Who we are
The English Examiner is the controller of the personal information described in this policy.
Privacy enquiries: hello@theenglishexaminer.com
Information we collect
Depending on the service, we may collect:
- your name, email address, company name and enquiry or booking details;
- the candidate's name or chosen identifier and the service purchased;
- writing submitted for assessment, task questions and related instructions;
- speaking performance, examiner notes and observations made during a live session;
- scores, assessment evidence, corrections, recommendations and finished reports;
- for a speaking candidate aged 16 or 17, the parent or guardian's name, email address and record of consent;
- order, payment and refund information supplied by Stripe. We do not receive or store your full card details;
- emails, complaints, support requests and other correspondence; and
- limited technical information needed to operate and secure the website and connected services.
We do not normally ask for a date of birth, identity document or sensitive personal information. Please avoid including health information, passport numbers or other unnecessary private details in writing samples or messages.
How and why we use it
We do not currently send marketing messages unless someone has actively chosen to receive them.
HUMAN ASSESSMENT, AI-ASSISTED FORMATTING
AI does not examine, score or decide.
Every assessment decision is made by a human. A human examiner reads or listens to the candidate's performance, applies the relevant criteria, selects the assessment evidence, decides any estimated score or level, writes the findings and approves the final report.
ChatGPT/OpenAI may be used as an administrative tool to organise examiner-written notes, improve the clarity and layout of text, and help turn the examiner's completed assessment content into the final report format. This may involve entering parts of candidate writing, speaking notes, assessment findings or a draft report into the service.
Identifying details are minimised or removed wherever practical. AI output is not accepted as an assessment decision: the final report is checked and approved by the human examiner. We do not use solely automated decision-making or profiling to assess candidates.
Services we use and information we share
We use trusted providers only where needed to run the service:
- Stripe for payment processing, receipts and refunds;
- Tally for order, submission and consent forms;
- Google Workspace for email, file storage, documents and live Google Meet sessions;
- OpenAI/ChatGPT for report organisation, formatting and related administrative assistance as described above; and
- ChatGPT Sites for website hosting and operation.
These providers process information under their own security and data-protection terms. Some may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where UK personal information is transferred internationally, we rely on an applicable adequacy decision or contractual and organisational safeguards provided by the relevant service.
For an employer-commissioned assessment, the finished report and agreed findings are shared with the commissioning organisation. Candidates should ask that organisation how it will use and retain its copy. We may also disclose information when required by law or needed to establish, exercise or defend legal claims. We do not sell personal information.
How long we keep information
Information may be kept longer where required by law, to protect legal rights or where deletion is temporarily prevented by secure backup cycles.
Young candidates
An adult may purchase writing feedback for a candidate under 18. The purchaser must be 18 or over and have authority to submit the candidate's work and information.
Live speaking services are available from age 16. A candidate aged 16 or 17 must have a parent or legal guardian provide their name, email address and consent before the session. Speaking sessions are not recorded. We do not currently offer live speaking sessions to candidates under 16.
We collect only the information needed to provide the service and do not normally request proof of age or identity. If we learn that information was provided without the required authority or consent, we may pause the service and delete it where appropriate.
Security
We use proportionate technical and organisational safeguards, including protected business accounts, two-step verification, restricted access and reputable service providers. No online system is completely risk-free, but we minimise the information collected and limit access to what is needed to provide the service.
Your data-protection rights
Depending on the circumstances, you may have the right to ask for access to your personal information, correction, deletion, restriction, objection or transfer to another provider. You can withdraw consent at any time where consent is the basis for processing. These rights are not absolute, and legal record-keeping duties may require us to retain some information.
Email hello@theenglishexaminer.com to make a request. We may ask for enough information to confirm your identity and will normally respond within one month.
If you are unhappy with how your information is handled, please contact us first. You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office through its data-protection complaints service.
Cookies, external services and changes
This website does not currently use advertising or marketing cookies. The hosting platform may use strictly necessary technology to operate, secure or remember essential website functions. When you follow a link to Stripe, Tally, Google Meet or another external service, that provider's own cookie and privacy information applies.
If analytics, advertising tools or materially different processing are introduced, this policy and any cookie choices will be updated before they are used. We may also update this policy when the service or legal requirements change; the date at the top shows the latest version.
Questions can be sent to hello@theenglishexaminer.com. You can also read our Terms of service and Cancellations and refunds policy.