Morning Star Academy
Effective Date: [Insert Date]

Morning Star Academy (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting personal information in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) of South Africa. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and safeguard personal information of parents/guardians, minors, website visitors, and all individuals interacting with our services.

By using our website or submitting information, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

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1. Purpose of This Policy

This policy ensures that Morning Star Academy processes personal information lawfully, fairly, and responsibly in accordance with POPIA, and outlines:

• What personal information we collect

• How and why we use it

• How we store and protect it

• When we may share it

• Your rights under POPIA

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2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information Provided by You

We may collect the following information during registration, communication, or website use:

• Parent/guardian name and contact details

• Child’s full name, age, medical information, and emergency details

• Emails, phone numbers, residential area

• Programme selection, payment information, and attendance records

• Any voluntary information provided for academy purposes

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2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When visiting our website, we may collect:

• IP address

• Browser type and device information

• Website usage data

• Cookies and tracking data (see Section 8)

We do not collect unnecessary or excessive information.

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3. Purpose of Processing Personal Information

We process personal information for the following lawful purposes:

• Registration and administration of academy programmes

• Ensuring child safety and emergency readiness

• Communication of schedules, updates, billing, and academy news

• Managing attendance, performance, and training information

• Meeting legal requirements and safeguarding obligations

• Website optimization and user experience improvement

We only process information relevant to these purposes.

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4. Legal Basis for Processing (POPIA Conditions)

Processing is based on:

• Consent (parent/guardian submitting registration or opting in)

• Legitimate interest (academy operations, child safety, communication)

• Legal obligation (injury reporting, compliance documentation)

• Performance of a service (programme enrolment and administration)

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5. Consent

By submitting personal information through our website or registration process, you:

• Consent to the collection and processing of your own and your child’s information

• Confirm that you are the lawful guardian of the minor

• Consent to emergency medical disclosure where needed for safety

• Consent to communication via phone, SMS, WhatsApp, or email

You may withdraw consent at any time (see Section 10).

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6. Storage & Protection of Personal Information

We take all reasonable technical and organizational measures to secure personal information, including:

• Controlled access to records

• Secure storage systems and password protection

• Restricted access only to authorized staff and coaches

• Regular review of data protection practices

Personal information is not stored longer than necessary and is destroyed or deleted securely once no longer required.

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7. Disclosure of Personal Information

We do not sell or trade personal information.

We may disclose personal information only when necessary:

• To coaches or authorized staff for programme administration

• To medical professionals during emergencies

• To service providers assisting with operations (e.g., communication platforms)

• If required by law, regulation, or legal process

Where third parties are involved, they are required to comply with POPIA.

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8. Cookies and Website Tracking

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Improve site performance

• Analyze traffic

• Personalize user experience

Users may disable cookies in their browser settings, but some features may not function properly.

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9. Photography, Videography & Media Use

We may capture photos or videos during training sessions, matches, or events for:

• Social media content

• Marketing

• Website publications

You may opt out of media use by sending written notice to us.
We respect all requests to restrict a child’s image from being shared.

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10. Your Rights Under POPIA

You have the right to:

• Request access to personal information we hold

• Request correction or updating of information

• Request deletion of information (where legally permitted)

• Withdraw consent at any time

• Object to the processing of personal information

• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 12.

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11. Information Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to:

• Fulfil the purpose for which it was collected

• Comply with legal and safeguarding obligations

Afterward, information is securely deleted or destroyed.

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12. Contact Details

For questions, concerns, or POPIA-related requests, please contact:

Morning Star Academy
Email: [Insert Email]
Phone: [Insert Number]
Location: [Insert City/Area]
Information Officer: [Insert Name]
Email (Information Officer): [Insert Email]

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13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on our website with an updated effective date.