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Privacy Notice

Data Privacy Notice for Students

Contact Details

Data controller: Onyx Student Support Ltd, 2 Demswell, Northampton, NN6 9BL

Email: datagovernance@onyxstudents.com

Data protection officer: Angela Sargeant, 2 Demswell, Northampton, NN6 9BL

Email: datagovernance@onyxstudents.com / angela@onyxstudents.com

Purpose of processing and lawful basis

Purpose – Processing of personal data is required to:

  • Match and allocate student to support worker

  • Keep track of students support hours

  • Monitor students support

Lawful Basis for processing:

Personal Data – Contract 

Processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a contract with the student.

Reference - Contract | ICO

Special category Data – Explicit Consent or Public Interest

Student has given explicit consent to Onyx to process the personal data for a specific purpose or, it is necessary to process the personal data for public interest.

Reference - Specialist Category Data | ICO

Data Source

The personal data we hold is provided either directly by the student or, the students needs assessor (assessment centre), funding body, higher education provider or a student allocated representative.

The Personal Data We Hold

Students Personal Data Includes:

  • Name

  • Address

  • Phone number

  • Email address

  • Course information

  • Funding body details

  • Customer reference number

  • Date of birth

  • Support type (including amount of hours)

Students Special Category Data includes:

  • Disability information (with students consent to tailor your support)

  • Any wellbeing concerns

  • Any health related concerns (with students consent required by the funding body to report reason for any missed sessions)

Sharing Data

Personal data is shared with:

  • Funding body (name, customer reference number,  date of birth, support type, hours completed, missed session information)

  • Higher education provider (name, customer reference number, course name and student support records with consent)

  • Support worker (your allocated support worker)

  • Family member or a student allocated third-party (organising support arrangements, with student consent)

  • Needs assessors and/or assessment centres

  • Auditors on request (with student consent)

Sharing to Third Countries

We do not transfer your data outside of the UK

Retention Periods

Personal Data is retained no longer than necessary regarding the purposes for which it was obtained. The purpose includes the purpose of satisfying any legal, accounting, or other reporting requirements. The retention period is dependent on the type of data therefore, some personal data will be retained for longer periods than others.

Example:

Student contact details are deleted after 1 year from their exit date. Accounting records including invoices, will be kept for 6 years from the financial year end date, in accordance with the laws of the land HMRC. 

At the end of the retention period the student data is deleted.

Deleted data will remain on our data backup system for a period of 30 days from the date of deletion.

Subject Rights

All processing will be in line with your rights. Your rights are:

  • The right to be informed

  • The right of access

  • The right to rectification

  • The right to erasure

  • The right to restrict processing

  • The right to data portability

  • The right to object

  • Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling

  • The right to withdraw consent

Reference - A guide to individual rights | ICO

Should the student wish to exercise any of their rights listed above, please contact our Data Protection Officer (details at the top of this notice).

Complaints

The student has a right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), if they are unhappy or if they believe Onyx is processing their data unlawfully. In these instances the student can contact the ICO using the contact details below:

Contact details:

0303 123 1113

casework@ico.org.uk

Automated Decision Making

Onyx does not use any automated decision-making process.

Consequences of Failing to Provide Personal Data

Without the required personal data Onyx will not be able to fulfil our legal and contractual obligations.

Data Security

Appropriate security measures are in place to protect personal data from being compromised. Issues that could compromise data include but are not limited to, accidental loss, unauthorised access, unauthorised use or disclosure.

 

All of our systems and personal data are diligently managed by an IT management service provider.

 

Permissions are in place to ensure only those who need to know can gain access to information.

Data protection training including cyber security and confidentiality training, is provided to all staff annually and when additional education is deemed necessary.

 

Procedures are in place to deal with suspected data breaches. The procedures involve notifying data subjects and the regulating body when required to do so legally.

Data Privacy Notice for Students

Data Privacy Notice for Support Workers - Freelancer

Contact details

 

Data controller: Onyx Student Support Ltd, 2 Demswell, Northampton, NN6 9BL

Email: datagovernance@onyxstudents.com

 

Data protection officer: Angela Sargeant, 2 Demswell, Northampton, NN6 9BL

Email: datagovernance@onyxstudents.com / angela@onyxstudents.com

Purpose of processing and lawful basis

 

Purpose - Processing of personal data is required to:

 

  • Determine the correct level of education and governance,

  • Match and allocated support worker to student,

  • Keep track of the support the support worker delivers to the student/s

  • Initiate administration services such as payroll

Lawful Basis for processing:

Personal Data – Contract and Legal Obligation.

Processing of personal data is necessary for the performance of a contract with the support worker and necessary for us to comply with laws of the land.

Reference - Contract | ICO Legal Obligation | ICO

Special Category Data – Explicit Consent or, Employment and Social Security and Social Protection Law.

Data Subject has given explicit consent to the processing of personal data for a specified purpose or, it is necessary to process the personal data in order to carry out obligations and exercise specific rights regarding employment, social security and social protection laws.

Reference: Special Category Date | ICO

Criminal Convictions/Offences – Consent or, Legal Obligation.

Explicit consent has been given to process the data for a specific purpose or, it is necessary to process the personal data in order to comply with the law.

Reference: Criminal Offence Data | ICO

Data Source

References are provided to us by other parties. Referee details are provided to us by the support worker. All other personal data we hold is provided directly by the support worker (data subject). No personal data comes from publicly accessible sources.

The Personal Data we Hold

Support Workers Personal Data includes:

  • Name

  • Address

  • Phone number

  • Email address

  • Education details

  • Employment details

  • Training Details

  • Professional body registration details

  • Identification documents

  • Bank account details

  • ID photograph

  • Date of birth

  • Gender details

  • References

  • Emergency contact details

  • Information concerning the work the support worker has provided

 

Support Workers Special Category Data includes:

Under the Data Protection Act 2018 we do not currently process special category data about the support worker. However, as a precaution we classify, ID documents as Special Category Data.

 

Disability and health information on occasions is divulged to Onyx by the support worker. Onyx does not process this information.

Sharing Data

 

Personal data is shared with:

  • The support workers allocated student (support worker contacts student initially with their names and contact details, email/telephone)

  • The higher education provider (with consent)

  • The students funding body

  • HMRC at their request

  • The Department of Education if we are audited by them

 

Sharing involves only what is necessary

 

Sharing to Third Countries

We do not transfer your data outside of the UK

Retention Periods

Personal Data is retained no longer than necessary regarding the purposes for which it was obtained. The purpose includes the purpose of satisfying any legal, accounting, or other reporting requirements. The retention period is dependent on the type of data therefore, some personal data will be retained for longer periods than others.

Example:

Support worker (freelancer) notifies us of their leave. Support workers contact details is deleted after 1 year from their exit date. Accounting records – Including remittance advice, will be kept for 6 years from their exit date, in accordance with the laws of the land HMRC.

At the end of the retention period the support workers data is deleted.

Deleted data will remain on our data backup system for a period of 30 days from the date of deletion.

Subject Rights

All processing will be in line with your rights. Your rights are:

  • The right to be informed

  • The right of access

  • The right to rectification

  • The right to erasure

  • The right to restrict processing

  • The right to data portability

  • The right to object

  • Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling

  • The right to withdraw consent

Should the support worker wish to exercise any of their rights listed above, please contact our Data Protection Officer (details at the top of this notice).

 

Complaints

The support worker has a right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), if they are unhappy or if they believe Onyx is processing their data unlawfully. In these instances the support worker can contact the ICO using the contact details below:

 

Contact details:

0303 123 1113

casework@ico.org.uk

Automated Decision Making

Onyx does not use any automated decision-making process.

 

Consequences of Failing to Provide Personal Data

 

Without the required personal data Onyx will not be able to fulfil our legal and contractual obligations.

Data Security 

Appropriate security measures are in place to protect personal data from being compromised. Issues that could compromise data include but are not limited to, accidental loss, unauthorised access, unauthorised use, or disclosure. 

All of our systems and personal data are diligently managed by an IT management service provider. 

Permissions are in place to ensure only those who need to know can gain access to information. 

Data protection training including cyber security and confidentiality training, is provided to all staff annually and when additional education is deemed necessary. 

Procedures are in place to deal with suspected data breaches. The procedures involve notifying data subjects and the regulating body when required to do so legally. 

Data Privacy Notice for Support Workers - Freelancer
Data Privacy Notice for HEI and Other

Date Privacy Notice for HEIs and Other

Contact details

 

Data controller: Onyx Student Support Ltd, 2 Demswell, Northampton, NN6 9BL

Email: datagovernance@onyxstudents.com

 

Data protection officer: Angela Sargeant, 2 Demswell, Northampton, NN6 9BL

Email: datagovernance@onyxstudents.com / angela@onyxstudents.com

1. Purpose

This Privacy Notice explains how Onyx Student Support Ltd (“Onyx”) collects, uses, and protects personal and organisational data relating to higher education institutions (HEIs), funding bodies, assessment centres, and other third-party partners we collaborate with to deliver student support services.

Onyx is committed to handling all data lawfully, fairly, and transparently in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

 

2. Data Controller

Onyx Student Support Ltd
Registered Company No: 14244398

Data Protection Officer (DPO): Jane Pickering

Email: datagovernance@onyxstudents.com Telephone: 01604 713103

 

3. What Data We Collect

Onyx collects only data necessary for managing our working relationships with HEIs, assessment centres, and funding or quality assurance partners.

Category

Examples

  • Organisation Details

  • Institution name, address, department, contact names and titles

  • Contact Information

  • Email addresses, phone numbers, professional roles

  • Operational Data

  • Student support referrals, scheduling and coordination communications

  • Financial Records

  • Purchase orders, remittance advice, payment details

  • Quality Assurance & Compliance

  • Audit requests, incident reports, safeguarding or compliance correspondence

 

4. Why We Collect This Data

Onyx processes partner data to:

  • Facilitate the delivery of student support services.

  • Communicate about student progress, funding, or service quality.

  • Manage contracts, invoices, and payments.

  • Respond to audits or compliance reviews.

  • Meet legal, safeguarding, and funding obligations.

 

5. Lawful Bases for Processing

Purpose

Lawful Basis

Managing service agreements, communication, and invoicing

Contract (Article 6(1)(b))

Safeguarding, audit, and funding compliance

Legal Obligation (Article 6(1)(c))

Collaboration and quality improvement

Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f))

 

6. How We Use and Share Data

Data shared between Onyx and partners is limited to the minimum necessary for:

  • Service coordination, quality assurance, or audit.

  • Funding or invoicing evidence.

  • Safeguarding where necessary under law or institutional policy.

Data may be shared with:

  • Funding bodies (e.g., Student Finance England/Wales).

  • Universities and colleges (for student support coordination).

  • Assessment centres (for DSA referral management).

  • Regulators and auditors (e.g., DfE, HEI audit teams).

Onyx does not share or sell data for marketing purposes.

 

7. Data Retention

Partner data is kept for the duration of the working relationship and for a defined period thereafter, in accordance with statutory and audit requirements.

Type of Record

Retention Period

Reason / Legal Basis

Contracts and correspondence

6 years after the end of partnership

Statutory limitation for contractual claims

Financial records

6 years

HMRC and funding audit requirements

Student-related coordination data

2 years after service end

Operational reference and audit support

Safeguarding and incident correspondence

As legally required

Safeguarding or legal compliance

After these periods, data is securely deleted or anonymised in line with the Onyx Data Governance Framework (2025).

 

8. Data Security

  • All data is stored on encrypted, password-protected systems.

  • Access is restricted to authorised personnel.

  • Emails containing sensitive or confidential data are clearly marked and transmitted securely.

  • Partner contact data is reviewed annually and deleted when no longer active or required.

 

9. Joint Controller Situations

Where Onyx and an HEI jointly coordinate support for a student, both organisations act as joint data controllers. Each controller is responsible for ensuring lawful processing, accuracy, and confidentiality of shared data.

In these cases, Onyx and the HEI agree to:

  • Limit shared data to what is necessary for service delivery.

  • Maintain separate audit and retention responsibilities.

  • Respond cooperatively to subject access requests or data incidents.

 

10. Your Rights

Partners and HEI contacts have the right to:

  • Access the personal data held about them.

  • Request correction of inaccurate information.

  • Request deletion or restriction of unnecessary data.

  • Object to processing in specific circumstances.

  • Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if unresolved.

Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
www.ico.org.uk

 

11. Contact Details

Data Protection Officer – Jane Pickering
Email: datagovernance@onyxstudents.com Telephone: 01604 713103

Postal Address:
Onyx Student Support Ltd
2 Demswell, Brixworth, Northamptonshire, NN6 9BL

 

12. Review

This Privacy Notice will be reviewed annually or sooner if legislation, funding arrangements, or operational processes change.

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