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Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Kilmacow Ballet Academy (“we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal data of our students, parents, guardians, and staff.

This Data Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and share your personal data when you enrol in our classes, visit our studio located in Kilmacow, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland, or use our website at https://www.kilmacowballetacademy.ie.

Under the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) and the Irish Data Protection Acts 1988–2018, Kilmacow Ballet Academy acts as the Data Controller responsible for your personal information.

2. Information We Collect

We collect and process personal data that is necessary to operate a safe and effective dance school. This may include:

A. Information Provided Directly by Parents, Guardians and Students

  • Contact Details: Full name, phone number, email address, physical address, and emergency contact details.
  • Student Details: Name, date of birth, age, gender, and school level.
  • Medical Information: Relevant medical conditions, allergies, injuries, or special educational or mobility needs where this information is required to ensure the student’s safety during physical activity.
  • Payment and Billing Data: Bank details, credit/debit card information, transaction history, and tuition payment records, processed securely through our payment provider.
  • Media and Imagery: Photographs and video recordings taken during classes, rehearsals, performances, or Academy events where the appropriate consent has been provided.

B. Information Collected Automatically Through Our Website

When you visit our website or student portal, we may collect:

  • Device information.
  • IP address.
  • Browser information.
  • Cookie data.
  • Information about how you use our website.

C. Information Used for WhatsApp Communication

Where parents, guardians, or adult students communicate with Kilmacow Ballet Academy using WhatsApp, we may process:

  • Mobile phone number.
  • Name associated with the WhatsApp account.
  • WhatsApp profile information that is made available to us.
  • Messages and communications sent to or received from the Academy.
  • Photographs, videos, documents, or other attachments sent through WhatsApp.
  • Information contained in communications where necessary for class administration, scheduling, attendance, enquiries, reminders, performances, examinations, or other legitimate school-related purposes.

WhatsApp is a third-party messaging service operated by Meta/WhatsApp. Information processed through WhatsApp is also subject to WhatsApp’s own terms and privacy policies.

3. How and Why We Use Your Personal Data

We only process personal data where there is a lawful basis under the GDPR.

Class Enrolment, Scheduling and Administration

We use contact and student information to process enrolments, organise classes, manage attendance, communicate schedules, and administer the Academy.

Lawful basis: Contractual necessity and, where applicable, legitimate interests.

Emergency Response and Student Health

We use relevant medical information and emergency contact details to protect students and respond appropriately to accidents, illness, injuries, or other emergencies.

Lawful basis: Vital interests and, where applicable, explicit consent or another lawful basis permitted under GDPR.

Tuition Invoicing and Financial Accounting

We process billing and payment information to collect tuition fees, maintain financial records, and comply with taxation and accounting obligations.

Lawful basis: Contractual necessity and legal obligation.

Child Safeguarding and Garda Vetting

We process relevant information relating to staff safeguarding requirements, Garda vetting, and child protection obligations.

Lawful basis: Legal obligation and other applicable lawful bases under Irish child safeguarding legislation.

Studio Updates, Newsletters and Class Reminders

We may use email and telephone contact details to send important Academy information, class reminders, schedule updates, newsletters, and other communications.

Lawful basis: Legitimate interests and/or consent, depending on the nature of the communication.

WhatsApp Communication

Kilmacow Ballet Academy may use WhatsApp to communicate with parents, guardians, and adult students about school-related matters.

This may include:

  • Class reminders.
  • Schedule changes.
  • Class cancellations.
  • Information about performances and rehearsals.
  • Examination information.
  • Event information.
  • General enquiries.
  • Administrative communications relating to enrolment.
  • Responses to messages received from parents, guardians, or adult students.
  • Other reasonable communications relating to the operation of the Academy.

Lawful basis: Legitimate interests for routine school administration and communication, and consent where consent is required by law or where we choose to rely on consent.

We will keep WhatsApp communications relevant and proportionate to the operation of the Academy.

WhatsApp will not be used as a substitute for emergency services or emergency medical communication. In an emergency, parents or guardians should contact the appropriate emergency service directly.

Where possible, particularly sensitive personal information will not be requested or routinely communicated through WhatsApp. Parents and guardians should avoid sending unnecessary sensitive medical or confidential information through WhatsApp.

Parents, guardians, and adult students may request an alternative method of communication where reasonably practicable.

Photography, Video and Marketing

We may use photographs and videos for Academy promotional materials, our website, social media, programmes, or other marketing purposes where the appropriate consent has been provided.

Lawful basis: Explicit consent where required.

4. Photography and Media Policy

We will not intentionally capture, publish, or share photographs or videos of identifiable students for promotional purposes without appropriate consent from a parent or guardian, or from the adult student where applicable.

  • Consent forms are issued upon registration.
  • Consent can be withdrawn at any time by contacting dpo@kilmacowballetacademy.ie.
  • Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing that took place before consent was withdrawn.
  • Where consent is withdrawn, we will take reasonable steps to stop using the relevant photographs or videos for future promotional purposes.
  • Photographs and videos may be used for promotional materials, website displays, social media updates, programmes, or performance recordings in accordance with the consent provided.

Where photographs or videos are shared with parents or guardians through WhatsApp for legitimate Academy purposes, this will be done with appropriate consideration of privacy and consent.

5. How We Share Your Data

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information.

We may share personal data where necessary to operate the Academy, provide services, comply with legal obligations, protect students, or work with trusted service providers.

These may include:

  • Payment Processors: Revolut or other payment providers used by the Academy for secure payment processing.
  • Examination and Regulatory Bodies: Royal Academy of Dance (RAD), Tusla, An Garda Síochána, or other relevant bodies where required by law or necessary for examination entry or safeguarding.
  • IT Services: Secure cloud hosting, email, website, student management, and other technology providers.
  • Messaging Services: WhatsApp may be used as a third-party messaging platform for communication with parents, guardians, and adult students.

When using WhatsApp, information may be processed by WhatsApp/Meta in accordance with its own terms and privacy policies. Kilmacow Ballet Academy does not control how WhatsApp/Meta processes information within its own systems.

We will not knowingly provide WhatsApp or other third-party providers with personal information beyond what is reasonably necessary to use their services for Academy purposes.

6. Data Storage and Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, accidental loss, destruction, alteration, or misuse.

These measures may include:

  • Digital information stored on secure, password-protected systems.
  • Two-factor authentication (2FA) where available and appropriate.
  • Appropriate encryption and security measures.
  • Restricted access to personal information.
  • Physical records, including paper medical forms, stored in locked cabinets accessible only to authorised personnel.
  • Regular review of our data protection and security practices.
  • Appropriate contractual and data protection safeguards when using third-party service providers.

Where personal data is processed outside the European Economic Area (EEA), we will take appropriate steps to ensure that applicable GDPR requirements for international data transfers are met, including the use of an adequacy decision, EU Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), or another lawful transfer mechanism where required.

WhatsApp Security

WhatsApp is a separate third-party messaging service and has its own security and privacy practices.

WhatsApp provides security features, including end-to-end encryption for many types of communications. However, Kilmacow Ballet Academy cannot control WhatsApp/Meta’s systems, security practices, privacy practices, data retention, or processing of information within its platform.

Parents, guardians, and adult students should therefore consider the nature of information they send through WhatsApp and should avoid sending unnecessary sensitive personal information through the service.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected and to comply with our legal, regulatory, accounting, safeguarding, and insurance obligations.

  • Active Student Records: Retained for the duration of the student’s enrolment.
  • Inactive Student Records: Contact and enrolment information may be archived or securely deleted approximately two years after a student leaves the Academy, unless a longer retention period is required or reasonably justified.
  • Financial and Accounting Records: Retained for the period required by Irish tax and accounting legislation.
  • Child Safeguarding Records: Retained in accordance with applicable Irish safeguarding and legal requirements.
  • Medical Information: Retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for student safety, safeguarding, legal, insurance, or other legitimate purposes.
  • WhatsApp Communications: WhatsApp messages and attachments may remain on Academy devices or accounts for as long as reasonably necessary for administration, safeguarding, record-keeping, or other legitimate Academy purposes. They may be deleted when they are no longer required, subject to any applicable legal or safeguarding requirements.

8. Your Data Protection Rights

Under the GDPR, parents, guardians, and adult students may have the following rights:

  • Right of Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to Rectification: You can request that inaccurate or incomplete personal data is corrected.
  • Right to Erasure: You can request deletion of your personal data where there is no longer a lawful reason for us to retain it, subject to legal and other legitimate retention requirements.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
  • Right to Object: You may object to certain processing of your personal data, particularly where processing is based on legitimate interests.
  • Right to Restriction: In certain circumstances, you may request that we restrict the processing of your personal data.
  • Right to Data Portability: In certain circumstances, you may have the right to receive personal data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

With regard to WhatsApp communications, you may ask us to use an alternative method of communication for future Academy communications where reasonably practicable.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Lead at:

dpo@kilmacowballetacademy.ie

We will deal with valid data protection requests within the timeframe required by GDPR.

9. Contact Details and Complaints

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how your personal data is handled, please contact:

Data Protection Officer / School Principal:
Jill Harrison

Email:
dpo@kilmacowballetacademy.ie

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your personal data, we encourage you to contact us first so that we can try to resolve your concern.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC).

Data Protection Commission
Website: www.dataprotection.ie
Phone: +353 (0)1 7650100 / 1800 437 737

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may review and update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, technology, legal requirements, or data-processing practices.

Where appropriate, we will notify parents, guardians, students, or staff of significant changes to this policy.

Last Updated: August 2026