Terms & Conditions
1. Services
Lizzie McDowell ("the Tutor") provides educational services including one-to-one tutoring, curriculum consultation and homeschooling support. These services are delivered online via secure video conferencing platforms.
2. Booking and Payment
All sessions must be paid for in advance via the online booking system (Calendly/Stripe) to secure the time slot. Rates are subject to change with 30 days' notice.
3. Cancellation and Rescheduling
Cancellations or requests to reschedule must be made at least 24 hours before the session. Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice will be charged at the full rate. If the Tutor must cancel a session, a full refund or a rescheduled slot will be offered.
4. Student and Parent Obligations
A parent or guardian must be present in the home during online sessions for students under the age of 18. Students are expected to arrive on time; sessions will end at the scheduled time regardless of a late start.
5. Limitation of Liability
While the Tutor provides expert guidance toward academic goals (such as the 11 Plus), no specific result or school placement can be guaranteed.
Privacy Policy
This policy explains what personal data I collect, why I collect it, and what I do with it. I am committed to protecting your privacy and complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Portuguese data protection law (Lei n.º 41/2004).
Data controller: Lizzie McDowell, operating as British Primary Tutor. Email: lizzie@britishprimarytutor.com.
1. Information I Collect
I collect personal data necessary to provide my services, including:
- Parent and student names
- Contact information (email and phone number)
- Academic history and school reports
- Payment and invoicing details
2. Children's Data
My service is designed for primary-age children. I acknowledge that I process data about minors. The lawful basis for processing a child's data is the contract with the parent or guardian who engages my services. I only collect data about a child that is necessary for delivering tutoring — typically their name, year group, school and academic information. I do not collect data directly from children.
3. How and Why I Use Your Data
I process your data for the following purposes, each with a specific lawful basis under GDPR:
- Delivering tutoring, scheduling sessions and invoicing — lawful basis: performance of our contract.
- Responding to enquiries submitted through the contact form — lawful basis: legitimate interest (you have contacted me and reasonably expect a reply).
- Safeguarding and child protection — lawful basis: legitimate interest and, where applicable, legal obligation.
- Tax record-keeping — lawful basis: legal obligation (Portuguese tax law requires retention of financial records).
4. Third-Party Processors
I use a small number of third-party services to deliver my work. Each processes your data only for the purpose described:
- Stripe (payment processing) — US-based. Processes payment details when you pay for sessions. Data is transferred to the US under the EU–US Data Privacy Framework.
- Calendly (scheduling) — US-based. Processes your name and email when you book a session. Data is transferred to the US under the EU–US Data Privacy Framework.
- Netlify (website hosting and contact form) — US-based. Processes data you submit through the contact form on this website. Data is transferred to the US under the EU–US Data Privacy Framework.
I do not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to any other third parties.
5. Data Storage and Security
Your data is stored on password-protected devices and secure cloud-based platforms. I take reasonable measures to protect your information from unauthorised access, loss or misuse.
6. Data Retention
- Student and parent contact details — retained while the tutoring relationship is active and for a reasonable period afterwards, in case you wish to resume sessions.
- Financial and invoicing records — retained for 10 years as required by Portuguese tax law (Article 123 of the Código do IRC / Article 52 of the CIVA).
- Contact form submissions — retained for up to 12 months, then deleted.
7. Your Rights
Under GDPR, you have the right to:
- Request a copy of the personal data I hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your data (subject to legal retention obligations)
- Object to processing based on legitimate interest
- Request restriction of processing
- Data portability — receive your data in a structured, commonly used format
To exercise any of these rights, email lizzie@britishprimarytutor.com.
8. Right to Complain
If you believe your data has been mishandled, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Portuguese data protection authority: Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (CNPD) — cnpd.pt.
9. Cookies
This website uses only strictly necessary cookies set by the hosting provider (Netlify) for functional purposes such as load balancing. No analytics, tracking or marketing cookies are used. Because only essential cookies are present, no consent banner is displayed.
The "Book Now" link on this site opens calendly.com in a new tab. Calendly's own privacy policy and cookie practices apply on their site.
Safeguarding Policy
1. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to ensure the safety and well-being of all students. As a UK-qualified teacher, I adhere to the principles of "Keeping Children Safe in Education."
2. Online Safety Measures
- All sessions are conducted through secure, password-protected links.
- I maintain a professional environment and expect students to be in a shared area of the home (e.g., a dining table or study), not a bedroom.
- I maintain a valid and up-to-date Enhanced DBS check (UK) and am happy to provide the certificate number upon request.
3. Reporting Concerns
If I have reason to believe a child is at risk of harm, I have a professional and legal duty to report these concerns to the relevant local authorities or safeguarding leads in the child's jurisdiction.
4. Communication
All communication regarding sessions must go through the parent or guardian. I do not communicate directly with students via personal email, social media or phone.