Aspire to HE Privacy Notice

What is Aspire to HE? 

Aspire to HE is a nationally funded project that is based at the University of Wolverhampton. We work with lots of schools and colleges to help young people across the Black Country, Telford and Wrekin make informed and ambitious decisions about higher education and their future. 

Your Privacy 

We are committed to protecting your information. This notice explains how Aspire to HE (the Data Controller) collects and processes your personal information in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). 

How we collect your data 

Your data is collected in the following ways: 

- Provided directly by you (e.g. through sign-up forms, online portals or surveys) 
- Supplied by your school or college through our outreach partnership agreements 
- Supplied to us via third-party agencies for progression tracking (e.g. UCAS, OfS, HESA) 

What information do we collect and why?

We collect the following personal data to deliver, evaluate and report on the Aspire to HE programme. Each data type is processed under a specific lawful basis in accordance with UK GDPR: 

- Full name – Public Task (Article 6(1)(e)) 
- Name of School or College – Public Task 
- Date of birth – Public Task 
- Gender – Public Task 
- Home postcode (used only for statistical analysis) – Public Task 
- Free School Meals eligibility – Public Task (for equality monitoring and targeting) 
- Ethnicity – Public Task + Substantial Public Interest 

Why do we collect your data? 

We collect your data to assess the impact of the project, support equality of opportunity, monitor participation in higher education, and fulfil our public task obligations as set out by the Office for Students. This data enables us to report on the effectiveness of outreach activities and ensure fair access to higher education. 

How do we use your data? 

We use your data to: 

- Identify participation in Aspire to HE activities 
- Measure outcomes and progression into education 
- Produce anonymised statistics and reports for our funders 
- Evaluate equality of opportunity 
- Track your journey through education using verified national sources (e.g. UCAS, HESA) 

Who we share your data with 

Your personal data is stored in the secure HEAT (Higher Education Access Tracker) database. We may share relevant data with: 

- Our evaluation partner (e.g. activity participation) – Public Task 
- UCAS, OfS, HESA for progression tracking – Public Task 
- Internal departments within the University of Wolverhampton (e.g. Data Protection Office, IT Services) – Public Task 
- HEAT administrators and approved processors – Public Task 
All third parties are contractually required to handle your data securely and in compliance with data protection legislation. All data sharing takes place within the UK/EEA.

Consent and optional uses of data 

In some cases, we may ask for your consent to process your data for a different purpose, such as participation in interviews or using quotes in case studies. Where data is used for additional research, your explicit consent will be sought. 

After the retention period, we may anonymise your data and use it for long-term research into the effectiveness of the Aspire to HE programme. If the data is not fully anonymised and could potentially identify you, we will seek your consent before using it for this purpose. 

How long we keep your data 

We will keep your personal data for:
 
- 15 years after you enter higher education (if you participate in Aspire to HE activities) 
- 7 years from first contact (if you do not take part in any activity) 
This allows us to monitor the long-term impact of our outreach efforts and report on participant progression. After this period, data may be anonymised and used for research, provided you cannot be identified. 

Your rights 

You have the following rights under UK data protection law: 

- Right to access the personal data we hold about you 
- Right to correct any inaccuracies in your data 
- Right to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances 
- Right to restrict or object to processing in certain cases 
- Right to withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent) 

To exercise any of these rights, please contact: dataprotection@wlv.ac.uk 

Reviewing this Privacy Notice 

We review this privacy notice at least annually to ensure accuracy and compliance. This version was last updated on 16 July 2024.
 
Contact us:
Gemma Kay 
Director, Aspire to HE 
University of Wolverhampton 
The Gateway at The George, MG207 
Stafford Street, Wolverhampton, WV1 1LY
Phone: 07890 093 522 

How to complain 

If you are unhappy with how your data has been handled, please contact our Data Protection Officer in the first instance: 
Email: dataprotection@wlv.ac.uk 

If you remain dissatisfied, you may contact:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF
Helpline: 0303 123 1113