Pipa is built to help parents stay on top of school life with less stress. We take your privacy seriously and aim to collect and use as little personal data as possible.
This policy applies to all versions of Pipa, including trial, manual, and automated versions of the service.
1 Who We Are
Pipa is a parent-focused service that turns school emails and newsletters into clear, timely reminders delivered via WhatsApp.
For the purposes of data protection law, Pipa acts as the data controller for personal data you provide directly, and as a data processor for information contained within emails you choose to forward to us.
Contact us at privacy@pipa-assist.co.uk
2 What Data We Collect
We only collect data that is necessary to provide the service.
Information you provide
- Your name (if provided)
- Your email address
- Your mobile number (for WhatsApp reminders)
- Your child's year group or class (if relevant)
Information from forwarded emails
When you forward a school email or newsletter to Pipa, we may process dates of events and event descriptions.
You should only forward emails that you are entitled to share and that relate to your own child or family.
What we do not collect
- Dates of birth
- Medical or SEN information
- Home addresses
3 How We Use Your Data
- Identify important school dates from emails you choose to forward
- Send you reminders via WhatsApp or similar messaging services
- Improve the accuracy and usefulness of the service
We do not use your data for advertising and do not sell your data to third parties.
4 Legal Basis for Processing
We process personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Our primary legal basis is your consent.
You can withdraw your consent at any time. See Section 9 — Your Rights for how to do this.
5 Use of Automated Tools (AI)
Pipa uses automated tools to help identify dates and events within school emails and newsletters. These tools:
- Only process relevant text — not entire email threads or attachments beyond what's needed
- Are used to assist, not replace, human oversight of the service
- Do not make decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you
6 Who We Share Data With
- Messaging providers (e.g. WhatsApp services) to deliver your reminders
- Email processing services to receive forwarded school emails
- AI processing services to extract event information from communications
These providers act as data processors and are contractually required to protect your data. We do not share data with advertisers or data brokers.
7 How Long We Keep Your Data
- Forwarded emails: deleted after processing or within 60 days
- Extracted event data: retained while you are actively using the service
- Message history: 12 months
- Audit logs: minimum 12 months
8 How We Protect Your Data
- Secure, password-protected systems with restricted access controls
- Access limited to authorised Pipa team members only
- Reputable, encrypted third-party services that meet industry security standards
9 Your Rights
Under UK GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Right of access
Ask what personal data we hold about you at any time.
Right to rectification
Ask for corrections to any inaccurate data we hold.
Right to erasure
Ask for your data to be deleted from our systems.
Right to withdraw consent
Withdraw your consent and opt out of Pipa at any time.
10 Children's Data
Pipa is designed for parents and carers. We do not knowingly collect data directly from children.
We minimise the processing of children-related information and only use what is strictly necessary to provide relevant reminders to parents.
11 Changes to This Policy
As Pipa develops, we may update this privacy policy to reflect changes to the service or applicable law. If we make significant changes, we will update this page with a new "last updated" date.
12 Contact Us
Data & Privacy enquiries: privacy@pipa-assist.co.uk
General enquiries: hello@pipa-assist.co.uk
Phone: 07404 341 245