1st Formations Cookie Policy

1. What is a cookie?

Cookies are small text files that the majority of websites use to identify and remember users and track their activities. They contain small amounts of information and are downloaded to a user’s laptop or other device by a web server when the user visits a website and consents to their use. These cookies remain on the user’s device until they expire or are deleted.

2. What are cookies used for?

Without cookies, it would not be possible to achieve the level of interaction that internet users expect of the web. Cookies are used by web browsers for a variety of tasks, such as:

• Tracking visits to a website and individual web pages.
• Remembering usernames and passwords.
• Retrieving billing and shipping addresses.
• Remembering credit and debit card information.
• Keeping users logged into a website when webpages are re-opened.
• Remembering unpurchased items in a user’s online shopping basket.
• Tracking sales.
• Analysing trends and user behaviour.
• Improving products, services and communications.
• Displaying user-appropriate advertising - have you ever wondered why adverts for your favourite shops keep lingering at the side of your computer screen every time you go online? You can thank cookies for that.
• Developing and marketing products and services appropriately.
• Measuring the effectiveness of ads and web searches.
• Optimising websites and making them easier to navigate.

3. Does this website use cookies?

Yes, www.1stformations.co.uk (the “Website”) uses cookies. The cookies we use allow us to monitor and improve the performance of our Website in general, and personalise each user’s experience on the Website.

4. What cookies does the Website use?

There are four types of cookie that the Website uses:

• Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are required for the operation of our Website. Essential cookies are always enabled because our Website is unable to function properly without them. These types of cookie include, for example, cookies that are needed for you to be able purchase services and enable you to log into secure areas of our Website. You can switch off these cookies in your browser settings, but if you do this, you may then not be able to access all or parts of our Website.
• Analytical or performance cookies: This type of cookie collects anonymous information about the way our visitors use our Website - the most frequently-visited pages, the amount of time spent on each page, the number of users who click on internal and/or third-party links, how many sales are generated through each page, whether you came to our Website via another website, etc. Using this information, we can make sure that uses are able to get around our Website quickly and easily.
• Functionality cookies: These cookies are used to recognise you when you have left and return to our Website. They enable us to personalise our content for you, greet you by name and remember your preferences.
• Targeting/Advertising cookies: These cookies record your visit to our Website, the pages you have visited and the links you have followed. This information helps us to make our website and the advertising displayed on it more relevant to you. We may also share this information with third parties for this purpose so that they can serve you with relevant advertising on their websites.

You can find more information about the individual cookies we use, and what they are used for below:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Analytical/Performance Cookies

Targeting/Advertising Cookies

5. Third Party Cookies

Many of the cookies used on our Website are third party cookies in connection with which we have no control or liability. We recommend that you check these third party websites to learn more about their use of cookies.

To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, visit http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

To deactivate the use of third party advertising cookies generally, you can also visit NAI Consumer Opt Out.

6. Can I use my web browser to delete or disable cookies?

You can easily delete cookies at any time and modify your browser setting to automatically disable or enable all or specific cookies. You can also set your web browser to notify you every time a cookie is presented to your computer, allowing you to reject or accept them on an individual basis.

The following links contain instructions which will help you manage your cookies in relation to the most common web browsers:

• Google Chrome
• Firefox
• Microsoft Edge
• Safari

Please be aware that:

• If you delete cookies, this may cause you to lose information that would otherwise allow you to access our Website more quickly.
• By declining cookies, you may not be able to access all or some parts of our Website, or enjoy certain interactive features of our services.

7. What if I have questions?

If you have any questions or concerns about our use of cookies, please send us an email at [email protected].

You can also find further information and guidance on cookies by visiting the following websites:

• http://www.aboutcookies.org.uk/
• https://www.cookiesandyou.com/
• https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/