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Policy Privacy

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Effective date: 15 September 2025

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1. Introduction and scope

1.1 This Privacy Policy explains how Alexandru Popita, trading as Doncaster Driving School (“we”, “us”, “our”), collects, uses, discloses, and protects personal data when you visit our website at doncasterdrivingschool.co.uk (the “Website”), engage with our newsletter, make bookings, purchase digital subscriptions, or otherwise interact with our services in the United Kingdom. The Website includes lesson booking information, newsletter sign-up, and links to our social channels (e.g., Facebook and WhatsApp).

1.2 We process personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. Direct electronic marketing complies with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR). For regulatory guidance, please consult the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

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2. Controller and contact details

2.1 Controller: Alexandru Popita trading as Doncaster Driving School, 99 Hatfield Lane, Doncaster, DN3 3HA, United Kingdom.
2.2 Contact: support@doncasterdrivingschool.co.uk | +44 7809 562220
2.3 Questions about this Policy or your rights can be sent to the above address or email.

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3. How we obtain personal data

We collect personal data:

  • Directly from you when you request information, subscribe to the newsletter, use contact forms, book lessons, or purchase a digital subscription.

  • Automatically via cookies and similar technologies when you browse the Website (see the Cookie Policy).

  • From service providers we use for bookings, payments, hosting, analytics, and communications.

  • From public sources or regulators, where lawful, to verify information or manage risk.

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4. Categories of personal data

  • Identification and contact: name, email address, telephone number, postal address, age bracket (where relevant for eligibility).

  • Booking and account data: lesson preferences, instructor allocation, schedule, purchase history, subscription status for e-learning content, communications history.

  • Payment data: transaction identifiers, amount, date/time, and limited card metadata returned by the payment gateway. We do not store full card numbers.

  • Technical data: device identifiers, browser type, IP address at connection, approximate location, pages viewed, and interaction logs (via analytics/security tools).

  • Communications and marketing preferences: newsletter opt-in, unsubscribe status, records of consent.

  • Special category data: only where necessary and provided by you (e.g., health or learning needs relevant to lesson planning).

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5. Purposes and legal bases

We process personal data only where a lawful basis applies under Article 6 UK GDPR and, for special category data, Article 9.

  • Service delivery (scheduling, tuition, instructor allocation, customer support): Art. 6(1)(b) (contract/steps prior to contract).

  • Digital content subscriptions (access control, account administration, e-learning fulfilment): Art. 6(1)(b).

  • Customer service and correspondence (replying to enquiries, issue resolution): Art. 6(1)(b) and/or Art. 6(1)(f) (legitimate interests).

  • Direct email marketing (newsletter): consent under PECR and Art. 6(1)(a), or soft opt-in for existing customers where conditions are met, with an opt-out in every message.

  • Analytics and performance (maintaining and improving the Website, security/diagnostics): consent where required via the cookie banner and otherwise Art. 6(1)(f) (legitimate interests), observing PECR rules.

  • Safety and compliance (fraud prevention, legal claims, lawful requests): Art. 6(1)(c) (legal obligation) and Art. 6(1)(f).

  • Adjustments using special category data (e.g., health information for safe tuition or reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010): Art. 9(2)(a) explicit consent. You may withdraw consent at any time (this does not affect prior processing).

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6. Cookies and similar technologies

6.1 The Website uses cookies for security, session management, performance, and analytics. Essential cookies placed by our platform may include XSRF-TOKEN, hs, svSession, ssr-caching, bSession and similar items used for security, session identification, and rendering (see our Cookie Policy).
6.2 For any non-essential cookies, we obtain consent via the cookie banner in line with PECR and ICO guidance.

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7. Analytics, social integrations, and messaging tools

  • Google Analytics 4 (GA4): used to understand Website use. GA4 does not log or store IP addresses and we configure privacy/consent controls accordingly.

  • Social integrations: the Website links to Facebook and WhatsApp. Your interactions with those services are governed by their privacy terms. We receive limited referral/interaction data (e.g., when you click to message us on WhatsApp).

  • Third-party booking: if you book/manage lessons through Total Drive, your data is also processed by Total Drive under its own privacy policy. We receive booking details necessary to provide tuition and manage your account.

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8. Disclosures of personal data

We may share personal data with:
(a) Service providers under contract (hosting, booking platforms, payments, analytics, email delivery, IT support);
(b) Instructors engaged to deliver your lessons;
(c) Professional advisers and insurers;
(d) Public authorities where required by law or to protect rights, property, or safety;
(e) Prospective buyers/assignees in connection with a business transfer, subject to confidentiality.

Service providers may act as processors or independent controllers depending on their role. We implement appropriate contracts and safeguards consistent with the UK GDPR.

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9. International transfers

Where personal data is transferred outside the UK, we ensure an appropriate transfer mechanism, such as:

  • a UK adequacy decision (e.g., the UK-US Data Bridge for US organisations certified to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework; effective from 12 October 2023), or

  • the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, plus supplementary measures where needed.

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10. Data retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this Policy and to meet legal/accounting/reporting requirements. Typical periods:

  • Booking records and invoices: 6 years (tax/accounting).

  • Customer service correspondence: 2 years from last interaction.

  • Marketing preferences: for as long as you remain opted in, then retained briefly as a do-not-contact record.

  • E-learning subscription data: for the subscription term plus 12 months (audit/queries).

  • Health information for adjustments: for the period necessary to provide lessons safely, then deleted unless required for claims or you agree to longer retention.
    We review schedules periodically and adjust as required by law.

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11. Security measures

We apply administrative, technical, and organisational measures intended to keep personal data secure, including access controls, encryption at rest where supported by our providers, HTTPS in transit, data minimisation, and staff confidentiality obligations. Where processors are used, we review their security information and adopt appropriate data processing terms.

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12. Children’s data

12.1 Our services may be used by learners under 18. We do not knowingly enter into contracts directly with children without appropriate parent/guardian consent or involvement where required.
12.2 If consent is the lawful basis for an information society service, children in the UK may provide their own consent from age 13, and reasonable verification measures apply when relying on such consent.

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13. Your rights

Subject to conditions and exemptions under the UK GDPR, you have the right to:

  • Access your personal data;

  • Rectify inaccurate or incomplete data;

  • Erase data in specified circumstances;

  • Restrict processing;

  • Data portability (where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means);

  • Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing (including related profiling);

  • Withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent (without affecting prior processing).
    Authoritative guidance is available from the ICO.

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14. How to exercise your rights

14.1 Contact support@doncasterdrivingschool.co.uk and provide details of your request. We may need to verify your identity.
14.2 We respond without undue delay and normally within 1 month. Complex requests may take longer in accordance with the UK GDPR.
14.3 If you are dissatisfied with our response, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (see section 15).

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15. Complaints to the ICO

You have the right to lodge a complaint with the ICO. Postal address: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Helpline: 0303 123 1113. See the ICO website for contact options.

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16. Marketing communications

We send marketing emails only with your prior consent or under the soft opt-in for existing customers where the legal criteria are met. Every message includes a clear unsubscribe option. The soft opt-in does not apply to prospective customers who have not previously purchased or negotiated a sale. If you unsubscribe, we add your email to a suppression list to prevent further marketing.

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17. Automated decision-making

We do not carry out solely automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If this changes, we will provide meaningful information about the logic involved, significance, and envisaged consequences.

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18. Data sharing with platforms and service providers

  • Web platform: our host deploys essential security and session cookies such as XSRF-TOKEN, hs, svSession, ssr-caching, bSession and provides GDPR resources for site owners.

  • Analytics: we use Google Analytics 4 subject to Google’s privacy and data protection terms. GA4 does not log or store IP addresses.

  • Booking: when bookings are created/managed through Total Drive, that provider processes your information under its own privacy documentation.

  • Email and newsletter: email service providers act as processors to send transactional and marketing emails on our instructions. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in each message. ICO guidance on electronic mail marketing applies.

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19. International users

Our services are intended for the UK market. If you access the Website from outside the UK, your data may be processed in the UK and, where applicable, transferred internationally under section 9.

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20. Data minimisation and accuracy

We aim to collect only the minimum personal data necessary for the purposes described. Please keep your details accurate and up to date. If your contact information changes, let us know.

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21. Third-party links

The Website contains links to external sites and platforms operating independently from us. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please review their privacy notices before providing personal data.

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22. Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Policy to reflect changes in law, guidance, or our operations. Significant changes will be signposted on the Website and, where appropriate, notified by email to active customers or subscribers. The date at the top shows when the Policy last changed.

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23. Contact details

Doncaster Driving School
99 Hatfield Lane, Doncaster, DN3 3HA, United Kingdom
Email: support@doncasterdrivingschool.co.uk | Tel: +44 7809 562220

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