Last updated: 1 September 2026

Who we are

CEREL.ONLINE is operated by Liz Merchant in the United Kingdom. Liz Merchant is the controller responsible for deciding how and why personal information is used.

Email: info@cerel.online

Address: CEREL.ONLINE, 8 Dighton Road, London SW18 1AN, United Kingdom

Who this Notice applies to

This Notice applies to website visitors, people who contact us, Exam and mock-exam candidates, course students, prospective students, client contacts and individuals whose employer or organisation purchases a course for them.

Personal information we collect

• Identity and contact information, including name, email address, telephone number, postal address and employer or organisation where relevant.
• Booking and payment information, including the service booked, payment status, invoices and transaction references. We do not normally receive full payment-card details from payment providers.
• Exam information, including identity checks, responses, scripts, audio or video used in assessment, marks, assessor comments, results, certificates and records of suspected irregularities.
• Course information, including language level, assessment results, attendance, learning needs, progress and communications.
• Enquiries, correspondence, complaints, feedback and any information you choose to provide.
• Technical information, such as IP address, browser/device information, security logs and cookie or analytics information where used.

Please do not send special-category information, such as health information, unless it is necessary for a reasonable-adjustment request or another specific purpose. Where such information is necessary, we will explain how it will be used and apply an appropriate additional legal condition.

How we obtain information

We usually obtain information directly from you through the website, email, assessment, Exam or lessons. We may also receive information from an employer or organisation booking tuition, an authorised representative, assessors, payment providers, or the technical platforms used to deliver the service.

Why we use personal information and our lawful bases

We use personal information to respond to enquiries, assess suitability, register candidates or students, arrange bookings and process payments. We process this information where it is necessary to take steps before entering into a contract or to perform a contract with you.

We use personal information to administer the CEREL examination, mock examinations and preparation courses. This includes sending instructions, providing materials, assessing and marking work, and issuing results or certificates. The lawful basis for this processing is the performance of our contract with you.

We use identity information, examination responses, assessment records and related information to verify candidates’ identities, maintain examination integrity, moderate assessments, assure quality, investigate suspected irregularities and respond to queries concerning results. We process this information where it is necessary to perform our contract with you and for our legitimate interests in maintaining the reliability, fairness and integrity of our examinations.

We retain invoices, transaction records and other relevant information for accounting, taxation, regulatory compliance, the management of legal claims and compliance with our legal obligations. The lawful bases for this processing are compliance with a legal obligation and our legitimate interests in managing and protecting our business.

Where an employer or another organisation purchases a course for a student, we may provide the client with agreed information concerning attendance, assessment and progress. We process this information where it is necessary to perform the relevant contract and for our legitimate interests in administering and reporting on the service purchased by the client.

We use technical information, system logs and security records to operate and protect the website and our services, prevent fraud or misuse, maintain backups and investigate security incidents. The lawful bases for this processing are our legitimate interests in operating a secure and reliable service and, where applicable, compliance with a legal obligation.

We may use contact information to send news about relevant examinations or courses where you have requested it or where direct marketing is otherwise permitted by law. The lawful basis will be your consent or our legitimate interests, as applicable. You may unsubscribe or object to direct marketing at any time.

When information must be provided

Information marked as required is needed to answer an enquiry, make a booking, administer the Exam or course, or meet a legal requirement. If required information is not provided, we may be unable to accept or continue a booking or issue a result or certificate.

Who receives personal information

We disclose information only where reasonably necessary. Recipients may include:

• CEREL administrators, tutors, assessors, moderators and authorised contractors;
• website hosting, WordPress, form, email, cloud-storage and IT-support providers;
• payment providers, banks, accountants, insurers and professional advisers;
• Zoom, Google Workspace/Drive/Docs, Quizlet, Testmoz and other platforms used for exams or learning;
• an employer or organisational client, for agreed attendance, assessment and progress reporting; and
• courts, regulators, law-enforcement bodies or other parties where disclosure is required by law or necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal rights.

These providers may act as processors under our instructions or as independent controllers under their own privacy notices. We do not sell personal information.

International transfers

Some service providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where UK data-protection law requires safeguards, we use an adequacy regulation, approved contractual protections or another lawful transfer mechanism. You may contact us for further information about the safeguards relevant to your information.

How long we keep information

We keep information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including legal, accounting and dispute-resolution requirements. Our general retention periods are:

• Enquiries that do not lead to a booking: normally up to 12 months after the last substantive contact.
• Booking, payment, invoice and core contractual records: normally six years after the service ends.
• Exam scripts, speaking recordings, detailed marking records and moderation material: normally up to two years after results are issued, unless needed for a query, investigation or legal claim.
• Certificate and result-verification records: up to ten years after issue so that a certificate can be verified and protected against fraud.
• Course attendance, assessment and progress records: normally up to two years after the course ends, with essential contractual records retained for up to six years.
• Marketing records: until consent is withdrawn, an objection is made or the information is no longer useful; a minimal suppression record may be retained to respect an opt-out.
• Security logs and routine backups: according to the relevant technical retention cycle, unless needed to investigate an incident.

We may keep information for longer where required by law or where reasonably necessary for an active complaint, investigation or legal claim. We may securely delete or anonymise it earlier when it is no longer required.

Marketing

Marketing is optional and is not a condition of taking an Exam or course. You can unsubscribe through any link provided or by emailing info@cerel.online. We will not treat acceptance of the Terms as consent to marketing.

Cookies and similar technologies

The website may use strictly necessary cookies for security and core functions. Analytics or other non-essential cookies will be used only where permitted and, where required, after consent. Browser controls can block or delete cookies, although this may affect some functions. Any cookie banner or cookie settings shown on the website provide additional current information.

Automated decision-making

We do not make decisions producing legal or similarly significant effects solely by automated means. Exam results are determined through human assessment and administration.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures designed to protect information against accidental loss, misuse, alteration, unauthorised access or disclosure. No internet or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Your data-protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights to:

• request access to your personal information;
• ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
• ask us to erase information;
• ask us to restrict how information is used;
• object to processing based on legitimate interests or to direct marketing;
• receive certain information in a portable format; and
• withdraw consent at any time where processing relies on consent, without affecting earlier lawful processing.

These rights are not absolute and exemptions may apply. We may need to verify your identity before responding. To exercise a right, email info@cerel.online.

Complaints

Please contact us first so that we can try to resolve your concern. You also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): ico.org.uk, telephone 0303 123 1113, or Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.

Children

The Exam is restricted to people aged 18 or over. Our professional courses are not directed at children. Please contact us before providing information about anyone under 18.

Links and third-party services

The website and services may link to third-party websites or platforms. Their own privacy notices govern the information they collect as independent controllers. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties.

Changes to this Notice

We may update this Notice to reflect changes in our services, providers or legal obligations. The current version will be published on the website with its revision date. We will communicate material changes directly where appropriate.

Contact us

Controller: Liz Merchant, operating CEREL.ONLINE

Email: info@cerel.online

Post: CEREL.ONLINE, 8 Dighton Road, London SW18 1AN, United Kingdom