Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Embedded Files
Last Updated: September 4, 2025
1. INTRODUCTION
TeacherScout Ltd (“TeacherScout”, “we”, “our”, “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you interact with our services, including through our website, recruitment activities, and communications. This Policy applies to:
Candidates (teachers and education professionals) who register with us for recruitment opportunities.
Schools/Clients that engage our recruitment and placement services.
Website Users who visit or interact with our website. We process personal data in accordance with applicable data protection and privacy laws. By using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. Where required by law, we will also ask for your express consent before collecting or processing certain types of personal data.
2. WHAT PERSONAL DATA WE COLLECT
In the course of providing recruitment and placement services, TeacherScout may collect and process the following categories of personal data:
A. Candidate Data (Teachers and Education Professionals)
Basic Information: Full name, date of birth, nationality, contact details (email address, phone number, postal address).
Professional Information: Curriculum Vitae (CV), qualifications, academic records, teaching licences, references, employment history, and skills.
Identification & Compliance Information: Passport details, visa/immigration documents, criminal record checks, and where required by law, medical information for visa or employment purposes.
Other Relevant Information: Availability, preferences for roles/locations, and interview feedback.
B. Client/School Data
Contact information of school representatives (such as HR personnel, headteachers, or administrators).
Billing, invoicing, and payment information necessary for the provision of services.
C. Website & Technical Data
Standard technical information collected automatically when using our website, such as IP address, browser type, and device information.
Cookies and similar technologies used through Google Sites for functionality purposes (see Clause 10 for more details).
D. Sensitive Personal Data
We only collect sensitive personal data (such as criminal record checks or limited medical data) where strictly necessary for recruitment, visa, or compliance purposes, and always in accordance with applicable law and with your explicit consent where required.
3. HOW WE COLLECT PERSONAL DATA
We collect personal data in the following ways:
A. Directly from Candidates
When you register with TeacherScout or submit your CV.
When you provide supporting documents such as passport copies, qualifications, references, or background check information.
During interviews, communications, or assessments conducted by TeacherScout.
B. From Third Parties (with consent or as permitted by law)
From referees, former employers, or professional bodies you authorise us to contact.
From government or regulatory authorities (e.g., visa, immigration, or licensing bodies).
From background verification providers or credential-checking services engaged for compliance purposes.
C. From Clients (Schools and Educational Institutions)
When schools provide us with information regarding a vacancy, interview feedback, or employment offer details.
When school representatives provide their own contact or billing information to facilitate the recruitment process.
D. Automatically Through Our Website
When you visit our website, we may collect technical information (e.g., IP address, browser type, device information) through standard Google Sites cookies.
We do not use additional tracking or profiling tools beyond those necessary for site functionality.
4. HOW WE USE PERSONAL DATA
We process personal data only for legitimate business purposes, in compliance with applicable data protection laws. Specifically, we use your information for the following purposes:
A. Recruitment and Placement
To assess your suitability for teaching roles.
To introduce your details to schools and educational institutions for consideration.
To arrange interviews, provide feedback, and facilitate communication between you and schools.
B. Compliance and Legal Obligations
To verify your identity, qualifications, references, and right to work in the relevant jurisdiction.
To assist with visa, work permit, and immigration processes where required.
To comply with legal, regulatory, and record-keeping obligations under UK and UAE laws.
C. Contractual Necessity and Legitimate Interests
To manage our business relationship with schools and candidates.
To invoice schools and maintain accurate client records.
To protect the integrity of our services and prevent misuse, fraud, or circumvention.
D. Consent-Based Processing Certain categories of data (e.g., criminal record checks, medical records, or cross-border transfers to schools outside the UK/EU) will only be processed with your explicit consent. You may withdraw this consent at any time by contacting us.
E. Communication
To contact you about opportunities, updates, or changes to our services.
To respond to your queries and provide customer support.
F. Website Functionality
To operate and maintain our website securely.
To analyse basic site usage through standard Google Sites cookies.
G. Follow-Up and Future Opportunities
With explicit consent, TeacherScout may retain and use certain personal data for the purpose of future recruitment opportunities and ongoing business relationships beyond the standard retention period stated in clause 8.
This includes:
For Candidates (Teachers and Education Professionals): Retaining limited professional and contact details (e.g., name, email, phone number, CV, and role preferences) to notify you of suitable teaching opportunities that may arise in the future.
For Clients/Schools: Retaining limited representative and contact information to inform you of available candidates, recruitment services, or to support your future staffing requirements. The sensitive or compliance-related data (such as visa, medical, or criminal record information) will not be retained for follow-up purposes and will be securely deleted or anonymised as per clause.
8. Data retained for follow-up will only be kept for the consented period defined in our Retention Policy and may be erased sooner if consent is withdrawn.
5. LEGAL BASIS FOR PROCESSING
We process personal data only where permitted under applicable data protection laws, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL). Our lawful bases for processing may include one or more of the following:
A. Contractual Necessity Processing
necessary to perform our obligations under agreements with candidates or schools, including assessing applications, arranging interviews, facilitating offers, and managing placements.
B. Legal Obligation Processing
necessary to comply with applicable legal or regulatory requirements, including employment, immigration, education licensing, accounting, and tax obligations in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
C. Legitimate Interests Processing
is necessary for our legitimate business purposes, provided these are not overridden by your fundamental rights and freedoms.
These purposes include delivering recruitment services, maintaining business records, service improvement, and fraud prevention.
D. Consent Certain activities require your explicit consent, including:
Conducting criminal record checks and limited medical assessments where required for visa/employment compliance.
Transferring personal data cross-border to schools or authorities outside the UK/EU.
Retaining personal data beyond the statutory retention period where permitted.
Retaining and using candidate and client contact details beyond the applicable retention period for future follow-up, including informing candidates of new teaching opportunities and informing schools of available candidates or recruitment services.
You may withdraw consent at any time by contacting us (see Clause 15 for Contact Information). This will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before consent was withdrawn.
E. Vital Interests In rare circumstances
We may process personal data to protect your vital interests or those of another individual, for example, in medical or emergency situations.
6. DATA SHARING AND DISCLOSURE
A. Schools and Educational Institutions
We share candidate personal data (e.g., CVs, qualifications, references, and supporting documents) with schools and educational institutions for the purpose of evaluating suitability for teaching roles. Data is shared only with schools that have confirmed interest in a candidate and only with the candidate’s prior consent.
B. Government and Regulatory Authorities
Where required by law or for visa, work permit, or immigration processes, we may disclose candidate information to relevant government bodies and regulators in the United Arab Emirates or other jurisdictions where the candidate is placed.
C. Third-Party Service Providers
We use trusted third-party service providers to support our operations, including:
Technology providers (e.g., Google Workspace/Drive, CRM and accounting tools).
Background screening companies (for criminal checks or credential verification).
All third-party providers are engaged under data processing agreements requiring them to process data only on our instructions and with appropriate technical and organisational safeguards.
D. Other Disclosures
We do not sell, rent, or trade personal data to third parties. Personal data will only be disclosed beyond the above circumstances where required by law, in connection with legal proceedings, or with the candidate’s explicit consent.
E. Confidentiality Obligations All recipients of personal data, whether schools, service providers, or authorities, are bound by contractual, statutory, or professional duties to maintain confidentiality and to use the data only for the intended purpose.
7. INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
A. Transfers Outside the UK and EU
As TeacherScout operates between the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, personal data collected in the UK/EU may be transferred to and processed in countries outside the UK/EU, including the UAE and other GCC jurisdictions, for the purpose of candidate placement.
B. Adequacy and Safeguards
Where personal data is transferred from the UK/EU to a country that is not recognised as providing adequate protection by the UK Government or the European Commission, TeacherScout shall ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:
execution of the UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) or the Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs), as applicable;
implementation of technical and organisational security measures consistent with UK GDPR and UAE PDPL requirements.
C. Transfers Based on Consent
In certain cases, TeacherScout may rely on the candidate’s explicit, informed consent as the lawful basis for cross-border transfers, particularly where the transfer is necessary for submitting applications to schools in the UAE or for compliance with local immigration, labour, or education authorities.
D. UAE Data Protection Compliance
Transfers to or from the UAE shall comply with the UAE Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021 on the Protection of Personal Data (PDPL), including its restrictions on transferring data outside the UAE where adequate safeguards are not ensured.
E. Transparency
Candidates shall be informed when their personal data is transferred internationally, unless disclosure is restricted by law or regulatory requirement.
8. DATA RETENTION
A. Candidate Data
TeacherScout will retain personal data of candidates for a period of two (2) years following the last contact, after which the data will be securely deleted or anonymised, unless longer retention is required by applicable law or regulatory obligation.
B. Client/School Data
Personal data of schools and client representatives will be retained for five (5) years for the purposes of tax, accounting, and legal record-keeping, unless a longer retention period is required by law. C. Deletion and Anonymisation At the end of the applicable retention period, TeacherScout will either:
permanently delete the data; or
anonymise it so it can no longer identify an individual.
D. Exceptions Retention periods may be extended where:
TeacherScout is under a legal or regulatory obligation to retain data;
retention is necessary for the establishment, exercise, or defence of legal claims; or
the individual has provided explicit consent to extended retention.
E. Review
Retention practices shall be reviewed annually or as the law changes, to ensure ongoing compliance with the UK GDPR and the UAE PDPL.
9. CANDIDATE RIGHTS
A. General Rights
Candidates whose personal data is processed by TeacherScout have the following rights, subject to applicable law and lawful limitations:
Right of Access – to obtain confirmation of whether their data is being processed, and to request a copy of their personal data.
Right to Rectification – to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”) – to request deletion of personal data where it is no longer necessary, consent has been withdrawn, or processing is unlawful.
Right to Restrict Processing – to request suspension of processing under certain circumstances (e.g., contesting accuracy, pending objection).
Right to Data Portability – to receive their personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format and request transfer to another data controller.
Right to Object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
Right to Withdraw Consent – where processing is based on consent (e.g., criminal record checks, medical records, or cross-border transfers), candidates may withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
Right to Non-Discrimination – to not be subjected to unfair or discriminatory treatment for exercising any data protection rights.
B. UAE-Specific Rights
In addition to the rights above, under the UAE PDPL candidates also have the right to:
Right to Complain – to lodge a complaint with the UAE Data Office if they believe their data has been misused; and
Right to Restrict Automated Processing – to request that decisions based solely on automated processing, which significantly affect them, are not applied without human intervention.
C. Exercising Rights
Requests to exercise any of these rights may be submitted to TeacherScout at admin@teacherscout.co.uk. TeacherScout will respond in accordance with statutory timelines under the UK GDPR (usually within one month) and the UAE PDPL (usually within thirty (30) days).
10. COOKIES AND TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES
A. Use of Cookies
TeacherScout’s website uses standard cookies provided by Google Sites. These are small text files placed on your device to enable the website to function properly, improve performance, and enhance user experience.
B. Types of Cookies Used
Essential Cookies – required for the website to operate securely and efficiently.
Performance/Analytics Cookies – limited to Google’s standard tools, which provide basic aggregated information about site usage.
No Third-Party Tracking – TeacherScout does not use additional third-party marketing or behavioural tracking tools beyond those automatically enabled by Google Sites.
C. Managing Cookies
Users can control and manage cookies through their browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies; however, doing so may affect the functionality of the website.
D. Consent Where Required
Where required by applicable law, TeacherScout will seek user consent for non-essential cookies. In the UAE, standard operational cookies are generally permitted without express consent, provided users are informed.
11. DATA SECURITY
A. Technical and Organisational Measures
TeacherScout implements appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction, in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
B. Security Practices
Security measures include, but are not limited to:
Secure storage of personal data on cloud platforms with robust compliance standards.
Password protection and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Role-based access controls to ensure only authorised personnel can access data.
Encryption of data both at rest and in transit.
Least-privilege access principles to minimise data exposure.
C. Third-Party Providers
Where TeacherScout engages third-party service providers (e.g., Google Workspace, CRM tools, or background check providers), equivalent security and confidentiality obligations are imposed through contractual terms.
D. No Absolute Guarantee
While TeacherScout takes all reasonable steps to safeguard data, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. Accordingly, absolute security cannot be guaranteed.
12. CHILDREN’S DATA
A. No Services for Children
TeacherScout’s services are not directed at or intended for individuals under the age of 18. TeacherScout does not knowingly collect or process personal data relating to children below this age.
B. Safeguards for Trainee Teachers
In cases where trainee teachers or candidates under the age of 18 may provide information, TeacherScout will only process such data where it is strictly necessary, with appropriate safeguards in place, and in compliance with applicable data protection laws.
C. Parental or Guardian Consent
If it becomes necessary to process personal data relating to a candidate under 18, TeacherScout will seek verifiable parental or guardian consent prior to processing and will limit processing to the minimum required for the stated purpose.
13. THIRD-PARTY LINKS
A. External Websites
TeacherScout’s website may contain links to external websites, including schools, job boards, and social media platforms.
B. Independent Privacy Policies
TeacherScout is not responsible for the content or privacy practices of these third-party websites. Candidates and users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of any external site they visit.
C. No Data Sharing by Default
Links to third-party websites do not imply any sharing of personal data with such third parties, unless a candidate or user voluntarily provides information directly to them.
14. CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
A. Right to Update
TeacherScout reserves the right to update or amend this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in legal, regulatory, or business requirements.
B. Notification of Changes
Where material changes are made, TeacherScout will notify candidates and users by posting the updated Privacy Policy on the website with the “Last Updated” date clearly indicated.
C. Effective Date Changes
Changes to the Privacy Policy are effective immediately upon posting unless otherwise stated. Continued use of TeacherScout’s services after such changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
D. Review Frequency
TeacherScout reviews this Privacy Policy at least annually, or sooner if laws change, to ensure ongoing compliance with UK GDPR, UAE PDPL, and other applicable regulations.
15. CONTACT US
A. Data Protection Queries:
Candidates, schools, and website users may contact TeacherScout regarding their personal data, privacy rights, or any concerns relating to this Privacy Policy.
B. Contact Details:
All queries should be directed to: Email: admin@teacherscout.co.uk
Postal Address: 71–75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ, United Kingdom Contact Number: +971 564 737 007
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse