Privacy Policy
How The PFCA collects, uses and protects your personal data.
Privacy at a glance
- We collect the information we need to handle your enquiry, enrol you, deliver your course and certify you.
- We never sell your personal data. We only share it where necessary, for example with awarding organisations.
- We keep your data only for as long as we need it, then securely delete or anonymise it.
- You have rights over your data, including the right to access, correct or delete it. Just email [email protected].
1. Who We Are
The PFCA offers a range of online and blended courses to students within the UK, Ireland and overseas. We are committed to protecting your personal data and being open about how we use it.
This policy explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, who we share it with, how long we keep it and the rights you have. It applies to everyone whose personal data we handle, including website visitors, enquirers, learners, seminar and event attendees, community members and customers.
For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, the data controller is Professional Fitness Coaches Limited, trading as The PFCA.
| Company | Professional Fitness Coaches Limited |
| Company number | 12338058 |
| Registered office | 5 Imperial Court, Laporte Way, Luton, LU4 8FE |
| ICO registration number | ZC257153 |
| [email protected] |
2. The Information We Collect
Personal data we may collect about you
Identity and contact details: name, email address, telephone number, postal address and date of birth.
Enrolment and eligibility information: course selected, prior qualifications, proof of identity and any information needed to register you with an awarding organisation.
Learning and assessment records: attendance, coursework, assessment evidence, feedback, results and certification details.
Payment information: records of purchases, invoices and payment plans. Card payments are handled by our payment providers and we do not store full card details.
Communications: emails, messages, enquiry forms, notes from sales and support calls, and recordings of live online sessions.
Technical and usage data: IP address, browser and device information, and how you use our website and learning platforms, collected through cookies and similar technologies.
Marketing preferences: whether you have agreed to receive marketing from us and how you prefer to be contacted.
Images, reviews and testimonials: photographs or video taken at seminars and events, and reviews or testimonials you choose to give us.
Special category data
Some information is more sensitive and is given extra protection by law. We may collect health information (for example, a health screening questionnaire before practical sessions) and information about a disability or learning need so that we can put reasonable adjustments in place. We may also ask for equality monitoring information, which is always optional.
We only collect this information where it is necessary, and we limit access to the staff who need it.
How we collect your information
- Directly from you, when you enquire, book a call, enrol, attend a session, contact us or use our website
- From our learning platforms and systems as you work through your course
- From your employer or a funding body, where they have booked or paid for your course
- From awarding organisations and professional bodies, for example when confirming results or registration
3. How We Use Your Information
We will only use your personal data where the law allows us to. The table below sets out the main purposes and the lawful basis we rely on for each.
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Responding to enquiries and booking calls | Legitimate interests (responding to people who contact us) or steps taken at your request before entering a contract |
| Enrolling you and delivering your course, seminar or event | Performance of a contract |
| Registering you with an awarding organisation and issuing certificates | Performance of a contract Legal obligation (regulatory requirements) |
| Keeping assessment and quality assurance records | Legal obligation Legitimate interests (maintaining the quality and integrity of our qualifications) |
| Taking payments and keeping financial records | Performance of a contract Legal obligation (tax and accounting) |
| Putting reasonable adjustments in place and health screening | Explicit consent, or substantial public interest where permitted by law |
| Handling complaints, appeals and safeguarding concerns | Legal obligation Legitimate interests |
| Sending you marketing about our courses and events | Consent, or legitimate interests for existing customers about similar courses (you can opt out at any time) |
| Using photos, videos, reviews and testimonials in our marketing | Consent |
| Improving our website and services and keeping them secure | Legitimate interests Consent for non-essential cookies |
We do not use your personal data to make decisions based solely on automated processing that have a legal or similarly significant effect on you.
4. Who We Share Your Information With
We never sell your personal data. We only share it where it is necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, and we require everyone we share it with to keep it secure.
We may share your information with
- Awarding organisations, such as Transcend Awards, to register you and issue your certificate
- Regulators and professional bodies, such as Ofqual and CIMSPA, where required for quality assurance or where you choose to register with them
- Service providers who help us run our business, including our learning, community and video platforms, email and customer management systems, payment providers, IT support and accountants
- Your employer or funding body, where they have booked or paid for your course, limited to what they need (for example attendance and completion)
- Authorities, such as the police or local safeguarding teams, where we are required by law or need to protect someone from harm
International transfers
Some of our service providers are based outside the UK, for example in the United States. Where your data is transferred outside the UK, we make sure it is protected by appropriate safeguards, such as UK adequacy regulations, the UK Extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework or the International Data Transfer Agreement approved by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
5. How Long We Keep Your Information
We keep personal data only for as long as we need it for the purpose it was collected, or as required by law or our awarding organisations. After this, it is securely deleted or anonymised.
| Type of information | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Enquiries and leads where you do not enrol | While you remain subscribed to our marketing, and for up to 24 months after you last interacted with us (for example, opening an email, booking a call or contacting us). If you unsubscribe, we keep only your email address on a do-not-contact list |
| Full learner records (enrolment details, payments and correspondence) | 6 years after your course ends, then securely deleted |
| Basic learner record (name, email address, courses completed, dates and certificate numbers) | For as long as needed to confirm qualifications and support returning learners. These records are reviewed regularly |
| Assessment evidence | In line with awarding organisation requirements |
| Financial and payment records | 6 years from the end of the financial year |
| Health and reasonable adjustment information | Until the end of your course, unless needed for a complaint or appeal |
| Complaints, appeals and malpractice records | 6 years after the case is closed |
| Marketing preferences | Until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent. After this, we keep your email address on a do-not-contact list so that we do not send you marketing again |
| Recordings of live sessions | For the duration of your course access |
6. Your Rights
Under data protection law you have the right to:
- Access – ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Rectification – ask us to correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete
- Erasure – ask us to delete your data where there is no good reason for us to keep it
- Restriction – ask us to limit how we use your data
- Objection – object to us using your data based on legitimate interests, and to direct marketing at any time
- Portability – ask for your data in a format you can transfer to another organisation
- Withdraw consent – where we rely on consent, you can withdraw it at any time
To exercise any of these rights, please email [email protected]. There is normally no charge, and we will respond within one month. Some rights are not absolute, for example we may need to keep certain records to meet our legal or awarding organisation obligations, and we will explain this if it applies.
7. Marketing and Cookies
Marketing
We will only send you marketing where you have agreed to it, or where you are an existing customer and the marketing is about similar courses or events. Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can opt out at any time by emailing [email protected].
Cookies
Our website uses cookies. Essential cookies are needed for the website and learning platforms to work. We only use analytics and advertising cookies with your consent, which you can give or withdraw through the cookie banner on our website or your browser settings.
8. Keeping Your Information Secure
We have appropriate technical and organisational measures in place to protect your personal data, including access controls, secure systems and staff training. Access is limited to those who need it to do their job. If a data breach occurs that is likely to put your rights at risk, we will notify you and the ICO where required by law.
9. Learners Under 18
Where a learner is under 18, we may communicate with, and share relevant information with, a parent or guardian. This is consistent with our Complaints and Procedural Appeals Policies.
10. Questions and Complaints
If you have any questions or concerns about how we handle your personal data, please contact us at [email protected] in the first instance and we will do our best to resolve them.
If you remain unhappy, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK regulator for data protection:
| Website | ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint |
| Address | Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF |
| Telephone | 0303 123 1113 |
11. Changes to This Policy
We review this policy at least once a year, or sooner if the law or the way we use personal data changes. This version was last updated in September 2026. The latest version is always available on this page.
