Privacy Policy

The Novacene Privacy Policy

Version Date: 01 August 2025

This document is both legal artefact and relational signal. It outlines how The Novacene collects, stores, uses, and safeguards your personal data across our Sites, platforms, and affiliated tools. It is written in accordance with UK data protection law and aligned with our symbolic values of transparency, coherence, and autonomy.

I. Who We Are (The Controllers)

The Novacene Ltd ("we", "us", "our", "the Business") is a UK-based organisation operating across digital, decentralised, and cloud-based educational environments. We are the data controller responsible for how your personal data is used.

Our primary domain is:
www.thenovacene.com, which may include subdomains or redirects such as www.buildingschoolsinthecloud.com

For any questions or data rights requests, contact our Data Steward at: [hello@thenovacene.com]

We welcome your correspondence and prefer to resolve data concerns directly, but you may escalate to the Information Commissioner’s Office (www.ico.org.uk) at any time.

II. Core Principles (Verse-al Grounding)

We honour sovereignty: your data is yours.
We believe in containment with consent: data must not be used outside its agreed purpose.
We strive for symbolic clarity: wherever possible, our language will reflect its meaning.
We uphold trust over opacity: surveillance is not our business model.

This policy exists as both a legal necessity and an ethical pact.

III. Types of Data We Collect

Personal Data includes but is not limited to:

Identity data: names, titles, DOB, gender, role
Contact data: email, phone, address
Technical data: IP address, device IDs, usage logs
Financial data: payment details (processed securely via Stripe or GoCardless)
Profile and participation data: surveys, submissions, course registrations, feedback
Communications preferences: your consent choices and engagement signals

We do not knowingly collect data from children unless legally and contextually permitted (e.g., through contracted educational provision). If such data is gathered, it is always under parental or institutional consent.

IV. How We Collect It

Direct input from you (forms, emails, subscriptions, event registration)
Automated means (analytics tools, cookies, metadata)
Third-party processors (Stripe, TutorCruncher, Google Analytics, etc.)
Public records (e.g., Companies House for professional verification)

V. Why We Use It (Lawful Basis)

Contract: to provide services, products, or membership you requested
Legitimate Interest: to improve our systems, protect our platform, and grow our community
Consent: for marketing or data sharing beyond core functions
Legal Obligation: compliance with UK regulatory frameworks

VI. When & With Whom We Share

We only share your data with:

Service providers under strict contractual terms (e.g. web hosts, payment processors)
Education partners and collaborators (e.g. Haven Academy) where you have opted in
Legal bodies where required by law
We never sell your data

Cross-border transfers are protected under UK standard contractual clauses or adequacy decisions.

VII. Data Security & Duration

Your data is stored securely using encrypted systems and managed cloud environments. Access is limited to authorised team members under strict confidentiality agreements.

We retain your data only as long as necessary:

Typically: up to 6 years post-engagement (to meet legal/tax obligations)
Upon request: you may ask us to delete or anonymise your data sooner where lawful

VIII. Your Rights (Verse-al Autonomy)

You can:

Access a copy of your data
Request corrections
Ask for erasure
Restrict or object to processing
Withdraw consent at any time
Lodge a complaint with the ICO

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@thenovacene.com with the subject line: DATA REQUEST

We aim to respond within 30 days.

IX. Cookies and Signals

Our Website uses minimal cookies. Currently:

Essential: for login and secure session tracking
Analytics: anonymised data from Google Analytics to improve performance

We respect Do Not Track browser settings and invite you to use cookie blockers freely. You may adjust your cookie preferences in your browser settings or via our website pop-up.

X. Symbolic Clause (Optional but True)

We believe that data, like learning, carries charge.

We treat your data not as extractive resource, but as relational trace — a symbolic record of your participation in a shared field.

We will never exploit, monetise, or manipulate that trace without your consent.

That is our verse-al promise.

Last updated: 01 August 2025

For questions, contact our Data Steward at: hello@thenovacene.com