Menu
  1. You are here:
  2. Home
  3. Privacy Policy

This privacy policy will explain how the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (the Society) uses the personal data we collect from you.  

The ISTD additionally operates two trading subsidiaries, ISTD Enterprises Ltd and ISTD Academy Ltd.

  • ISTD Enterprises Ltd has been created to ensure ISTD has an appropriate segregation of its commercial trading activity.
  • ISTD Academy Ltd has been created to ensure ISTD has an appropriate segregation in its delivery of teaching qualifications.

How the ISTD shares data with these subsidiaries is outlined below.

Website

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.

Cookies

The Society uses cookies in a range of ways to improve your experience on our website, including:

  • Keeping you signed in
  • Understanding how you use our website

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 and this help us understand what web pages are useful and important to our visitors. This helps us 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 that provide our members with essential services and products; including Imperial Society of Teacher of Dancing owned domains Find A Dance Teacher, and the ISTD Shop and partner sites Quest, Totara, and Iplicit -  which members may access during the course of their membership.

Our website may also 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 while 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

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

  • Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on the website, look for the box that you can click to indicate that you do not want the information to be used by anybody for direct marketing purposes.
  • 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 at membership@istd.org
  • 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. 

What information do we collect, and what do we do with it? 

Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for one of the following reasons.  

  • Membership 
  • Marketing 
  • Subscribers to Dance magazine 
  • Advertiser/Sponsor 
  • E-commerce 
  • Job applicant /employee 
  • Contractors
  • Training.
     

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful bases we reply on for processing this information are: 

  • Your consent – you are able to remove your consent at any time. 
  • We have a contractual obligation.
  • We have a legitimate interest.  

Members: current and prospective

Membership applicants are asked to complete an application form, providing name and address, nationality, date of birth, email and phone number. You will also be asked to confirm your communication preferences.

If opting to pay your membership fees by Direct Debit, then you will be asked to provide bank account details. Online Direct Debit mandates are processed by Access Paysuite, a Bacs Approved Bureau. 

Your membership will be stored in the Society’s database, only accessible to authorised members of staff.  
 
This information will be used for managing your membership including sending renewal reminders and delivery of membership benefits such as Dance magazine, membership newsletters and information about training and events.  
 
Your membership records on our database will be retained for the duration of your membership and for a period of 2 years after your membership expires. After-which it will be archived.  
 
Prospective members; applications that have not been completed and made active after six months will be dormant. 

Marketing

The Society would like to send you information about products, services, events and activities, of ours, our subsidiary companies and approved partners and that we think you might like.  

If you have agreed to receive marketing, you may always opt out at a later date. You have the right at any time to stop the Society from contacting you for marketing purposes. If you no longer wish to be contacted for marketing purposes, please email membership@istd.org 

Subscriber to Dance Magazine 

Your subscription information will be stored in the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing Database, only accessible to members of the Membership and Communications Directorate.

This information will be used for managing your subscription including sending renewal reminders and delivery of Dance magazine. Your subscription records on our database will be retained for the duration of your subscription and for a period of 2 years after your subscription expires.

Advertiser/Sponsor

Your advertising/sponsors information will be stored by the ISTD, only accessible to members of the Membership and Communications Directorate and Finance Department.

This information will be used for managing your advertising and payments. Advertising and sponsorship activity - contracts, invoicing and payments will be issued under the ISTD Enterprises brand.

E-commerce  

Members and non-members purchasing event tickets / shop items will be asked to provide information to proceed with the transaction. Information may include name, email, address, payment information. Shop transactions will be stored on the Society’s database or in Sellfy if the transaction is for a digital product. Event purchases will be stored in Eventbrite.  

Job applicants and employees

The Society is the data controller for the information you provide during a job application process, and during your employment.  

What will we do with the information you provide to us?

All of the information you provide during the process will only be used for the purpose of progressing your application, or to fulfil legal or regulatory requirements if necessary.

We will not share any of the information you provide during the recruitment process with any third parties for marketing purposes or store any of your information outside of the European Economic Area. The information you provide will be held securely by us and/or our data processors whether the information is in electronic or physical format.

We will use the contact details you provide to us to contact you to progress your application. We will use the other information you provide to assess your suitability for the role you have applied for.

What information do we ask for and why?

We do not collect more information than we need to fulfil our stated purposes and will not retain it for longer than is necessary.

The information we ask for is used to assess your suitability for employment. You don’t have to provide what we ask for but it might affect your application if you don’t. 

Application stage

We ask you for your personal details including name and contact details. We will also ask you about your previous experience, education, referees and for answers to questions relevant to the role you have applied for. Our recruitment team will have access to all of this information.

You may be asked to provide equal opportunities information. This is not mandatory information – if you don’t provide it, it will not affect your application. This information will not be made available to any staff outside of our recruitment team, including hiring managers, in a way which can identify you. Any information you do provide, will be used only to produce and monitor equal opportunities statistics.

If you are unsuccessful following assessment for the position you have applied for, we may ask if you would like your details to be retained in our talent pool for a period of six months. If you say yes, we would proactively contact you should any further suitable vacancies arise.

Conditional offer

If we make a conditional offer of employment we will ask you for information so that we can carry out pre-employment checks. You must successfully complete pre-employment checks to progress to a final offer. We are required to confirm the identity of our staff, their right to work in the United Kingdom or relevant international post and seek assurance as to their trustworthiness, integrity and reliability.

You will therefore be required to provide:

  • Proof of your identity – you will be asked to attend our office with original documents, we will take copies.
  • Proof of your qualifications – you will be asked to attend our office with original documents, we will take copies.
  • We will contact your referees, using the details you provide in your application, directly to obtain references

If we make a final offer, we will also ask you for the following:

  • Bank details – to process salary payments
  • Emergency contact details – so we know who to contact in case you have an emergency at work.


We will also ask you to complete a questionnaire about your health. This is to establish if we need to make any workplace adaptations or adjustments, for you to carry out your role.

Use of data processors

Data processors are third parties who provide elements of our recruitment service for us. We have contracts in place with our data processors. This means that they cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will not share your personal information with any organisation apart from us. They will hold it securely and retain it for the period we instruct.

HR Payroll 

If you are employed by the Society, relevant details about you will be provided to our approved suppliers who provide payroll services to us. This will include your name, bank details, address, date of birth, national insurance number and salary.

If you are successful, the information you provide during the application process will be retained by us as part of your employee file for the duration of your employment plus six years following the end of your employment. This includes your fitness to work, records of any security checks and references. Information provided to pension providers will be stored for as long as a fund exists.

As an employee of the Society, relevant details about you will be provided to a number of data-processors in the course of delivering employee benefits such as pension savings. A full list of data-processors is available on request.

Contractors 

Contractors may be an individual, sole trader, company or such other legal entity accepted by the Society. 
 
What information do we ask for and why? 

We keep several categories of personal data on our contractors in order to carry out effective and efficient processes. We hold this data securely. Specifically, we hold the following types of data, as appropriate to your status: 

  • Personal details such as name, postal address, email address, phone numbers. 
  • Other names you use or have used if you trade under a different name than that which you are generally known by. 
  • Your ISTD Membership number (if relevant). 
  • Name and contact details of your next of kin or other emergency contact (if relevant). 
  • Information gathered via the recruitment process such as that included in a CV or a cover letter. 
  • References, e.g., from current or former employers or clients. 
  • Payment details (which may include bank account details). 
  • DBS check level, certificate number and date of issue (if relevant). 
  • Information relating to your contract with us, including: 
  • Role title(s) and role description(s). 
  • Your rate(s) of pay. 
  • Your Contract for Services with the ISTD. 
  • Details of Assignments you undertake. 
  • Details of formal and informal proceedings involving you such as letters of concern or formal complaints. 
  • Standardisation and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) modules undertaken (where relevant). 

For contractors working outside the UK, we may also hold the following types of data: 

  • Nationality. 
  • Passport details. 

Retention periods 
 
We only keep your data for as long as we need it, which will be at least for the duration of your contract with us though in some cases we will keep your data for a period after the contract has ended. Some data retention periods are set by the law. Retention periods can vary depending on why we need your data, as set out below: 

  • Data relating to payment of fees need only be kept for 3 years after a contract expires. 
  • At least 6 months for recruitment documents e.g., covering letters, CV, references, interview notes.
  • New examiner training records and examiner upgrade records are retained permanently.  

Training

Members and non-members signing up to courses run by the ISTD Academy will have their data stored on the ThinkSmart data management system for 5 years for the purpose of facilitating training, qualifications and certification, marketing and career support – such as mentoring and employment advice.

What information do we ask for and why? 

We keep several categories of personal data on our students in order to carry out effective and efficient processes. We hold this data securely. Specifically, we hold the following types of data, as appropriate to your status: 

The data we will capture includes:

  • Personal details such as name, postal address, email address, phone numbers. 
  • Membership number / pin number
  • Nationality.

This data will be shared with ISTD for the purposes of maintaining membership records.

ISTD Academy will also collect data in relation to special educational needs and disability for the purpose of assessing and providing support in lectures and access to courses. This information is provided as self-declaration by the individual. This information is securely maintained on the Think Smart database.

Disclosure and Baring Service (DBS) 

We require Members, employees and contractors in some roles (not all) to obtain a DBS certificate at the check level for which their role is eligible (e.g., for teachers and examiners it’s an enhanced check with children’s barred list check; for trustees and senior managers it’s a basic check). We store the certificate number, check level and date of issue but not the certificates or copies of the certificates.  

If you obtain your certificate through Due Diligence Checking Ltd. (DDC) those details are stored on the DDC database. DDC also performs ID checks which involve reviewing and verifying documents. The database merely confirms that your ID verification is complete or is not complete. When there is content on your certificate DDC informs us of this verbally, and we contact you to discuss the content. DDC has its own privacy notice.  
 
If  you obtain their certificates via another route you are asked to declare your certificate number, check level and date of issue, and to contact us if there is content on the certificate; in which case we have a conversation with you about the content and relevant circumstances, and this helps us to assess their suitability for the role you are undertaking or applying to undertake.  
 
We don’t record any information about content but if there is content we will record that an assessment has been made of your suitability for the role. We do not record details of content anywhere.  

Automated decision making 

Automated decision-making means making decision about you using no human involvement e.g., using computerised filtering equipment. No decision will be made about you solely based on automated decision making (where a decision is taken about you using an electronic system without human involvement) which has a significant impact on you. 

Use of data processors

Data processors are third parties who deliver elements of our operations for us. We have contracts in place with our data processors. This means that they cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will not share your personal information with any organisation apart from us. They will hold it securely and retain it for the period we instruct.

  • The Society uses CRM provider WorkBooks.com for all membership and shop management operations, Data is secured in accordance with the international standard ISO/IEC 27001
  • The Society uses Access Paysuite (formerly Rapidata) for the management and processing of Direct Debits for the membership subscription. https://www.accesspaysuite.com/privacy-and-legal/ 
  • The Society uses Due Diligence Checking (DDC) to verify DBS certificates. Data is secured in accordance with the international standard ISO/IEC 27001. 
  • The Society uses Spotler – to send emails to members and non-members. https://spotler.co.uk/privacy-policy 
  • The Society uses Campaign Monitor, part of the Marigold Group – to send out communications to members and non-members. Campaign Monitor is based in the United States, but is a signatory to the EU/US Privacy Shield agreement to ensure that your data is treated in accordance with EU-approved Data Protection. 
    Survey Monkey – send surveys to members. SurveyMonkey is based in the United States, but is a signatory to the EU/US Privacy Shield agreement.
    NetExtra provide website hosting solutions via a proprietary platform for the ISTD.org and NetExtra hosts the online shop and DanceTeachers.org.  
  • The Society uses Eventbrite to manage event ticket sales. Eventbrite is based in the US and they participate in and comply with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield Framework regarding the collection, use, and retention of Personal Data (defined in Section 2.1) transferred from European Economic Area ("EEA") member countries, Switzerland and the United Kingdom (UK) to the United States. 
  • The Society uses approved external mailing houses based in the UK to deliver Dance Magazine and membership mailings and shop items.
    World Pay (UK) Ltd for payment processing and ISTD operates in compliance with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards.
  • The Society uses Sellfy to sell digital products. This company is based in the Republic of Lithuania. Personal data shall be collected in accordance with the requirements of the legal acts of the European Union, the Republic of Lithuania and the instructions of the controlling authorities. https://sellfy.com/privacy/ 
  • The Society uses software provider GordonAssociates.co.uk for awarding organisation management system, including management of Learner data and the operational delivery of qualifications.
  • The Society uses software providers Accipio.com for digital learning platform and Panopto.com for online assessment operations. Data is secured in accordance with the international standards ISO9001/ISO27001 and ISO9001/ISO27001/ISO27017/ISO27018 respectively.
  • The Society uses external suppliers based in the UK to print and dispatch certificates, and to deliver medals and awards. Data on certificates is secured in accordance with the international standards ISO9001/ISO27001.
  • The Society submits Learner data in relation to the regulated qualifications to the Department for Education (DfE) in the UK through their data processor, RMResults.com. We have a DfE and Awarding Organisation Data Sharing Memorandum of Understanding in place and the data is secured in accordance with the international standards ISO9001/ISO22301/ISO27001.
  • The ISTD Academy uses software provider ThinkSmart and their product DanceBiz to administer course schedules and maintain student data. https://www.thinksmartsoftware.com/privacy-policy/uk. 

Your data protection rights

The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing would like to make sure you are fully aware of all of your data protection rights. Every user is entitled to the following:

The right to access – You have the right to request the Society for copies of your personal data.

The right to rectification – You have the right to request that the Society correct any information you believe is inaccurate. You also have the right to request the Society to complete the information you believe is incomplete.

The right to erasure – You have the right to request that the Society erase your personal data, under certain conditions.

The right to restrict processing – You have the right to request that the Society restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.

The right to object to processing – You have the right to object to the Society processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.

The right to data portability – You have the right to request that the Society transfer the data that we have collected to another organisation, or directly to you, under certain conditions.

If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you. If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer: 
 
Director of Finance and Resources 
Email: finance@istd.org

Or write to us: Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance, 22/26 Paul Street, London EC2A 4QE. 

Making a complaint 

If you think your data rights have been breached, you can complain to us by writing to complaints@istd.org. You can also raise a complaint with the Information Commissioner Office (ICO). https://ico.org.uk/ 

 

 

 

The information on this page was last updated on Thursday, 2 November 2023.