Privacy notice

1. Who we are

GDW Care is part of GDW Academy Limited ("we", "us"). We are the data controller for the personal data described in this notice.

You can contact us about anything in this notice by emailing team@gdwacademy.com or messaging us on WhatsApp on 07300 303 044.

2. What we collect

When you apply for a qualification, we collect:

• your name, email address and telephone number;
• your current job title, employer or care organisation;
• your workplace postcode, weekly working hours and length of experience;
• your preferred course and intake;
• anything you choose to tell us in the free-text message field;
• the date and time you submitted your application and your consent.

We do not use the application form to collect special category data (for example health information). If you choose to tell us about an access requirement, we use that only to support you.

We also collect limited technical information through cookies — see section 8.

3. Why we use it, and our lawful basis

• To respond to your application or enquiry and arrange your enrolment — this is necessary to take steps at your request before entering a contract, and to perform that contract with you.
• To contact you about your application — by email, telephone or WhatsApp, using the details you gave us, on the same lawful basis.
• To keep records of admissions and learner progress — to meet our legal, regulatory and awarding body obligations.
• To improve our website and services — only where you have accepted analytics cookies. You can change your choice at any time.

We will only send you marketing messages if you have asked us to, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

4. Who we share it with

We share personal data only where necessary, and only with:

• our tutors, assessors and internal admissions team;
• the awarding body that certifies your qualification;
• regulators and inspectors, where the law or our obligations require it;
• service providers who host our website, store records and send email, under contracts that require them to keep your data secure.

We never sell your personal data.

5. How long we keep it

• Applications that don't go ahead: up to 12 months after our last contact, then deleted.
• Learner records: for the duration of your course and for as long as the awarding body and our regulators require afterwards — normally six years from completion.
• General enquiries: up to 12 months after the enquiry is closed.

6. Your rights

Under UK GDPR you have the right to:

• ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
• have inaccurate data corrected;
• ask us to delete data where we no longer need it;
• ask us to restrict or object to how we use your data;
• receive your data in a portable format;
• withdraw consent at any time, where we rely on consent.

To exercise any of these rights, email team@gdwacademy.com. We will respond within one month. If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

7. Keeping your data secure

Applications are transmitted over an encrypted connection and stored in a restricted system that only our admissions team can access. We limit the information we ask for to what we actually need, and we review access regularly.

8. Cookies

We use essential cookies to keep the site working. With your permission we also use analytics cookies to understand which pages are useful. We ask for that permission in a banner when you first visit, and you can change your choice at any time using the "Cookie settings" link in the footer of every page.

Declining analytics cookies does not affect your ability to use the site or apply for a course.

9. Changes to this notice

If we change how we handle personal data we will update this page. This notice was last updated in November 2026.