We recognise that your privacy is very important to you, so we are posting this statement to tell you about how the information you provide will be used and how it will be protected whilst using this service.
NCSL has published an information charter on its website which sets out the standards you can expect from us when we handle your personal information.
This privacy statement will explain:
You do not need to provide any personal information to gain access to the public areas of the NCSL website. A small amount of information is placed on your computer in the form of a cookie when you use the site. This is used to support load management so that the site can cater for high usage. If your computer is unable to support cookies, you will still be able to use the site effectively, but you may experience some difficulty when the site is under high load.
When you register an interest to join talk2learn, you will be required to supply information so that you can be provided with access to this service and to other relevant restricted areas of the site. When you gain access to the talk2learn environment, you will be provided with a username and password and this will provide access to talk2learn and any other restricted areas of the site that are relevant to you. When you register small pieces of information will be stored on your computer to maintain your preference settings and to help in authenticating user access.
The talk2learn service is provided by System Associates and therefore has its own privacy policy. A copy of this policy has been included at the end of this privacy statement covering the whole NCSL online service. A copy of the terms of use has also been provided for information so that you are able to consider these before registering for this service.
Questions regarding this privacy statement should be directed to the BT service desk at [email protected]. It is important for you to read the privacy statement and terms of use to ensure you are comfortable with how we use your personal information.
It is very important to us that you are able to retain your privacy while you take advantage of the NCSL online service. For this reason, NCSL will operate by the following principles.
Principle 1 – notice of information (including personal information) collected
When you register for talk2learn, you will be asked to provide information. Some information is required to create your profile (such as name and sex), some might be required for participation in particular online services, such as developmental modules and some is optional. Some of this information is ‘personal data’ in the terms of the Data Protection Act 1998 and some is not. ‘Personal data’ is defined as information about you from which you can be identified. The only personal data we require for registration for talk2learn is an email address, your name, address and date of birth.
Principle 2 – member control, choice and consent
The talk2learn service is available to anyone. The overarching community, NCSL in dialogue, can be accessed by any registered user. Private communities exist in talk2learn; these can only be accessed through permission being granted by the community owner. The registration process for NCSL online services gathers information on members’ personal profiles. Your personal information and accompanying profile information is not given to any organisation without your permission. By registering for access to talk2learn, you are giving permission for your information to be held by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), System Associates and British Telecommunications PLC. These organisations require the information to enable access and introduction to the Talking Heads service. NCSL will not use your personal information in any way not described in this privacy statement without your consent, nor sell it to third parties.
From time to time, NCSL will report average age, sex, and other aggregate membership statistics to our participating sites. These reports will not identify you.
Principle 3 – access to your information
You can ask to see a copy of the personal data held by NCSL at any time by emailing the BT service desk at [email protected]. Before releasing the information, we will authenticate the request by contacting you using the email or address provided during registration.
Principle 4 – secure data storage and transfers
Your personal information is stored on secure BT and System Associates servers that are protected in controlled facilities. When you send us your personal information it is encrypted and securely sent to the BT server using advanced encryption technology.
Principle 5 – use of cookies
A cookie is a very small text file that a website saves to your computer’s hard disk to store information that you provide about yourself or to store your preferences. NCSL uses cookies whenever you sign in as a registered user. The NCSL site stores your member name, the time you signed in and your profile information in a secure, encrypted cookie on your hard disk. The cookie contains information that you chose to provide to the NCSL site. The site also uses cookies to support load management to ensure that the service can cater for high levels of usage.
Principle 6 – participating sites’ commitment to privacy
This privacy statement applies only to the NCSL website and the talk2learn service.
Principle 7 – upholding our legal responsibilities
NCSL will disclose personal information if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on NCSL.
Principle 8 – responsiveness to member concerns
If NCSL becomes aware of ongoing site-specific consumer concerns or problems, we will take these issues seriously and work to address the stated concerns. Questions regarding NCSL or this privacy statement should be directed to [email protected] and we will use all commercially reasonable efforts to promptly determine and correct the problem.
NCSL respects user privacy and supports initiatives to preserve individual privacy on the internet. We welcome any comments or questions users may have, and you should feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Cookies are small pieces of data that a website sends to a web browser. Websites often use cookies because they help keep track of things like an individual’s preferences and personal interests. Within talk2learn, System Associates uses cookies to authenticate users. This helps with security and improves each user’s experience.
System Associates tracks the IP/internet addresses of the domains from which people access talk2learn. This information may enable us to determine where users are coming from, which parts of our site they are going to, and the amount of time they spend in talk2learn.
We want talk2learn to be an educational and easy-to-use environment. For this, we need users to be responsible and accountable in their use. Please review the following terms and conditions concerning your use of this online community. We may revise these terms of use and our privacy policy at any time by posting the revised terms of use or privacy policy on the talk2learn site. By using talk2learn you agree to follow and be bound by these terms of use and our privacy policy and any revisions we may make to these terms of use or privacy policy. Headings and bold text placed in parentheses found in the terms of use are included for ease of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation or construction of this agreement.
You agree not to create any content or otherwise transmit any information or material that: (a) is false or misleading (no lies allowed); (b) is harassing or invades another’s privacy, , or promotes bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual (don’t be mean to any person or group); (c) is obscene (no bad language or pictures); (d) infringes another’s rights, including but not limited to intellectual property rights (don’t post another person’s work when you don’t have permission); or (e) constitutes spam (don’t send a bunch of emails to people when they don’t ask for them).
By uploading content, information or material to talk2learn, you automatically grant (or warrant that the owner of such rights has expressly granted) System Associates a perpetual, royalty-free, irrevocable, non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, transmit and distribute such content, only to the extent necessary for the purpose of displaying the same on talk2learn. In addition, you warrant that all so-called moral rights in those materials have been waived. (You give System Associates permission to display the things you post on talk2learn so that others can see them.)
While we want talk2learn to be a safe and fun environment, you understand and agree that System Associates is under no obligation to censor or monitor talk2learn. System Associates will, however, investigate complaints that are brought to its attention concerning inappropriate use of talk2learn. Wherever possible, System Associates shall remove material posted by individuals affiliated with the school who use the online community, which it reasonably considers to be offending or has been notified by the school in writing as offending the terms of use and the agreement. You agree that System Associates, in its sole discretion, may at any time: (a) remove content, information or material from talk2learn; or (b) make changes to or discontinue any and all aspects of talk2learn. We can take things off of talk2learn or change talk2learn.
Except where expressly authorised by System Associates, you agree not to collect or store personal data about other users.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of the password you are given to access talk2learn (don’t give other people your password), and are fully responsible for all activities that occur under your password. You need to notify System Associates immediately of any unauthorised use of your password, and you need to exit your account immediately after you use talk2learn.
If you are accessing talk2learn as an authorised guest, you agree that your access is limited to evaluation purposes only.
You agree that NCSL, in its sole discretion, may at any time terminate your account and ability to use talk2learn. You may terminate your account or request changes to your account by contacting NCSL at [email protected]. We can stop you from using talk2learn. You can also have us cancel your account.
The content, information or material contained in talk2learn may be out of date or include omissions, inaccuracies or other errors. All content, information and material is provided ‘as is’ without warranty of any kind. System Associates hereby disclaims all warranties with respect to talk2learn, whether express or implied, including the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. Any reliance on the content, information or material contained in talk2learn is at your own risk.
In no event shall System Associates be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages, or damages for loss of profits, revenue, data or use, incurred by you or any third party, whether in an action in contract or tort, arising from your access to, or use of, talk2learn.
You shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless System Associates, its officers, directors, employees and agents from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses or expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, arising out of or in any way connected with your access to or use of talk2learn.
talk2learn may contain hyperlinks to websites controlled by parties other than System Associates. System Associates is not responsible for and does not endorse or accept any responsibility over the content or use of these websites. You should refer to the policies posted by other websites regarding privacy and other topics before you use them.
"System Associates" is a trademark of System Associates Limited and "talk2learn" is a registered trademark of the National College for School Leadership.
If you have any questions regarding these terms of use or talk2learn, please contact NCSL at [email protected].