Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 1 Sept 2026

Mina Lopato Nursery School

Association incorporated in terms of Section 21

Registration Number: 2003/030424/08

7A Chester Road, Greenside

Email: info@minalopato.co.za

1. Introduction

Mina Lopato Nursery School respects the privacy and confidentiality of parents, legal guardians, children, prospective families, staff and other individuals whose personal information is processed by the School. We will only collect, process, use and retain your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and all applicable data protection legislation. You are also responsible for taking all reasonable and appropriate measures to safeguard your personal information, including ensuring that passwords, access codes and other security credentials are kept confidential and secure and are not disclosed to any unauthorised person.

This Privacy Policy explains how the School collects, uses, stores and shares personal information in connection with the operation of the School and the processing of School Fees and payments.

We have implemented reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to safeguard your personal information against loss, damage, unauthorised destruction, unlawful access or unauthorised processing.

While the School takes reasonable steps to protect personal information in its possession or under its control, no system or method of transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the School will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from the unauthorised access to, or disclosure of, personal information where such access or disclosure occurs despite the School having taken reasonable and appropriate measures to safeguard such information.

You are responsible for ensuring that all personal information provided to the School is accurate, complete and up to date. The School will not be liable for any loss or damage arising directly from materially incorrect, incomplete or outdated information supplied to it, except to the extent that such loss or damage results from the School’s own unlawful conduct, negligence or failure to comply with its obligations under applicable data protection legislation.

2. Information We Collect

The School may collect personal information necessary for legitimate school purposes, including:

Parent/legal guardian names and contact details;
Child's name and relevant enrolment information;
Emergency contact details;
Medical, allergy and health information relevant to the child's safety and welfare;
School attendance and administrative information;
School Fee and account information;
Payment information and proof of payment;
Information provided in applications, forms and correspondence; and
Information necessary for the administration and recovery of School Fees.

3. How We Use Personal Information

Personal information may be used to:

Process applications and enrolments;
Maintain learner records;
Communicate with parents/legal guardians;
Provide for children's health, safety and welfare;
Administer School Fees;
Process and reconcile payments;
Manage sibling discounts and subsidies;
Manage outstanding accounts;
Conduct lawful debt recovery where necessary;
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations; and
Protect the legitimate interests of the School and the children in its care.

4. Children's Personal Information

Because Mina Lopato Nursery School provides care and education to young children, the School necessarily processes personal information relating to children.

Such information will be handled with appropriate care and used only for legitimate purposes connected with the child's care, education, safety, enrolment, administration and operation of the School.

5. Payment Processing and WalletDoc

Mina Lopato Nursery School uses WalletDoc for payment processing only.

Payment information may be processed through WalletDoc in accordance with WalletDoc's applicable terms, privacy policies and security practices.

The School will only retain payment information to the extent reasonably necessary for payment administration, reconciliation, accounting, record-keeping or legal purposes.

6. School Fees and Debt Collection

Where a parent/legal guardian has outstanding School Fees, the School may process and disclose relevant personal information where reasonably necessary and lawful for the administration, collection or recovery of outstanding amounts.

This may include providing relevant information to appropriate debt collection agencies, legal representatives or other service providers acting on behalf of the School.

7. Sharing Information With Other Schools

Where lawfully and reasonably necessary for legitimate school administration, fee administration, safeguarding or debt-recovery purposes, relevant information may be shared with other schools within the Diocese in which siblings named on the relevant school records are enrolled.

The School will seek to limit any information shared to information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

8. Protection of Personal Information

The School will take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure of personal information.

Access to personal information will be limited to persons who reasonably require access for legitimate School, administrative, safety, payment or legal purposes.

9. Disclosure to Third Parties

The School does not sell personal information.

Personal information may be disclosed where reasonably necessary to:

Process payments;
Provide School services;
Obtain professional or administrative services;
Recover outstanding School Fees;
Protect a child's health or safety;
Comply with a legal obligation; or
Protect the legitimate rights and interests of the School or another person.

10. Accuracy of Information

Parents/legal guardians are responsible for providing accurate information and informing the School promptly when relevant information changes.

This includes changes to:

Contact details;
Emergency contacts;
Banking or payment arrangements;
Medical or allergy information;
Family circumstances affecting enrolment; and
Sibling enrolments.

11. Retention of Information

The School will retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, or where retention is required by applicable law, accounting requirements, contractual obligations or legitimate record-keeping requirements.

12. Access and Correction

Subject to applicable law, parents/legal guardians may request access to, or correction of, personal information held by the School.

Requests should be submitted to: info@minalopato.co.za

13. Security Incidents

If the School becomes aware of a security incident involving personal information, it will take reasonable steps to investigate and respond to the incident and provide notifications where required by applicable law.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

The School may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in its practices, services or legal requirements.

The latest version will be made available through the School's appropriate communication channels.

15. Contact Details