Legal

Privacy notice

Last updated: September 2026

1. Who we are

ABC Science is a programme of Humanity Gives, a charity registered in England and Wales under charity number 1172143. For data-protection purposes, Humanity Gives is the data controller responsible for the personal information collected and used by ABC Science.

Contact ABC Science and Humanity Gives by email at dan@abcscience.co.uk, or visit abcscience.co.uk.

You can also contact Humanity Gives directly:

2. Purpose of this notice

This notice explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal information relating to:

• teachers, headteachers and other school employees;
• school, academy-trust and education-sector representatives;
• STEM professionals, volunteers and delivery partners;
• funders, donors and prospective supporters;
• suppliers, contractors and professional advisers; and
• people who contact us, register an interest or use our website.

ABC Science does not intend to collect personal information directly from pupils through its school enquiry form or general website.

3. Information we collect

Depending upon your relationship with ABC Science, we may collect:

• your name and job title;
• the name, address and postcode of your school or organisation;
• your professional email address and telephone number;
• the name of your school's headteacher;
• information about your school's science provision and support needs;
• details of previous contact, enquiries, meetings and correspondence;
• registrations for professional development, events or programmes;
• feedback, survey responses and evaluation information;
• partnership, funding, donation or supplier information;
• communication preferences;
• technical information, including IP address, browser type and cookie information; and
• any other information you choose to include in a message or enquiry.

Information about a school, such as its number of KS2 pupils, science scheme or previous organisational support, is not normally personal data unless it identifies or relates to a particular individual.

Please do not send ABC Science sensitive or special-category personal information unless we specifically request it and explain why it is required.

4. How we collect information

We may collect personal information:

• when you complete an online form;
• when you contact us by email, telephone, post or social media;
• when your school registers for or participates in our services;
• when you attend training, meetings or events;
• through feedback, monitoring and evaluation activities;
• from your school, academy trust or organisation;
• from publicly available professional sources;
• through website cookies and similar technology, where applicable; and
• from project partners, funders or referral organisations where sharing is lawful.

If another person gives us your details, we will use them only for the relevant professional or charitable purpose and provide appropriate privacy information.

5. How we use personal information

We may use personal information to:

• respond to enquiries and expressions of interest;
• assess a school's needs and eligibility for support;
• maintain our schools relationship-management system;
• plan and deliver science resources, equipment, training and support;
• administer school, STEM-professional and partner relationships;
• arrange meetings, events and professional-development activities;
• monitor attendance, participation and project delivery;
• evaluate and improve our charitable work, and measure and report our impact;
• communicate with funders and delivery partners;
• manage donations, grants, contracts and financial records;
• protect our resources, website, users and intellectual property;
• meet safeguarding, legal, regulatory and governance obligations; and
• send news and updates where you have consented or another lawful basis permits this.

6. Our lawful bases

Under UK data-protection law, we must have a lawful basis for using personal information. We normally rely upon:

• Legitimate interests: responding to enquiries, developing school relationships, delivering and improving our charitable services, administering partnerships, measuring impact and protecting our organisation and resources. We consider the effect on individuals before relying on this basis.
• Contract or steps before a contract: providing requested services, administering an agreement or taking requested steps.
• Legal obligation: complying with charity, financial, safeguarding, employment or other legal duties.
• Consent: including when you actively choose to receive certain news or updates. You may withdraw consent at any time.
• Vital interests: using or disclosing information in an emergency where necessary to protect somebody's life.

7. News and marketing communications

We will send optional ABC Science news and promotional email updates where you have consented or the law otherwise permits. You may unsubscribe using the facility in a communication or by contacting us. Withdrawing from news and marketing will not prevent essential communications about an enquiry, registration, programme or existing relationship.

8. Who we share information with

Where necessary and lawful, we may share relevant information with:

• authorised ABC Science and Humanity Gives staff, trustees and volunteers;
• website, email, database, CRM and IT-service providers;
• professional advisers, insurers, accountants and auditors;
• delivery partners and participating STEM professionals;
• schools, academy trusts and education partners involved in a programme;
• funders, evaluators and research partners;
• regulators, public authorities, safeguarding bodies or law-enforcement agencies; and
• other parties where disclosure is required by law or necessary to protect somebody from harm.

We will not sell personal information. Where possible, public or funder impact reports use anonymous or aggregated information. We will obtain appropriate permission before publishing an identifiable case study, quotation, photograph or testimonial. Organisations processing information for us must protect it and follow our instructions and applicable law.

9. International transfers

Some technology providers may store or process information outside the United Kingdom. Where this occurs, we will ensure an appropriate legal safeguard is in place, such as UK adequacy regulations, the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or an approved UK addendum to standard contractual clauses.

10. How long we keep information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably needed for its original purpose or to meet legal, contractual and regulatory requirements. Our general retention periods are:

• unsuccessful or inactive school enquiries: normally up to 24 months after the last meaningful contact;
• active school and partner records: for the relationship and normally up to six years afterwards;
• grant, contract, financial and Gift Aid records: normally six years after the relevant financial period;
• event and professional-development administration records: normally up to three years;
• evaluation information: for the period needed to complete, verify and report the relevant project;
• optional news and update subscriptions: until consent is withdrawn or the information is no longer required; and
• website security and technical records: only as long as reasonably necessary for security, analysis and legal compliance.

We may retain information longer for legal, safeguarding, insurance or dispute-related reasons. Information no longer required will be securely deleted or anonymised.

11. Security

We take reasonable organisational and technical measures to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, alteration or disclosure. Access is restricted to people who need it for an authorised purpose. No online system is completely secure, but we regularly consider the safeguards used by ABC Science and its service providers.

12. Children's information

Our school enquiry form is intended for adults acting professionally. ABC Science will not ask schools to provide identifiable pupil information through it. If a programme later requires pupil information, photographs, recordings, evaluation data or safeguarding records, we will provide additional information and establish appropriate lawful arrangements before collection.

Schools should not send pupil names, health information or other sensitive pupil data unless specifically agreed and necessary for an authorised purpose.

13. Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to:

• be informed about how your information is used;
• request access to your personal information;
• ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• ask us to delete information or restrict how it is used;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing;
• request the transfer of information in certain circumstances;
• withdraw consent at any time; and
• ask for human review of certain automated decisions.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions. Contact us to exercise a right; we may need to verify your identity before responding.

14. Complaints

Please contact us first if you have a concern. We will take it seriously and seek to resolve it. You may also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office by visiting ico.org.uk or calling 0303 123 1113.

15. Cookies and external links

Our website may use essential and optional cookies. Read our Cookie policy for details and available choices. Our website may link to external websites; ABC Science is not responsible for third-party privacy practices or content.

16. Changes to this notice

We may update this notice when our services, systems or legal obligations change. The latest version will be published here with its revision date.