Last updated: 2 August 2026
This page explains, in straightforward language, how Portfolio to A Star looks after the personal information of students and other young people who use this website.
If you are under 18, please read this page with a parent or guardian before sending us personal information, uploading artwork or requesting portfolio feedback.
Who are we?
Portfolio to A Star provides independent educational guidance and portfolio feedback for GCSE and A Level Art & Design students.
If you have a question about your information, you or your parent or guardian can email help@portfoliotoastar.co.uk.
What is personal information?
Personal information is information that identifies you or could be connected to you. This may include:
- Your name and email address
- Your age, school year or course level
- A parent or guardian’s name and contact details
- Messages sent through the website or by email
- Artwork, sketchbook pages, photographs or portfolio files you submit
- Information connected with an order or payment
- Basic technical information needed to keep the website secure
Why do we use your information?
We only use personal information when there is a clear reason to do so. This may include:
- Responding to a question
- Providing portfolio feedback that has been requested
- Sending completed feedback to you or your parent or guardian
- Managing an order or payment
- Keeping the website and its users safe
- Keeping records required by law
Before submitting your artwork
Please remove personal information from your artwork and portfolio files wherever possible. Do not include:
- Your full name
- Your home address
- Your school name or logo
- Your telephone number
- Your personal social-media details
- Photographs or private information about another person without their permission
You may use your first name, initials or an anonymous project reference if identification is needed.
Students under 18
If you are under 18, a parent or guardian should authorise any paid portfolio-feedback request. Payments should be made by a parent, guardian or another authorised adult.
If you are under 13, a parent or guardian must contact us and submit information on your behalf where consent is required.
How do we use submitted artwork?
Artwork and portfolio files are used only to provide the requested feedback and administer the service.
Your work will not be published as an example, displayed publicly, used in advertising or shared on social media without separate permission from you and, where appropriate, your parent or guardian.
Who can see your information?
Your information and submitted work are only available to the person providing the feedback and to trusted service providers where access is necessary to operate the website, process a payment, deliver email or store files securely.
We do not sell young people’s personal information.
How long do we keep information?
Personal information and submitted work are kept only for as long as reasonably necessary to provide the service, deal with questions or meet legal requirements.
- Submitted portfolio files should normally be deleted within 90 days after the feedback service has been completed.
- General enquiries may be retained for up to 12 months.
- Financial transaction records may be retained for up to six years where required for tax, accounting or legal purposes.
You or your parent or guardian may ask us to delete information sooner unless we are legally required to retain it.
Your privacy rights
You may ask us:
- What personal information we hold about you
- To correct information that is wrong
- To delete information when we no longer need it
- To restrict or object to certain uses of your information
- To provide a copy of information you have given us
You will not be treated unfairly for asking a privacy question or exercising your rights. A parent or guardian may help you make a request.
Safety and safeguarding
Please do not use portfolio files or messages to share information that is not needed for educational feedback.
If information suggests that a young person or another person may be at serious risk of harm, it may be necessary to share limited information with a parent, guardian, safeguarding professional or relevant authority. We would only do this when it is necessary to protect someone or meet a legal obligation.
Portfolio to A Star is not an emergency or counselling service. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services by calling 999.
Cookies
The website uses a necessary cookie to remember cookie preferences. Optional cookies are not activated without consent. More information is available in our Cookie Policy.
More detailed information
This child-friendly notice should be read alongside our full Privacy Policy, which provides more detailed information about how personal data is handled.
Contact us
If you have a privacy or safety question, you or your parent or guardian can:
- Email: help@portfoliotoastar.co.uk
- Use our Contact page
If you are unhappy with how your personal information has been handled, you may also contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Changes to this policy
We may update this page when the website, its services or privacy requirements change. The latest revision date will always appear at the top of the page.