Cookie & Storage Technology Policy

Effective Date: 17 September 2026  ·  Last Updated: 17 September 2026

This policy explains how Prestbury Girls Academy uses technologies that store information on, or access information from, your browser or device.

It applies alongside our Privacy & Data Protection Notice and covers cookies, localStorage, sessionStorage, authentication/session technologies, device identifiers and similar storage/access technologies used across our Academy digital services.

1. What Are Storage and Access Technologies?

Websites and applications can store or access information on your device in several ways. These include:

  • Cookies – small pieces of data stored by a browser
  • localStorage – browser storage that can remain between visits until removed or expired
  • sessionStorage – browser storage normally limited to the current browser session
  • Authentication and session tokens used to keep a service secure
  • Device or workflow identifiers used for specific service functions
  • Embedded third-party technologies where content or services are deliberately loaded

2. Why We Use These Technologies

2.1 Strictly Necessary

Required for the service

Used where necessary to provide, secure or operate a service.

  • Authentication and keeping authorised users signed in
  • Security, access control and fraud/misuse prevention
  • Secure invitation, token and workflow continuity
  • Payment/session continuity
  • POS and operational session state
  • Remembering information required to provide a feature specifically requested by the user

2.2 Functional and Preference Storage

Used to remember choices or make repeated use of the service easier.

  • Selected player, team, season or dashboard context
  • Interface, filter and display preferences
  • Walkthrough or guidance completion state
  • Dismissed notices and other non-sensitive user-interface choices

2.3 Draft and Recovery Storage

Some forms may temporarily save work in the browser so information is not lost if a page is refreshed or interrupted.

  • Player-review drafts
  • PDP or development-form drafts
  • Unsent message drafts
  • Other form recovery state where a feature explicitly supports it

Because browser storage remains on the device, users should avoid completing confidential Academy work on shared or public devices.

2.4 Analytics, Embedded Content and Other Non-Essential Uses

Where we introduce analytics, embedded media, advertising or other non-essential storage/access technologies, we will identify whether consent or another statutory exception is required before enabling them.

We do not describe a technology as "necessary" merely because it is convenient or useful to us.

3. Consent and Exceptions

UK rules do not require consent for every storage/access technology. Some uses are permitted where a statutory exception applies, including certain technologies that are strictly necessary to provide a service requested by the user.

Where a use is not exempt and consent is required, it should not be activated before valid consent has been obtained.

Where we deploy optional analytics, marketing, social-media tracking or other non-essential technologies that require consent, users will be given an appropriate choice and a simple way to change that choice.

4. Third-Party Services

Some functions may involve third-party services. Depending on how a feature is used, those services may store or access information on your device. Examples may include:

  • Payment providers such as PayPal
  • Video or media services such as YouTube or Veo where content is deliberately loaded
  • Social-media services such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok when embedded or linked functions are used
  • Fundraising services such as RallyUp
  • Mapping, communications or other operational service providers where enabled

Third parties may also process information under their own privacy and storage policies. We aim to avoid loading non-essential third-party tracking merely because a page is viewed.

5. What We Do Not Do

  • We do not invent or publish a fixed list of cookie names unless we have verified that those technologies are actually in use
  • We do not treat continued browsing as valid consent where consent is legally required
  • We do not intentionally use children’s information for behavioural advertising
  • We do not use browser storage as a substitute for appropriate access controls on confidential medical or welfare records

6. Managing Browser Storage

You can usually view, delete or block cookies and website storage through your browser or device settings. Removing necessary session or authentication information may sign you out or stop a requested feature from working correctly.

If the Academy provides an in-site preference control for a particular non-essential technology, that control should be used in addition to any browser-level choices.

7. Security and Shared Devices

Some Academy tools store limited drafts or preferences locally in the browser. Where a draft may contain personal or confidential information:

  • Use a private, trusted device wherever possible
  • Do not leave an authenticated Academy session open on a shared computer
  • Sign out when finished
  • Use the relevant clear/delete option where available if you have used a shared device
  • Contact the Academy if you believe confidential information has been left accessible on a device

8. Policy Updates

We may update this policy when our technology changes or when legal guidance changes. We will update the date shown above and communicate material changes where appropriate.

9. Contact

Questions about cookies, browser storage or related privacy matters can be sent to:

Prestbury Girls Academy

Email: ian@prestburyacademy.co.uk