1. Why Schools Plus uses these technologies
We use these Technologies for a number of purposes, primarily to:
- Enable you to use and access the Schools Plus website
- Facilitate and streamline the functioning of our website
- Better understand how our visitors navigate through and interact with the website
- Show you content that is more relevant to you
- Monitor and analyse the performance, operation and effectiveness of the website
- Enforce legal agreements and policies that govern use of the website
- Provide accessibility tools
- Detect and prevent fraud
- Improve our customer support, analytics, research, product development, and the development of our AI
- Comply with regulatory requirements
3. Pixels and web beacons
Technologies such as pixels and web beacons use small pieces of HTML code to insert tiny transparent images into webpages, ads or emails. Like cookies, these Technologies collect information, but instead of storing a file on your browser they send collected information directly to a server. We use these Technologies, for example, to see whether a specific action was performed, such as opening an email or clicking to view content. These tools help us to measure response to our communications and content (including marketing and promotional content), helping us improve the website.
4. Server logs and other technologies
We collect various types of information through server logs and other Technologies. For example, we collect information about the device used to access our website, such as the device's operating system, browser type, system language, country and time zone. Our server logs also record the device's IP address, the dates and times of visits, and the specific content viewed. Additionally, we may collect information about the website visited immediately before accessing the Schools Plus website and the website visited after leaving. All of this information can help us understand the user experience, evaluate traffic patterns and detect security threats.
5. SDKs, APIs and other mobile app technologies
5.1 What are SDKs, APIs and other mobile app technologies
SDKs are packages of code used to give the app features and functionality, like secure authentication, in-app payments or messaging services. SDKs can include the ability to track content interactions, how long you use the app during a session and how certain app features are used. APIs allow the Schools Plus site to communicate with other services or platforms.
5.2 How we use SDKs, APIs and other mobile app technologies
When you use the Schools Plus website, integrated Technologies such as SDKs (software development kits) and APIs (application programming interfaces) are used for app functionality and can collect information about app use. SDKs, APIs and other mobile Technologies gather and process data to make our app more efficient, secure and user friendly.
For instance, APIs may allow the app to fetch your location to find facilities near you, sync with payment gateways to process transactions securely, or verify your identity against other trusted platforms. Through these interfaces, specific data such as your profile details or booking history can be transmitted and analysed to deliver content and recommendations. In addition, some SDKs and APIs come from third-party providers, enabling functionalities like social sharing, push notifications or analytics.
APIs allow different components to communicate and share data, which might include information about you, such as profile data or location information. Schools Plus uses this information to identify technical issues, evaluate feature popularity and prioritise future improvement. It also helps Schools Plus to optimise website performance, detect fraudulent activities and tailor content and marketing efforts to align with user interests.
6. Device information
We may use device-related information to authenticate users. For example, we may use your IP address, browser information or other data provided by your browser or device to identify the device being used to access our platform. We may also use these device-related techniques for associating you with different devices that you may use to access our content, including for fraud-protection purposes and to better target advertising.
7. Third parties
Schools Plus allows third parties to collect data on our behalf and discloses certain data to third parties for the purposes described above and in our Privacy Policy, including advertising on and off the Schools Plus Platform that is based on users' online activities over time and across different sites, services and devices.
Third parties, including companies such as Meta and Google, offer Technologies used on the Schools Plus Platform. These Technologies help us (1) understand how you found the Schools Plus website, (2) market and advertise Schools Plus on and off of the Schools Plus website, (3) detect or prevent fraud, and (4) collect information about activities on our website and other sites, including through our ads you click on. For example, to help us better understand how people use the Schools Plus website, we work with a number of analytics partners, including Google Analytics. In some cases, we may integrate the analytics services we use with certain advertising services that are also made available by our analytics providers. For example, we integrate Google Analytics with the following Google advertising features:
- Remarketing with Google Analytics
- Cross Device Remarketing & Reporting
- Google Analytics Demographics & Interest Reporting
- Google Display Network Impression Reporting
Third parties, including Meta and Google, may also use Technologies to collect information from the Schools Plus website and elsewhere and use that information to show you ads that they believe are most likely to be of interest to you and measure the effectiveness of their ads.
You can control Google's advertising directly with Google through its Ads Settings, and you can limit Google Analytics by downloading the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On. You can learn more about how Google Analytics collects and processes data at How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services and in the Google Privacy Policy. You can opt out of Facebook's collection and use of information by adjusting your Facebook ad preferences.
For more information on how we share information with partners, see the Schools Plus Privacy Policy.
9. Your choices
In addition to consent or opt-out rights you may have with respect to the Technologies we use, as explained in our Privacy Policy and jurisdiction-specific supplements, there are various steps you can take to limit the use of Technologies. Please be aware that if you choose to decline our use of Technologies, some parts of the Schools Plus Platform may not work as intended or may not work at all.
To the extent advertising technology is integrated into the Schools Plus website and you opt out of personalised or targeted advertising, be aware that you will still see advertising content. But the advertising content will just not be tailored to your interests. Also, we do not control any of these opt-out links and are not responsible for the availability or accuracy of these mechanisms.
10. Opting out of technologies using self-regulatory programs
Two self-regulatory programs are available to help you control the use of cookies on your browsers — the Digital Advertising Alliance and the Network Advertising Initiative. Both programs help to regulate companies in the digital advertising space. One function of their self-regulatory programs is to give you the ability to opt out of targeted (or interest-based) advertising, including using Technologies, from their member companies. Visit Your Ad Choices (United States), Your Ad Choices (Canada), Your Online Choices (European Economic Area and United Kingdom), or the App Choices tool (mobile app) to learn about opting out of targeted advertising for participating Digital Advertising Alliance companies. The Network Advertising Initiative assists with opt outs through their Opt Out of Interest-Based Advertising webpage.
You can disable some Technologies and control data sharing using self-regulatory programs and your own browser settings. For additional details on the options that may be available to you, please review the Network Advertising Initiative's How to Opt Out page.
You may be able to disable Technologies using your browser settings. Please review your browser's instructions or visit All About Cookies for general information.
11. Opting out of data sharing from devices
You may review and choose to opt out of certain Technologies used within our Schools Plus app by going to your Profile, then Privacy, then Third-party tools. Other options for controlling the data shared from devices include:
For Apple devices:
- Turn location services on or off from the Privacy & Security settings (under Location Services)
- Manage your device activity tracking permissions from the Privacy & Security settings (under Tracking)
For Android devices:
- Manage your device's location settings, including turning them on and off and adjusting the accuracy of locations, from the Location settings
- Reset or delete your device's mobile advertising ID, from the Privacy settings
Please refer to your device manufacturer's instructions for more details.
12. Contact us
For questions about this Cookie Policy or Schools Plus's privacy practices, please email us at dpo@schoolsplus.co.uk or contact us as specified in our Privacy Policy.
8. Third-party social media and sharing
The Schools Plus website may include social plugins operated by third parties, such as Facebook's Like Button, or options to share directly on social media pages or via direct messaging services operated by third parties. Using these features may transmit information about your activity on the Schools Plus website to the relevant third party. If you are logged in to your third-party social media account when sharing, the third party may be able to associate your information from the Schools Plus website with your account and other information the third party has about you. Please refer to the third party's privacy policy to learn more about its data practices before engaging in social media sharing on the Schools Plus website.