Privacy Policy

Who we are

SchoolFinder is a school-search tool for parents and guardians in the UK. For any privacy question, or to exercise your rights, contact us at privacy@schoolfinder.info.

The data we collect

We aim to collect as little personal data as possible. Depending on how you use the site, this may include:

• Account details — if you choose to create an account, your email address and an encrypted password (handled by our authentication provider, Supabase). You can use most of the site without an account.
• Your shortlist and preferences — the schools you save, schools you compare, your child’s school stage, and approximate birth month/year you enter. If you are signed in this is stored against your account; otherwise it stays in your browser.
• Location you provide — a postcode or “use my location” coordinates you enter to find nearby schools. We use this to calculate distances and is not stored on our servers after your session.
• Technical data — basic information your browser sends automatically (such as IP address, device and browser type) and standard server logs, used to keep the service secure and working.

We do not knowingly collect data from children. The site is intended for use by parents, guardians and other adults.

How and why we use your data (lawful bases)

We use your data for the following purposes, relying on the lawful bases shown:

• To provide the search, save, compare and dashboard features you ask for — performance of a contract / your request.
• To create and secure your account, if you choose to register — performance of a contract.
• To keep the service secure, prevent abuse, and fix problems — our legitimate interests in running a safe, reliable service.
• To respond to your enquiries and data-rights requests — our legitimate interests and our legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal data, and we do not use it for automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects about you.

Third parties and where your data is processed

We use a small number of trusted providers to run the site. They only process data on our behalf or to deliver the part of the service they power:

• Supabase — account authentication and database hosting for saved shortlists and account data.
• Vercel — website hosting and content delivery, including standard server and security logs.
• postcodes.io — converts a UK postcode you enter into coordinates so we can show nearby schools.
• Google Maps — displays the interactive map and pins; your use of the map is also subject to Google’s privacy policy.
• Google Analytics — only if you accept analytics cookies; measures how the site is used so we can improve it (see “Cookies” below).

Some of these providers may process data outside the UK/EEA. Where they do, we rely on appropriate safeguards (such as UK/EU adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses) to protect your data.

Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and local browser storage to make the site work — for example to keep you signed in and to remember your shortlist. With your consent, we also use Google Analytics to measure how the site is used; we ask before any analytics cookies are set, and you can decline. We do not run advertising cookies. See our Cookie Policy for full details.

How long we keep your data

Account data is kept for as long as your account is active. Shortlists and preferences stored in your browser remain until you clear them. If you ask us to delete your account, we will remove your personal data unless we are legally required to keep some of it. Server and security logs are kept only for as long as needed for security and troubleshooting.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Ask us to delete your data (the “right to erasure”).
• Restrict or object to certain processing.
• Request a copy of data you gave us in a portable format.
• Withdraw consent at any time where we rely on consent.

To exercise any of these, email us at privacy@schoolfinder.info. We will respond within one month. If you are unhappy with how we handle your data you can complain to the ICO at ico.org.uk, although we’d appreciate the chance to put things right first.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date below shows when it last changed. Significant changes will be reflected on this page.