Privacy Policy

Last updated: June 2026

We collect only what we need to run the platform. We store it securely in the UK and EU. We never sell it or use it for advertising. You can request deletion at any time and we'll act within 30 days.

Who We Are

Python Coach is an educational platform providing Python programming instruction for secondary school students. The data controller for this service is Python Coach. You can contact us at [email protected]. Python Coach is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office; registration is currently in progress.

What We Collect

Students — When you create an account, we collect your display name, email address, and learning progress including challenge completion, code submissions, and attempt metrics. If you use Python Coach without an account, everything stays in your browser and we collect nothing.

Teachers — When you register, we collect your name, email address, and school name. If you purchase a subscription, we also collect a billing email address and process payment details securely through our payment provider.

Session activity — When you are logged in, we record the time of your login and periodically note that your session is active. This allows teachers to see which of their students are currently using the platform, and allows platform administrators to monitor overall platform activity. Session activity data is not linked to the specific content you are viewing.

Outreach contacts — We maintain a list of schools and contact email addresses, sourced from publicly available information, for the purpose of introducing Python Coach to Heads of Computing. The legal basis for this processing is legitimate interest. Every outreach email includes an unsubscribe link and we honour all opt-out requests immediately.

Feedback — When you submit feedback through the in-app tool, we collect your message and a technical snapshot of your application state at the time. This is used only to investigate and resolve the issue you've reported.

How We Use Your Data

We use your data to run the platform — to authenticate you, sync your progress, allow teachers to monitor their students, process payments, send account and subscription emails, and investigate feedback. We do not sell, share, or use your data for advertising.

Teachers may receive occasional emails about their trial or subscription. These are not marketing emails, but teachers can unsubscribe from non-essential communications at any time.

Third-Party Services

To operate Python Coach, we use a small number of carefully selected third-party services. These providers process your data only to the extent necessary to deliver their part of the service, and each is bound by its own data protection commitments. Your data is stored and processed within the UK and EU wherever possible. We use third-party services for secure data storage and authentication, website delivery, email communications, payment processing, and optional third-party sign-in via Google or Microsoft.

Who Can See Your Data

Teachers can see the progress of students enrolled in their own classrooms — not students in other classrooms. Students cannot see other students' data. Platform administrators can access aggregated usage data for the purpose of platform support and improvement. Administrators do not access individual student code submissions except where necessary to investigate a reported technical issue.

Teachers can also see which of their enrolled students are currently active on the platform. This is limited to a live presence indicator and does not reveal what a student is working on.

Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Correct inaccurate data
• Delete your account and all associated data
• Export your data in a portable format
• Object to processing based on legitimate interest, including outreach emails
• Lodge a complaint with the ICO at ico.org.uk if you believe your data has been mishandled

Data Retention

We keep your data for as long as your account is active. Inactive accounts are reviewed annually. Session activity records are retained for 90 days and then automatically deleted. If you request deletion, all personal data is removed within 30 days.

Billing records are retained for 7 years in line with UK financial record-keeping requirements. Outreach contact records are retained until an opt-out is received or the contact is no longer relevant.

Children's Privacy

Python Coach is designed for students aged 14 and over, in line with the GCSE age range. If a student is under 14, parental or guardian consent should be obtained before creating an account. Schools acting as data controllers may create accounts on behalf of students under their existing educational data processing agreements.