Privacy Policy
Your privacy
This explains what personal information I collect, why I hold it, and the rights you have over it. It is written with UK and EU data protection law (GDPR) in mind.
Privacy Policy
This explains what personal information I collect, why I hold it, and the rights you have over it. It is written with UK and EU data protection law (GDPR) in mind.
Last updated: June 2026. This site, IELTS Essay, is run by Tika (the "I" or "me" below). For privacy purposes, I am the data controller for the information you give me. To raise anything in this policy, use the contact page.
I only collect what I need to coach you. That usually means: your name and email; the test you are taking and your current and target bands; the essays, recordings, or writing you send me for feedback; and any messages you send through the contact form. If you pay, the payment itself is handled by PayPal or my booking provider, and I receive a confirmation rather than your full card details.
Under GDPR I have to have a lawful basis for using your data. In plain terms:
To provide the service you asked for (marking your essays, running sessions, replying to you): this is necessary to perform our agreement.
To keep basic records of sales and correspondence: this is my legitimate interest in running the business properly, and in some cases a legal obligation, for example tax records.
For anything optional, such as using an anonymised extract of your work as a teaching example: only ever with your clear consent, which you can withdraw at any time.
I do not sell your data. I do not share it with third parties for marketing. I do not use your essays to train any public AI system. The only people who see your work are you and me.
Running the service means using a few trusted providers, who act as processors on my behalf: a hosting provider for this website, a form service that delivers your message to my inbox, a scheduling tool for bookings, and a payment provider. Each handles your data only to do its job, and each has its own privacy terms. I keep this list short on purpose.
I keep your essays and coaching notes while we are working together and for a reasonable period afterwards, in case you return. If you ask me to delete your work once we finish, I will. I keep basic sales records for as long as tax and accounting rules require, then remove them.
If you are in the UK or EU, GDPR gives you the right to see the data I hold about you, to have mistakes corrected, to have your data deleted, to limit how I use it, and to object to certain uses. You can also withdraw any consent you gave. To use any of these, just ask me through the contact page and I will respond within one month. You also have the right to complain to your data protection authority (in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office) if you think I have mishandled your data, though I would rather you tell me first so I can put it right.
I take reasonable steps to keep your information safe, including limiting who can access it (just me) and using reputable providers. No system is perfectly secure, but I treat your work and details with care.
My coaching is intended for adults and older teenagers preparing for IELTS. If you are under 16, please have a parent or guardian arrange and agree to coaching on your behalf.
If I change how I handle data, I will update this page and change the date at the top. The version in force is the one published when you contact or book with me.
Any privacy question, or a request about your data, should go through the contact page. I am happy to explain anything here in plainer terms if it helps.
This notice is written in plain language as a fair, good-faith starting point. It is not legal advice. If you take on a high volume of UK or EU students, it is worth having it reviewed by a data protection professional.