and systems.

Where children are involved, their interests, rights and freedoms are given particular consideration.

Consent

We may rely upon consent where appropriate.

This may include certain uses of:

  • photographs;

  • videos;

  • marketing communications;

  • health or special category information; and

  • optional activities.

Where we rely upon consent, it can normally be withdrawn at any time.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect processing which was lawful before consent was withdrawn.

Vital interests

In an emergency, we may process or share personal information where necessary to protect someone's life or physical safety.

6. Children's personal information

Children and young people are at the heart of Dakodas and we routinely process children's personal information in order to provide our services.

We do not treat children's information in the same way as ordinary online shopping data.

We take particular care to ensure that:

  • information collected about children is relevant and necessary;

  • children's information is only accessible to people who reasonably need it;

  • sensitive information receives additional protection;

  • children's information is not used in ways they would not reasonably expect;

  • information is shared only where appropriate;

  • children's interests are considered when we make decisions about their information; and

  • information is deleted or anonymised when we no longer have a lawful reason to retain it.

In most cases, information relating to younger children will be provided and managed by their parent or guardian.

As children grow older, they may increasingly be able to exercise their own data protection rights.

We will take the child's age, understanding and circumstances into consideration when responding to requests involving their information.

7. Health, medical and SEND information

Information about a person's physical or mental health is classed as special category data under UK data protection law.

We may need this information to:

  • keep students safe;

  • understand allergies or medical conditions;

  • respond appropriately in an emergency;

  • provide reasonable adjustments;

  • understand additional support needs;

  • ensure activities are appropriate;

  • support inclusion and participation; or

  • fulfil safeguarding responsibilities.

In addition to having a lawful basis for processing personal information generally, we must have an additional legal condition permitting us to process special category information.

Depending upon the circumstances, this may include:

  • explicit consent;

  • protecting someone's vital interests; or

  • processing necessary for safeguarding children or individuals at risk where permitted by law.

Access to this information is restricted to those who genuinely need it.

Routine medical, SEND and support information will be reviewed and should not be retained simply because it might be useful at some point in the future.

8. Safeguarding information

There may be circumstances where Dakodas needs to collect, record or share information to safeguard a child or young person.

Safeguarding information is handled separately and with particular care.

Where there is a safeguarding concern, information may be shared with appropriate people or organisations even where a parent or guardian has not given consent if there is a lawful reason to do so.

This may include sharing information with:

  • our Designated Safeguarding Lead;

  • relevant members of the Dakodas safeguarding team;

  • schools or venues where appropriate;

  • children's social care;

  • local safeguarding authorities;

  • the police;

  • health professionals;

  • the Disclosure and Barring Service; or

  • other authorities where appropriate.

The safety and welfare of a child may take precedence over normal confidentiality where there is a safeguarding concern.

Safeguarding records are managed in accordance with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and applicable safeguarding and data protection requirements.

9. Photographs and video

Dakodas may take photographs or video recordings during classes, performances, examinations, events, workshops, productions or other activities.

These may be used for purposes including:

  • recording performances or achievements;

  • teaching and training;

  • quality assurance;

  • internal communications;

  • sharing appropriate achievements with families;

  • our website;

  • social media;

  • printed promotional materials; or

  • advertising and marketing.

Where consent is required, we will obtain appropriate permission before using identifiable photographs or videos for those purposes.

We will respect photography and filming preferences communicated to us.

Safeguarding considerations apply to the taking, storage and publication of images of children.

Where photographs or videos have already been published in printed material or legitimately distributed, it may not always be possible to retrieve every existing copy following withdrawal of consent. We will, however, stop new use where consent was the lawful basis and withdrawal applies.

10. Who we share information with

We do not sell children's or families' personal information.

We may share personal information where necessary with organisations or individuals including:

  • authorised Dakodas teachers, staff and contractors;

  • class and booking-management providers;

  • website and ecommerce providers, including Shopify;

  • payment processors and banking providers;

  • email and communications providers;

  • cloud-storage and IT providers;

  • schools and partner organisations;

  • venues;

  • examination boards and awarding organisations;

  • production, performance or event providers where necessary;

  • insurers;

  • accountants, legal advisers and other professional advisers;

  • website analytics providers;

  • marketing and advertising providers where permitted;

  • safeguarding professionals and authorities;

  • emergency services;

  • regulators;

  • law enforcement bodies; and

  • government or public authorities where disclosure is required or permitted by law.

We only share information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

Where another organisation processes information on our behalf, we expect appropriate data protection and security arrangements to be in place.

11. Schools and partner organisations

Some Dakodas services are provided within schools, nurseries, colleges or other partner organisations.

Depending upon the arrangement, Dakodas and the partner organisation may each have separate responsibilities for personal information.

For example, a school may provide us with information required to deliver an extracurricular activity, or we may need to provide appropriate attendance or safeguarding information back to the school.

We will only exchange information that is reasonably necessary for the purpose concerned.

The partner organisation's own privacy notice will apply to the information it processes as an independent data controller.

12. International transfers

Some technology and service providers used by Dakodas may process or store information outside the United Kingdom.

Where personal information is transferred internationally, we take appropriate steps to ensure that the transfer complies with UK data protection law.

Depending upon the destination and provider, this may include:

  • transferring information to a country recognised by the UK as providing an adequate level of data protection;

  • using an applicable UK-approved data protection framework; or

  • putting appropriate contractual safeguards in place.

We assess international transfers as required and expect our providers to maintain appropriate protections for personal information.

13. Cookies and similar technology

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies.

Some cookies are necessary for the website to function correctly.

Other cookies may be used for purposes including:

  • remembering preferences;

  • understanding how visitors use our website;

  • analytics;

  • improving website performance;

  • measuring advertising effectiveness; and

  • providing relevant marketing.

Where UK law requires consent for non-essential cookies, these should only be activated after the appropriate choice has been made.

You can manage available cookie choices through our website cookie controls.

You can also change cookie settings within your browser, although blocking some cookies may affect website functionality.

14. Marketing communications

We may contact parents, guardians, adult students or customers about Dakodas classes, courses, camps, events and other services.

We will only send electronic direct marketing where permitted by applicable data protection and electronic communications law.

Depending upon the circumstances, this may be because:

  • you have given us permission to contact you; or

  • the law permits us to contact an existing customer about similar services and the required conditions have been met.

Marketing consent is not a condition of attending Dakodas.

You can unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time.

Unsubscribing from marketing will not prevent us from sending essential service communications relating to matters such as:

  • classes;

  • bookings;

  • timetables;

  • payments;

  • term information;

  • changes to services;

  • safeguarding;

  • emergencies; or

  • your child's attendance or participation.

We may retain a minimal suppression record after someone unsubscribes so that we can ensure they are not accidentally added back to marketing communications.

15. How long we keep personal information

We do not keep personal information indefinitely simply because it may be useful in the future.

Different information needs to be retained for different periods depending upon:

  • why it was collected;

  • the age of the individual concerned;

  • safeguarding requirements;

  • legal obligations;

  • tax and accounting requirements;

  • insurance requirements;

  • limitation periods for legal claims; and

  • whether an issue, complaint, investigation or legal claim remains ongoing.

Our general approach is set out below.

Enquiries and trials that do not result in enrolment

Ordinary enquiry and trial administration information will generally be retained for a limited period after the last interaction and normally no longer than is reasonably necessary to deal with the enquiry, follow-up or related administration.

Marketing information may be retained separately where we are lawfully entitled to continue sending marketing until the individual opts out or the information is otherwise reviewed and removed.

Current student records

Information required to provide classes and services is retained while the student is enrolled with us.

Core enrolment, contractual and administrative records may generally be retained for up to six years after the relevant relationship ends, where necessary for contractual, insurance, accounting or legal purposes.

Some information involving children may need to be retained for longer where applicable legal limitation periods, safeguarding obligations or insurance requirements justify doing so.

Health, medical, SEND and reasonable-adjustment information

Current information needed to support a student's safe participation will be retained while it remains necessary.

It will be reviewed periodically and removed when it is no longer relevant, unless it forms part of an accident, safeguarding, complaint, insurance or legal record which needs to be retained for longer.

Attendance and class records

Attendance and associated class records are retained for as long as reasonably necessary for operational, safeguarding, contractual, insurance or legal purposes.

Safeguarding records

Safeguarding and child-protection records are subject to separate retention considerations and may need to be retained for substantially longer than ordinary customer information.

They are retained and disposed of in accordance with our safeguarding procedures, applicable law and appropriate sector guidance.

Accidents, injuries and incidents

Accident and incident records are retained for the period reasonably required by health and safety, safeguarding, insurance and legal requirements.

Records involving children may need to be retained for longer because legal limitation periods can operate differently where a child is involved.

Financial and accounting records

Financial, transaction, invoice and accounting information will generally be retained for at least six years from the end of the relevant accounting period, or for longer where required by HMRC or another legal obligation.

Photographs and videos

Photographs and videos are retained only while they continue to be required for the purpose for which they were created or published.

Promotional image libraries should be reviewed periodically so that outdated material is removed.

Marketing records

Marketing contact details may be retained while we have a lawful basis to send marketing.

When someone opts out, we may retain their email address or other contact detail on a suppression list to ensure their preference continues to be respected.

Legal disputes, safeguarding matters or investigations

Where information is relevant to a complaint, legal claim, safeguarding matter, regulatory investigation or dispute, it may be retained beyond the normal period until the matter has been resolved and any relevant retention or limitation period has expired.

At the end of the applicable retention period, personal information will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised where appropriate.

16. Security

We take reasonable organisational and technical measures to protect personal information against:

  • loss;

  • unauthorised access;

  • alteration;

  • disclosure;

  • misuse; or

  • destruction.

Measures may include:

  • restricting access according to role;

  • password-protected systems;

  • secure cloud services;

  • appropriate access controls;

  • staff training;

  • safeguarding procedures;

  • secure storage; and

  • appropriate arrangements with third-party providers.

No electronic system can be guaranteed to be completely secure, but we take reasonable steps proportionate to the nature and sensitivity of the information we hold.

17. Your data protection rights

Depending upon the circumstances, UK data protection law gives individuals a number of rights.

These may include:

Right of access

You can ask whether we hold personal information about you or your child and request a copy where you are entitled to do so.

Right to rectification

You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.

Right to erasure

In certain circumstances, you can ask us to delete personal information.

This right does not apply where we have a continuing lawful reason or legal obligation to retain the information.

Right to restrict processing

In certain circumstances, you can ask us to limit how information is used.

Right to object

You may have the right to object to processing based upon legitimate interests or to the use of information for direct marketing.

Right to data portability

In certain circumstances, you may be entitled to receive personal information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format or ask us to transfer it to another organisation.

Right to withdraw consent

Where we rely upon consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.

Rights relating to automated decision-making

We do not currently use personal information to make solely automated decisions which produce legal or similarly significant effects on children, families or customers.

If this changes, we will update this Privacy Notice and provide the information required by law.

Not every right applies in every circumstance.

We may need to verify the identity or authority of the person making a request before releasing personal information.

18. Children's data protection rights

Personal information belongs to the individual child, even where it was originally provided by their parent or guardian.

Children have data protection rights in relation to their own personal information.

For younger children, it will usually be appropriate for a parent or guardian to exercise those rights on their behalf.

As a child becomes older and has sufficient understanding, they may be able to exercise their rights themselves.

When dealing with a request relating to a child's information, we will consider:

  • the child's age;

  • their level of understanding;

  • the nature of the information;

  • the child's best interests;

  • confidentiality;

  • safeguarding considerations; and

  • the legal rights of everyone involved.

19. Keeping information accurate

It is important that information about students and families remains accurate.

Parents and guardians should tell us promptly if there is a change to information including:

  • contact numbers;

  • email addresses;

  • emergency contacts;

  • medical conditions;

  • allergies;

  • medication;

  • injuries;

  • SEND or support needs;

  • authorised collection arrangements; or

  • other information relevant to the child's safety or participation.

20. Third-party websites and services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services.

Dakodas is not responsible for how independent third parties process personal information when you use their websites or services.

We recommend reviewing the relevant organisation's privacy information before providing personal information to them.

21. Complaints about the use of personal information

If you have a concern about how Dakodas has used your or your child's personal information, please contact us first so that we have an opportunity to investigate and resolve the matter.

Please contact:

robert@dakodasdanceacademy.com

You also have the right to complain to the UK's data protection regulator:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

You do not need to contact Dakodas before exercising your right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.

22. Changes to this Privacy Notice

We may update this Privacy Notice when:

  • our services change;

  • the systems or providers we use change;

  • our data-processing activities change;

  • legal or regulatory requirements change; or

  • we identify ways to make our privacy information clearer.

The most recent version will be published on our website together with the date it was last updated.

Where we make a significant change to how we use personal information, we will take reasonable steps to bring that change to the attention of those affected before the new use begins where required.

23. Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Notice, would like to exercise a data protection right or have concerns about how personal information is handled, please contact:

Dakoda LLP
22 Pont Street
London
SW1X 0AA
United Kingdom

Email: robert@dakodasdanceacademy.com

For the purposes of UK data protection law, Dakoda LLP is the data controller for the personal information described in this notice unless another organisation is expressly identified as the controller.