Our Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

The Little Shipmates Group Ltd (“we”, “our”, “us”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy.

For the purposes of UK data protection law (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018), The Little Shipmates Group Ltd is the data controller of the personal data described in this policy.

Contact details: Email: hr@littleshipmates.com Telephone: 02380 840527 (opt 3)

Registered address: Little Shipmates 'The Bridge', Ashford Crescent, Hythe, Southampton, SO45 6ET

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us using the details above.

2. Scope of This Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal data when you:

• Visit our website

• Submit an enquiry form

• Register interest in a nursery place

• Contact us by email or telephone

• Interact with embedded content on our website

For information about how we process personal data relating to enrolled children, parents and employees, please refer to our full Privacy Notice available upon request.

3. Personal Data We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

We may collect:

• Name

• Email address

• Telephone number

• Home address

• Child’s name and date of birth

• Funding eligibility information

• Any information included in enquiry forms or correspondence

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information may be collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies, including:

• IP address

• Browser type and version

• Device type

• Operating system

• Referring website

• Pages visited

• Date and time of visit

• Clicks, scrolling, searches and interaction data

• Internal links accessed

This information helps us understand how visitors use our website and improve website performance and user experience.

We provide this information to Squarespace, our website hosting and analytics provider, to support website analytics, traffic monitoring and platform functionality.

4. How We Use Your Personal Data

We will only process your personal data where we have a lawful basis under UK GDPR.

4.1 Responding to Enquiries

To contact you regarding nursery places, visits, availability and services.

Lawful basis: Legitimate interests / Steps prior to entering into a contract.

4.2 Providing Nursery Services

If you proceed with registration, we process information to:

• Manage admissions

• Administer funding

• Communicate about your child’s place

• Meet safeguarding and regulatory obligations

Lawful basis: Contract / Legal obligation.

4.3 Legal and Regulatory Compliance

To comply with:

• Safeguarding requirements

• Ofsted obligations

• Local authority funding requirements

• Health & safety legislation

Lawful basis: Legal obligation.

4.4 Website Improvement & Analytics

We use analytics and performance tools to understand website traffic, visitor interactions and overall website performance.

Analytics information may include:

• Pages viewed

• Time spent on pages

• Navigation paths

• Scroll activity

• Click behaviour

• Searches performed on the website

Lawful basis: Legitimate interests and, where required by law, consent obtained through our cookie banner.

Analytics and performance cookies are only used where visitors acknowledge and accept our cookie banner preferences.

4.5 Marketing Communications (Updated)

We may send marketing communications regarding nursery updates, events or open days where:

• You have requested information from us;

• You have consented to receive marketing communications; or

• We otherwise have a lawful basis to contact you.

Marketing emails may be sent using Squarespace Email Campaigns or other authorised email service providers acting on our behalf.

You may unsubscribe from marketing communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link included in emails or by contacting us directly.

Lawful basis: Consent and/or legitimate interests.

5. Special Category Data

We may process sensitive data (such as health information relating to a child) where:

• Explicit consent has been provided; or

• It is necessary to comply with legal safeguarding obligations.

We apply additional safeguards to such data.

6. Automated Decision-Making

We do not make decisions about individuals based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

Analytics data is used only in aggregated form to improve website performance.

7. Sharing Your Personal Data

We may share personal data with:

• Local Authorities (funding and compliance)

• Ofsted and regulatory bodies

• Schools (with parental consent for transitions)

• Professional advisers (legal, accounting)

• IT and website service providers

We do not sell personal data.

8. Website Hosting & Third-Party Processors

Our website is hosted by Squarespace, which acts as a data processor on our behalf.

Squarespace may collect and process personal information when you visit this website, including:

• Information about your browser, network and device

• Web pages visited before accessing our website

• Pages viewed on our website

• Your IP address

Squarespace requires this information to operate, secure and improve its platform and services.

Squarespace may store personal data on secure servers located outside the United Kingdom. Where international transfers occur, appropriate safeguards are implemented, including standard contractual clauses or equivalent lawful transfer mechanisms.

For more information, please refer to the Squarespace Privacy Policy.

9. Cookies

This website uses cookies and similar technologies. Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website.

Certain cookies are necessary for the operation and security of the website and are always active.

We also use analytics and performance cookies to understand website usage and improve functionality. These cookies are only used where you provide consent through our cookie banner.

Cookies used on this website may collect information including:

• Browser and device information

• IP address

• Pages visited

• Interaction and usage data

• Website performance data

For further information about the cookies used by Squarespace, please visit:
Squarespace Cookies Information

9.1 Form Submissions

When you submit information through forms on our website, we collect the information requested in the form in order to:

• Respond to enquiries

• Manage nursery registrations and enquiries

• Communicate with you

• Maintain records of correspondence

The information submitted may include:

• Name

• Email address

• Telephone number

• Child details

• Any information included in your message

This information is processed by Squarespace as our website hosting provider so that they can provide website functionality and support our communications with you.

Where applicable, submitted information may also be securely stored within our internal systems and authorised business tools used to manage enquiries and admissions.

9.2 Social Media Sharing

Our website may include social media sharing features or links to third-party platforms.

If you use these features, the relevant third-party platform may collect personal information including:

• Browser, network and device information

• Details of the content shared

• IP address

Please review the privacy policies of any third-party services you interact with.

(If you know which platforms you use, replace this with examples such as Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.)

9.3 Embedded Content & Third-Party Services

Our website may contain embedded content or third-party services, including videos, maps, social media feeds or external tools.

These third parties may independently collect data about your interaction with the content and may set cookies on your device.

We encourage users to review the privacy policies of these third-party providers before interacting with embedded content.

9.4 Fonts

This website may use fonts provided by third-party services including Google Fonts and Adobe Fonts.

To properly display content, these providers may receive information including:

• Browser and device information

• Information about the webpage being viewed

• IP address

For more information, please refer to their respective privacy policies (Google/Adobe).

10. Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary:

• Enquiry form submissions: typically up to 12–24 months

• Registration records: in accordance with statutory and safeguarding requirements

• Funding records: as required by local authority guidelines

• Analytics data: as determined by Squarespace or relevant tool settings

When no longer required, data is securely deleted or anonymised.

11. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against:

• Unauthorised access

• Loss

• Disclosure

• Alteration

Access to personal data is restricted to authorised individuals only.

12. Your Data Protection Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data

• Correct inaccurate data

• Request erasure

• Restrict processing

• Object to processing

• Data portability

• Withdraw consent (where applicable)

To exercise these rights, contact us using the details above.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO):

Website: https://ico.org.uk/concerns/

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The latest version will always be available on our website.