PRIVACY AND DATA TRANSPARENCY NOTICE
Last Updated: March 2026
Who We Are
Consensus is a student-led educational initiative dedicated to fostering informed discourse, debate, and the art of structured disagreement. We provide workshops, educational resources, an essay competition, and a newsletter discussing debate, reasoning, and freedom of expression.
For the purposes of UK data protection law, Consensus acts as the Data Controller for any personal information you share with us through our website, workshop registrations, essay competitions, or newsletter sign-ups.
The Information We Collect
We collect only the minimum personal data necessary to provide our educational activities and operate our website.
Information We Collect Directly From You
Information that you directly submit to us through our website, competitions, workshops, or newsletter may include:
Contact information including your name, email address, and any information you provide when contacting us or subscribing to our newsletter.
Academic information including your school name, year group or age range, and general location (for example city or region) when registering for workshops or entering competitions.
Competition submissions including the essay document you submit, the title of your submission, and file metadata associated with the uploaded file.
Communications information including information you choose to include when contacting us through forms or email.
Media information including photographs or video recordings from workshops or events where appropriate consent has been obtained.How We Use Your Data
We use personal information only for clearly defined purposes related to our educational activities.
How We Use Your Data
We use personal information only for clearly defined purposes related to our educational activities.
Managing Essay Competitions, including tracking entries, communicating outcomes, and administering judging processes.
Authorship Verification, where we may contact entrants to discuss aspects of their research or writing process where clarification is needed. This helps us confirm the authenticity of submissions and maintain the integrity of the competition.
Delivering Workshops, including managing attendance, communicating logistical details, and tailoring sessions to the age and experience level of participants.
Providing Resources and Updates, including sending newsletter updates, blog posts, educational resources, and information about workshops or competitions if you choose to join our mailing list. You may unsubscribe at any time using the link included in our emails.
Legal Basis for Processing
Under UK data protection law (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018), we process personal data under the following lawful bases:
Consent, including for newsletter subscriptions and media recordings where permission is required.
Legitimate Interests, including administering essay competitions, responding to enquiries, operating and improving the website, and managing workshop participation.
Contract, where personal information is necessary to provide workshops or other services requested by a school or participant.
Children’s Data
Many of our activities involve students under the age of 18. We collect only the limited information necessary to administer these activities.
For participants under 13 years of age, we require parental or guardian consent. For participants aged 13–17, we aim to provide clear and accessible information about how their data is used, consistent with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Children’s Code.
How We Store and Protect Your Data
Security, including restricting access to personal data to Consensus team members who require it to administer our programmes. We use reputable digital platforms and security practices to protect stored information.
Third-Party Service Providers, including trusted providers who process data on our behalf in order to operate our website and communications systems. Examples may include Squarespace (website hosting and site infrastructure) and email distribution platforms used for newsletters. These providers process data only as necessary to deliver their services.
International Transfers, where some service providers may store or process data outside the United Kingdom. Where this occurs, appropriate safeguards are used to ensure personal data remains protected in accordance with UK data protection law.
Data Retention, where we retain personal data only for as long as necessary for the purposes outlined above. Typical retention periods include essay competition data retained for up to two years after a competition concludes, workshop registration data retained for limited administrative records, and newsletter subscriber data retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
Your Rights
Under UK data protection law, you have several rights regarding your personal data.
These include the right to:
Request access to the personal data we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Request deletion of your personal data where appropriate
Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
Object to or restrict certain types of processing
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details below.
Cookies
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to ensure the site operates effectively and to understand how visitors use our pages. This helps us improve website performance and usability.
You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings.
Complaints
If you believe your personal data has been handled improperly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Information about making a complaint can be found at:
Contact Us
Should you have any questions about our privacy practices or this Privacy Policy, or if you would like to exercise any of the rights available to you, please email us at support@consensus-uk.com.
For the purpose of applicable data protection laws and if not explicitly stated otherwise, we are the data controller of your personal information.