Introduction

The data controllers for your information are Snowflakes Day Nursery & Montessori Ltd (Company No. 06791653) operating our Lady Margaret Road, Grand Union Village and Comer Crescent branches, and Snowflakes Montessori Ltd operating our Norwood Green branch. Both entities follow the same data protection standards set out in this policy.

For any questions about how we handle your data, contact the Branch Manager at your nursery or email us at webmaster@snowflakesnursery.co.uk.

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Data We Collect

About Your Child:

‍Personal details from application and registration forms, development observations, photos and videos captured using nursery equipment, medical and dietary requirements, allergy information, emergency contact details, special educational needs information, learning journal records, and where applicable, child protection plans from social care or health care plans from health professionals.

About Parents and Carers

‍Names, addresses, contact numbers, email addresses, proof of identity and address, payment and fee information, government funding details, and authorised collector information.

Website Visitors

‍Contact information submitted through forms (name, email, phone number), website usage data through cookies and analytics, and marketing preferences.

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How We Collect Your Data

We collect personal data through nursery registration and application forms, All About Me forms completed during settling in, our eyLog learning journal app (used by staff on nursery devices to record observations, photos and developmental progress), contact and booking forms on our website, telephone and email communications, medication and accident forms completed during your child's time with us, and government funding application forms.

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How and Why We Use Your Data

UK GDPR requires us to have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. The basis we rely on depends on the purpose:

Contract (providing our nursery services to you)

Day-to-day childcare, communication about your child's progress and wellbeing, managing sessions and fees, settling-in arrangements, and transfer of learning records when your child moves on.

Legal Obligation (requirements placed on us by law)

Safeguarding and child protection referrals, Ofsted regulatory compliance, processing government-funded childcare entitlements (30 hours, Early Years Pupil Premium), reporting notifiable diseases or serious incidents, and transferring statutory records to your child's next school or setting.

Legitimate Interests (running our nursery effectively and safely)

Maintaining security of our premises, quality improvement through early years consultants, managing staff suitability and training records, and administering waiting lists and admissions.

Consent (where we ask your specific permission)

Photographs and videos of your child for use on our website or marketing materials, marketing communications about nursery events, services and educational resources, and participation in nursery research or surveys.

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Photography and Video

We take the protection of your child's image seriously. Photographs and videos used to support learning and record progress are taken only on nursery equipment by members of the staff team. Personal devices are never used.

Separate written consent is requested for any use of your child's image beyond their individual learning journal — for example, on our website, social media, or in marketing materials. If you prefer your child not to be included, any images taken will be deleted. You can withdraw your consent for photography at any time, either verbally or in writing, by speaking to your Branch Manager.

Where outside photographers attend events, or parents are invited to record celebrations such as Christmas productions, the nursery will seek appropriate permissions and remind attendees not to publish images of other children online.

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How We Share Your Data

To deliver our childcare services, we share data as required with:

• The Local Authority (for funded childcare claims and EYPP)
• The government eligibility checker (for funding verification)
• Ofsted (regulatory compliance)
• eyLog, our learning journal app provider (for developmental records)
• Google (website analytics — see Cookies section below)
• Schools or childcare settings your child will attend
• Early years consultants employed for quality improvement
• Healthcare professionals (when relevant to your child's care)
• Ealing Early Start Team (for additional support services)
• ECIRS — Ealing Children's Integrated Response Service (for safeguarding)
• ESCAN — Ealing Service for Children with Additional Needs

We will also share data if we are legally required to do so by law or court order, to protect children by sharing information with social care or the police, or where it is necessary to protect our rights, property, or safety or that of others.

We will never share your data with any other organisation for their own marketing purposes.

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International Data Transfers

Our website uses Google Analytics, which is operated by Google LLC in the United States. Data collected through Google Analytics (anonymised website usage information) may be transferred to and processed in the US. Google participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which provides safeguards for this transfer. You can opt out of Google Analytics by adjusting your cookie preferences or installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

All other data processing, including eyLog and our internal nursery records, takes place within the UK.

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How We Protect Your Data

We prevent unauthorised access and protect against loss, misuse, or disclosure by ensuring all devices holding personal data are password protected and protected from viruses, personal information is kept in keypad-locked rooms and secure filing systems, all staff are trained in data handling and sign confidentiality agreements, and information is shared only on a need-to-know basis. We regularly review and update our security measures.

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How Long We Keep Your Data

We retain personal data for up to 6 years after your child leaves our setting. Data may be kept longer if fees are outstanding or until our next Ofsted inspection after your child leaves. Medication and accident records are kept according to legal requirements. Learning and development records are maintained and transferred when children move on. In cases involving child protection or support service referrals, we are obliged to keep data longer to comply with legal requirements.

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Your Rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to request access to your personal data, request correction of inaccurate data, request deletion of your data in certain circumstances, request that we restrict how we use your data, request transfer of your data to another organisation, object to processing of your data for marketing purposes, and withdraw consent for data processing at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, contact the Branch Manager at your nursery or email webmaster@snowflakesnursery.co.uk. We will respond within one month.

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Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses the following cookies:

Essential Cookies

These are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They handle basic functions such as page navigation, form submissions, and remembering your cookie preferences. These are session and persistent cookies set directly by our website.

Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website so we can improve it. These cookies (including _ga and _ga_[ID]) collect anonymised information about pages visited, time on site, and how you arrived. They are persistent cookies lasting up to 2 years.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. For more information about cookies and how to manage them, visit allaboutcookies.org.

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Marketing Communications

We may use your contact information to send you updates about our nursery services, educational resources, information about events and activities, and seasonal communications. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email, contacting us directly, or updating your preferences when we speak with you.

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Automated Decision-Making

We do not make any decisions about children or families based solely on automated decision-making systems.

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Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:

Snowflakes Day Nursery & Montessori

‍Email: webmaster@snowflakesnursery.co.uk

Phone: 020 8845 8998

Address:

8 Higham Mews,

Northolt,

UB5 6FP

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Complaints

If you remain dissatisfied with how we handle your data after raising concerns with us, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner's OfficeWycliffe House,

Water Lane,

Wilmslow,

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Website: ico.org.uk

‍Phone: 0303 123 1113

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Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

This policy was last reviewed February 2025.

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