Privacy notice
How we handle your data.
Effective date: This Privacy Notice takes effect on the public launch date of School Summit Innovator. This notice explains what personal data we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it and what your rights are. It applies to students, parents, teachers, partners and visitors to this website.
Who we are
Bell Media Limited, trading as School Summit and School Summit Innovator, is the Data Controller for the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and, where applicable, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR). Our Data Protection Contact can be reached at dataprotection@bellmedia.ie.
What we collect
- Account data: name, email, school, year group, role (student / teacher / parent / partner).
- Competition entry data: written submissions, uploaded documents, presentations, photographs, videos, prototypes (where submitted), supporting evidence and team member information.
- Usage data: standard server logs, page analytics (privacy-respecting) and account activity.
- Communications: emails you send us, support tickets and your preferences.
Why we collect it (lawful basis)
- Contract: to run the competition you have entered.
- Legitimate interest: to keep the service secure, prevent abuse and improve it.
- Consent: for marketing emails, photo/video publication and any sharing with sponsors.
- Legal obligation: where we must retain or disclose data by law.
Who sees it
Your entry is visible to the team running the programme, to assigned judges, and — if you reach the shortlist or final — to relevant sponsors and audiences for that stage (limited to entry content; never contact details without separate, explicit consent). We never sell personal data. We never share contact details with sponsors or third parties without explicit, granular consent. Where safeguarding concerns arise, information may be shared with relevant authorities or safeguarding professionals where necessary to protect a child or comply with legal obligations.
How long we keep it
- Account data: for as long as your account is active, plus 24 months for inactive accounts.
- Entry data: Winning, shortlisted and selected entries may be retained as part of the School Summit Hall of Fame and historical archive. Where personal information is published, it will be limited to what is appropriate for recognising participation and achievement and will be managed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. Publication of winning or shortlisted entries in the Hall of Fame takes place only with the consent of the entrant or, where applicable, their parent or guardian, obtained at the point of shortlisting or award.
- Communications: 24 months from last contact.
- Server logs: 90 days.
Your rights
- Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate data.
- Erasure — ask us to delete your data, subject to legal exceptions.
- Restriction and objection — limit or object to certain processing.
- Portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Withdraw consent — for anything you previously consented to.
- Complain — if you are based in the United Kingdom, you may complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO); if you are based in the Republic of Ireland, you may complain to the Data Protection Commission (DPC).
To exercise any of these, email dataprotection@bellmedia.ie. We respond within one month, as required by law.
International transfers
We process data within the UK and EEA. Where we use sub-processors outside the UK/EEA we rely on the UK International Data Transfer Agreement or EU Standard Contractual Clauses. Where appropriate, we also carry out transfer risk assessments and implement supplementary safeguards where required by applicable law.
Cookies and analytics
We use a small number of essential cookies for sign-in and a privacy-respecting analytics tool. We do not use advertising cookies. A full cookie list and the option to manage non-essential cookies will be added before public launch. A cookie consent banner will be provided before any non-essential cookies are placed.
Children
This programme is designed for post-primary and further education students aged 13–19. The age of digital consent is 13 in the United Kingdom (including Northern Ireland) and 16 in the Republic of Ireland. Where an entrant is below the applicable age of digital consent, or where our entry process requires it, consents relating to photography, video, publication and any sharing with partners are obtained from a parent or guardian. We design our services in line with the ICO Children's Code (Age Appropriate Design Code) and equivalent Irish and European guidance. Parents and guardians may contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead directly — see our Safeguarding page.
Changes
We will notify registered users by email of any material change to this notice and post a dated version history below.
v0.9 — 4 July 2026 — refined draft prepared for legal review.
Downloadable PDF versions of this Privacy Notice and our Data Processing Agreement are available on request during the pre-launch phase and will be published here before public launch. For requests, please contact dataprotection@bellmedia.ie.