Privacy policy

How Forge Projects collects, uses and protects personal information, including information about students under 18.

Who we are

Forge Projects provides mentored engineering, science and design projects for students. The data controller is Gus Hall, trading as Forge Projects, based in London.

Questions about this policy or your information: gus@forge-projects.uk.

What we collect

Contact details: names, email addresses and phone or WhatsApp numbers of students, parents or guardians, and agents.
Student details: age or school year, school, subjects, the courses or universities they are aiming for, and any award they are working towards.
Project information: project plans, session notes and summaries, design files, reports, and messages about the project.
Photos and video of project work, only with consent (see below).
Payment and billing details needed to invoice and receive payment. We do not store card details.
Technical information when you visit the website, limited to anonymous visit statistics.

We collect information directly from you, and sometimes from an education agent or consultancy who refers a student to us.

Why we use it, and our legal basis

To deliver the project you have agreed to (contract): scoping, sessions, feedback, build days and award preparation.
To reply to enquiries (legitimate interests, or steps before entering a contract).
To keep students safe (legal obligation and legitimate interests): see our Safeguarding policy.
To keep financial records (legal obligation).
To show project work on our website or social media (consent). We only use photos, video, names or quotes with written consent from the student and, for under 18s, a parent or guardian. You can withdraw consent at any time.
To update a referring agent on progress (contract or legitimate interests), where the family was referred by that agent.

We do not sell personal information, and we do not use it for automated decision making.

Students under 18

Most of our students are under 18. Projects are arranged with a parent or guardian, who agrees to the project and our terms on the student’s behalf. We collect only what we need to mentor the project well, and we explain to students in plain language how their information is used. Identifiable images of students are never published without written consent.

Mentors working on the student’s project, under confidentiality and safeguarding obligations.
The referring agent, if the student was referred, limited to progress updates.
Award bodies such as the British Science Association (CREST), when a student submits work for an award.
Service providers who help us run the business: email (Google), video calls (Microsoft Teams), messaging (WhatsApp), cloud file storage, website hosting, and our accountant.
Authorities, where the law requires it or a child’s safety is at risk.

International transfers

Many of our families live outside the UK, and some of our service providers store data outside the UK. Where personal information is transferred abroad, we rely on UK adequacy regulations or appropriate safeguards such as the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or Addendum.

How long we keep it

Enquiries that do not lead to a project: up to 12 months.
Project records, session notes and communications: up to 2 years after the project ends, so we can support award submissions and references.
Financial records: 6 years, as required by law.
Safeguarding records: as long as necessary under safeguarding guidance.
Published photos or video: until consent is withdrawn.

Your rights

You can ask to see, correct or delete your information, ask us to restrict or stop using it, object to how we use it, or ask for a copy to take elsewhere. Where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. A parent or guardian can exercise these rights for a younger child; older students can usually exercise them themselves.

To make a request, email gus@forge-projects.uk. We will reply within one month. If you are unhappy with how we handle your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.

Cookies

This website does not use advertising or tracking cookies. We use a cookie-free analytics tool to count visits anonymously. If that ever changes, we will ask for your consent first.

Contact

Gus Hall, trading as Forge Projects · London · gus@forge-projects.uk