L E G A L
Privacy Policy
Built from what we have had to teach our own teams, not from a curriculum somebody wrote once.
How we collect, use, store and disclose information, and what you can do about it.
1. About this policy
The Scholars Group Pty Ltd (ABN 64 169 563 482) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information.
This policy explains how we collect, use, store and disclose personal information collected through this website, thescholarsgroup.com.au, and through our business as a management and consultancy provider to approved providers of early learning services.
We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.
This policy covers this website only. Little Scholars School of Early Learning operates separately at mylittlescholars.com.au and has its own privacy policy. If you are a parent or family member looking for information about how we handle your or your child’s information, please refer to that policy instead.
2. Who we are
The Scholars Group provides management, consultancy and support services to approved providers of early learning services across South East Queensland and the New South Wales North Coast.
Our clients are businesses. The personal information we collect through this website is generally business contact information belonging to service owners, approved providers and directors.
We do not collect information about children through this website.
3. What we collect
Information you give us
When you contact us
Name, email address, phone number, the name and location of your service, the number of services you operate, and whatever you choose to tell us in your message.
When you use our online tools
Our service health check and occupancy calculator ask for operating figures about your service. These include licensed places, attendance, fee levels, staffing costs, staff numbers, enquiry volumes and outstanding fees.
If you use a tool without submitting the form, these figures are processed in your browser and are not transmitted to us or stored anywhere.
If you request a written report, the figures you entered are submitted to us along with your contact details so that we can prepare it.
When you subscribe or download
Name and email address, and any other details requested at the time.
When you become a client
Information necessary to provide our services, which may include commercial, financial, operational and employment-related information about your service and, where relevant, about individuals working in it.
Information we collect automatically
When you visit this website we may collect IP address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, pages viewed, time spent, referring website, and general location derived from IP address.
This is collected through cookies and analytics tools. See section 8.
4. How we collect it
We collect personal information directly from you: through forms on this website, by email, by telephone, in meetings, and through the course of providing our services.
We may also collect information from publicly available sources, such as company registers, the national registers of approved providers and services, and professional networking sites, where it is relevant to a business relationship.
Where it is reasonable and practicable, we collect personal information directly from the individual it concerns.
5. Why we collect it and how we use it
We use personal information to:
- Respond to your enquiry
- Prepare and send the reports and materials you request
- Provide our management, consultancy and support services
- Manage our relationship with you as a client
- Improve this website and the tools on it
- Send you information about our services, where you have asked to receive it or where you would reasonably expect it
- Meet our legal, contractual and regulatory obligations
About the operating figures you enter. Where you submit figures through our tools, we use them to prepare your report, and we may follow up with you once about it. We may use de-identified and aggregated figures to understand patterns across the sector. We do not sell your figures, and we do not disclose your individual figures to any other client, competitor or third party except as described in section 6.
Direct marketing. If we send you marketing communications, every message will include a way to opt out. You can also ask us to stop at any time using the contact details in section 12, and we will action it promptly.
6. Who we disclose it to
We may disclose personal information to:
Service providers who help us operate. We use third parties for website hosting and forms, website analytics, email and document storage, workflow automation, email delivery, and assistance drafting reports. These providers are permitted to use your information only to perform services for us, and only in accordance with our instructions.
Professional advisers such as our accountants, lawyers and insurers, where necessary.
Anyone else you authorise us to disclose it to.
Where required or authorised by law, including to a court, tribunal or regulatory authority.
We do not sell personal information, and we do not disclose it to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
If you would like to know which providers we currently use, contact us using the details in section 12 and we will tell you.
7. Overseas disclosure
Some of the service providers described in section 6 store or process information outside Australia, primarily in the United States. This includes our website platform, analytics, workflow automation and the tools we use to help prepare reports.
By providing your information to us, you acknowledge that it may be disclosed to overseas recipients in these countries.
We take reasonable steps to ensure that overseas recipients handle your personal information in a manner consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles, including by selecting reputable providers with published privacy and security commitments and by limiting what we share to what is necessary.
If you would prefer that your information not be processed overseas, contact us using the details in section 12 and we will discuss alternatives, though this may limit our ability to provide some services.
8. Cookies and analytics
This website uses cookies, which are small files stored on your device.
We use them to make the site work as expected, remember your preferences, and understand how the site is used so we can improve it.
Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies through their settings. Some parts of the site may not work as intended if you do.
We use Google Analytics to understand website traffic. Google collects this information under its own privacy policy. You can opt out using Google’s browser add-on.
9. How long we keep it
We keep personal information only as long as we need it for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law.
| Information | Retention |
|---|---|
| Enquiries that do not proceed | Seven years |
| Health check submissions and reports | Seven years |
| Client records | Duration of engagement plus seven years for legal and tax obligations |
| Marketing subscribers | Until you unsubscribe, then a suppression record only |
| Website analytics | As configured in the platform |
When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it.
10. How we protect it
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure. These include access controls, restricting access to those who need it, using reputable providers with appropriate security, and secure disposal.
No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. While we take reasonable steps, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
If a data breach occurs that is likely to result in serious harm, we will respond in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, including notifying affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner where required.
11. Accessing and correcting your information
You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, and to ask us to correct it if it is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading.
To make a request, contact us using the details in section 12. We may need to verify your identity.
We will respond within a reasonable period, generally within 30 days. There is no charge for making a request, though we may charge a reasonable fee for providing access in some circumstances. If we refuse a request, we will tell you why in writing and explain how to complain.
12. Complaints and contact
If you have a question about this policy, or you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, contact us:
Andrew Heslehurst, Executive Director
The Scholars Group Pty Ltd
15 Olympic Circuit, Southport QLD 4215
1300 018 308
privacy@thescholarsgroup.com.au
We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to respond within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:
oaic.gov.au
1300 363 992
GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
13. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be available at thescholarsgroup.com.au/privacy-policy, with the date it was last updated shown at the top.
Complaints and contact
If you think we have got something wrong, tell us.
Write to our privacy contact at the address below. We will acknowledge within five business days and respond within thirty days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992.
Start with a conversation
Thirty minutes, no cost. We will tell you honestly whether we can help.