Privacy Policy

Who we are

PrivateSchools.cy provides a directory, comparison tooling, and managed services that help families evaluate private education options across Cyprus.

Information we collect

We only collect the data needed to run our services. This includes details you submit directly, records created when you use the site, and limited information from verified partner schools.

• Contact, authentication, and profile information you provide when registering an account or claiming a school.
• Enquiry messages, contact forms, and support tickets you send us while researching schools or requesting assistance.
• Usage analytics captured in aggregate to maintain performance, improve content, and detect fraudulent activity.
• School data provided by administrators or verified managers, including staff contact information needed to administer listings.

Sources of data

Most personal data comes directly from you. We may supplement it with details shared by a school you manage, public records released by the Ministry of Education, or information supplied under a contract with our service partners. Information we publish about unverified schools is compiled from publicly available government or regulatory sources and may not be independently verified by PrivateSchools.cy.

How we use information

We use personal data to deliver and secure the service, respond to enquiries, and meet regulatory obligations. We never sell personal information.

• Provide account features such as saved schools, comparison notes, and manager dashboards.
• Respond to enquiries, process claims to manage a school listing, and coordinate support requests.
• Send transactional emails (password resets, verification, status updates) and deliver optional updates when you explicitly opt in.
• Protect the platform by auditing logs, preventing abuse, and complying with legal requests from Cypriot or EU authorities.

Legal bases for processing

We only process personal information when permitted under EU and Cyprus data protection laws. Depending on the activity, we rely on one of the following legal bases:

• Consent when you create an account, subscribe to optional communications, or accept cookies beyond the essentials.
• Contractual necessity to provide requested services, including directory listings, school management features, and customer support.
• Legitimate interests such as improving the platform, preventing fraud, and securing systems. We balance these interests against your rights.
• Compliance with legal obligations, for example fulfilling accounting rules, responding to lawful requests, or meeting safeguarding requirements.

How we share information

We only share personal data with third parties when necessary. Whenever we do, we impose contractual obligations that mirror this policy.

• Service providers that host infrastructure, send transactional messages, store backups, or provide security monitoring.
• Verified school administrators and managers who have been authorised to manage or respond to enquiries for their listing.
• Professional advisors (legal, accounting, compliance) and regulators where disclosure is required to meet legal duties.
• Successors in the event of a corporate restructuring, merger, or acquisition, provided safeguards remain in place.

International data transfers

We primarily host data inside the European Union. If we transfer personal data outside the EEA, we use safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses or an adequacy decision recognised by the European Commission.

Your rights and choices

You may exercise your rights at any time by emailing [email protected]. We respond to all requests in line with the Cyprus Commissioner for Personal Data Protection guidance.

• Access your personal data or receive a copy in a portable format.
• Request corrections to inaccurate details or supplement incomplete records.
• Ask us to delete data when it is no longer needed or when consent is withdrawn.
• Restrict or object to certain processing activities, including direct marketing.

Cookies and similar technologies

We use essential cookies to keep you signed in and remember language preferences. Optional analytics cookies and tracking pixels are only activated when you provide consent. Full details are available in our Cookie Policy.

Security measures

We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal data against loss, misuse, and unauthorised access.

• Encrypted TLS connections for all public pages and API endpoints.
• Role-based access controls, two-factor authentication for administrators, and periodic access reviews.
• Regular vulnerability assessments, dependency patching, and secure development practices.
• Resilient backups stored with encryption at rest and strict access logging.

Retention

We keep personal data only for as long as needed to provide the services requested, meet legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. When retention periods expire, we securely delete or anonymise the records.

Children’s privacy

Our services are intended for parents, guardians, and school staff. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe a child has provided data, contact us so we can remove it.

Contacting us

For privacy questions or to exercise your rights, email [email protected].

Updates to this policy

We may update this policy to reflect legal or operational changes. If updates are significant we will notify registered users via email and update the effective date below.