This privacy policy sets out how we use and protect any information that you give to us when you visit our website or sign up to classes, events and summer schools at Sharpe Academy of Theatre Arts limited.

We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement. We may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 13th February 2018 and last updated on 1st August 2024.

What DATA we collect

We may collect the following information via our Online Trial Booking form, Audition Form, Agency Client Information Form or Dancewear Store Order System:

Parents/Guardians: Name, Address, Telephone, Email, Second Emergency Contact Name & Number
Students:  Name, Age, Gender, Gender Pronouns, Date of Birth, Address, Guardian/Parent Name, Previous Experience, Medical & Allergy Information, Nationality, Information on why you wish to become a performer, Funding Requirements, Audition Photographs, Name of Current Dance, Drama or Educational School/College, Vocational and Academic Qualifications.
Clients (Agency): Name, Age, Gender, Ethnicity, Date of Birth (Copy of Birth Certificate/Passport on file), Address, School Attended, Guardian/Parent/Emergency Contact Name and Number, Previous performance experience, Medical & Allergy Information, Measurements including, but not limited to Height, Weight, Eye & Hair Colour, Hair Length, Shoe Size, Skills (Sports, Music, Performing Arts, Extra Curricular) & Languages spoken.
Customers (Dancewear Store): Name, Email, Telephone, Billing Address, Shipping Address, Order Summary, Payment Method, Order History.

What we do with the DATA we gather

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

• Internal record keeping - We try to be as paper free as possible as a business to protect data.
• We may use the information to improve our products and services.
• We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided. 
• From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes for Sharpe Academy, Agent Sharpe or Sharpe Dancewear. We may contact you by email, phone or mail. We may use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

Transfer of DATA
At Sharpe Academy we do not share any information with third parties unless we are required to do so by law or because you have opted for your child to take an examination (For example: LAMDA, ISTD, RAD, Acrobatic Arts, APC, Trinity), join the agency (Spotlight Membership and Tagimn) or your child takes part in a Sharpe Academy production which requires a Body of Persons licence (Hertfordshire County Council). All Students and Clients are required to complete a registration form on joining which also gives details of GDPR.  

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure,we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.

How we use cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer's hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.

Controlling your personal information & imaging rights

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

• The information requested for your trial booking is needed for us to provide you with a trial class. Should you decide to join Sharpe Academy we will require you to sign a Data Protection form enabling us to keep this information on file. Should you wish to cancel your trial you can at any time write to us or email us to request we delete your information.

• If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing us directly.

• All photographs & video/sound recordings taken at Sharpe Academy in class, events or during productions remain the property of Sharpe Academy of Theatre Arts Limited. Parents/guardians/students sign our terms & conditions when students join us which includes the rights for Sharpe Academy to take photographs and videos of our students and use them for marketing and advertising purposes. These are used for our own promotion including Print, Website, Social Media and Additional Marketing arenas.

• Should you wish to request we do not use your childs image from a specific point in time then we will cease using all featured images or featured video/sound recordings of your child from the date of the request in all future print, social media and online marketing. Should you wish your child to be erased from past featured images or past featured video/sound recordings which are already on our website or uploaded to our social media accounts then we will be happy to provide you with a quote for our art workers time to remove any such images or video recordings. Parents should be aware we have no control over previous marketing that is already in the public domain including images or videos that appear on website search engines or third party sites. We reserve the right not to remove any past images or videos on our domains where your child is part of a large group and not featured. We count a featured image to be an image or video/sound file where less than 10 people can be seen and/or heard.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

NEW GDPR

• The right to be informed
• The right of access
• The right to rectification
• The right to erasure
• The right to restrict processing
• The right to data portability
• The right to object
• The right not to be subject to automated decision

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act (GDPR). If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to us - contact details.

If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.

Erasing DATA & Time Frames for Holding DATA

Sharpe Academy will continue to hold data securely whilst a student is on our registers, a client is on our agency or you remain part of our mailing list. We try to be as paper free as possible to avoid any data breachs. Should you wish to leave Sharpe Academy for any reason then any personal data we hold will only be held until your account has been closed. Data will then be erased. Accounts will only be closed when final invoices are settled and no unresolved issues remain on file.

The only data Sharpe Academy retain after purchases or from former students/parents is accounting data such as invoice/payment details to comply with UK tax law.

Sharpe Dancewear or Academy mailing lists - You can unsubscribe from Sharpe Dancewear or Sharpe Academy advertising e-mails at any time by clicking the link on the bottom of your last mailing list email or by contacting us directly.

Sharpe Dancewear - Card Payment (Run by Shopify)
If you choose a direct payment gateway to complete your purchase, then Shopify stores your credit card data. It is encrypted through the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS). Your purchase transaction data is stored only as long as is necessary to complete your purchase transaction. After that is complete, your purchase transaction information is deleted. All direct payment gateways adhere to the standards set by PCI-DSS as managed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which is a joint effort of brands like Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover. PCI-DSS requirements help ensure the secure handling of credit card information by our store and its service providers.

GoCardless
If you pay your invoice using Gocardless then you will be transfered to the Gocardless secure site. Sharpe Academy has limited access to the information you provide gocardless. We have access to the payment holders name, address and email. We do not have access to your card details. Once you are registered to make a payment we do have the ability to create a new direct debit mandate, but it is our policy to only create a mandate with your permission so no new mandates will be created without your confirmation. A GDPR policy for Gocardless can be found here: https://gocardless.com/legal/gdpr/