Privacy notice

Last updated: 16 October 2026

Hirst Academy is a free, self-paced online course site run by Andrew Hirst. This notice explains what information the site collects, why, who else handles it, and the choices you have. We're the "controller" of this information under UK data protection law (UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018).

Questions, or want to use your rights? Use the form below, under Your rights.

The short version

• You can use every course without an account. If you don't sign in, we don't know who you are.
• If you sign in, we keep your email address and the work you save, so you can pick it up on any device. You can delete your account and all of it at any time.
• We count page visits and answers anonymously, to see which pages and questions work. You can switch that off below.
• No cookies, no adverts, and no tracking you across other websites.

What we collect, and why

When you visit any page. We add one to an anonymous count for that page and day, such as "the learn page of this course was opened 12 times on 16 October". The count holds no name, email, IP address or device identifier, and nothing is stored in your browser to make it. To send it, your browser connects to Google's Firebase service, which, like any web service, sees your IP address and browser type while handling the request. Our hosting provider, Vercel, keeps short-term logs of requests (IP address, browser, page) to run and protect the site. Why: our legitimate interest in knowing which courses and pages are used, so we can improve them.

When you rate something. If you mark a knowledge check "Got it", "Partly" or "Missed it", or say whether a module made sense, or tell the Business Brain whether a lesson helped, we add one to an anonymous count for that question, module or lesson. The questions you ask the Business Brain stay in your browser and are never sent to us. If you speak a question using the Brain's microphone button, your browser's own speech service (Apple's in Safari, Google's in Chrome) turns the audio into text; we never receive the recording or the text. Why: our legitimate interest in finding the questions and modules that aren't working.

When you create an account or sign in. We keep your email address and a unique account ID. If you sign in with Google, Google also shares your name and profile picture with the sign-in service. We count sign-ins anonymously (how many new and returning sign-ins each day). Why: to provide the account you asked for.

The work you save. What you type into the course tools and your knowledge-check answers are saved in your browser. If you're signed in, they're also saved to your account, so you can carry on from another device. Only you can read them. Why: to provide the service you asked for.

Course reviews. If you write a review, we keep your rating, your review and the name you give. It's private: only you and the site's operator can read it, until and unless you tick the box allowing us to show it. If you do, we may show it, with that name, on the Academy and on its LinkedIn page. Why: your consent, which you can withdraw by deleting the review on the course's learn page (and, if it's already featured, telling us with the form below).

When you contact us. If you use the form below, we keep what you write, the email address you give, and your account ID if you're signed in. We use them only to deal with your request and reply to you. Why: to meet our legal duties to you.

Shareable certificate pages. If you choose to make one, it holds the name you type, the course, the date and any tool plans you pick to show. Anyone with the link can see it; it's hidden from search engines. You can delete it from the certificate page at any time. Why: your choice to share it. Printed or PDF certificates are made in your browser and never uploaded.

What's stored in your browser

The site uses your browser's storage, not cookies, for things you've asked for: your saved work, the questions you've asked the Business Brain, your light or dark theme, your choice about anonymous counting, and, when you sign in, the sign-in itself (kept by Google's sign-in service). It also keeps copies of pages so courses can be read offline. When you sign out, your saved work is removed from that browser; it stays safe in your account.

Who else handles your information

• Google (Firebase Authentication and Cloud Firestore) runs sign-in and stores accounts, saved work, reviews, certificate pages and the anonymous counts.
• Vercel hosts the website.

Both act on our instructions under their data processing terms. Their servers may be outside the UK, including in the United States; transfers rely on the UK's adequacy arrangements (the UK–US "data bridge") or the providers' standard contractual safeguards. We don't sell your information or use it for advertising, and we don't share it with anyone else unless the law requires it.

How long we keep it

• Your account, saved work and certificate pages: until you delete your account or ask us to delete them.
• Reviews: until you delete them or your account. If we've featured your review on the site, deleting it doesn't take the featured copy down by itself: tell us with the form below and we'll remove it within 7 days.
• Anonymous counts: kept, because they contain nothing about you.
• Messages sent with the form below: 12 months after we've dealt with them.
• Hosting logs: for the short period Vercel keeps them.

Your rights

You can ask to see the information we hold about you, to have it corrected or deleted, to receive a copy, or to object to how we use it. You can withdraw consent at any time.

• Delete everything yourself: sign in, open the menu under your initial (top right) and choose Delete my account. It removes your account, saved work, reviews and certificate pages straight away. (A review already featured on the site comes down when you tell us, as above.)
• Anything else: use the form below. We'll reply to the email address you give within one month.

If you're unhappy with how we've handled your information, please tell us first. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner's Office: ico.org.uk or 0303 123 1113.

Switch off anonymous counting

We also don't count anything if your browser sends a "Global Privacy Control" or "Do Not Track" signal.

Age

The courses are written for adults. If you're under 16, please don't create an account or write a review.

Changes

If we change how we use your information, we'll update this notice and the date at the top.