Data Retention Policy
Version 2026-09-25Interim, under legal reviewContact theCoderSchool
We keep member data only as long as a member is learning with us, plus a fixed window so that a returning member finds their work. The numbers below are the site's defaults and are read from the same file the software uses.
Member accounts
| Stage | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Active | While the member is enrolled | Everything on the Privacy Policy list is kept |
| Archived | No sign-in for 365 days | Sign-in is disabled; name, progress and rewards record are kept so the account can be restored |
| Purged | 365 days after archiving | The account and its progress are deleted; an anonymised receipt with no name in it is kept |
A member, or someone authorised to act for them, can ask for deletion at any point instead of waiting; see Data & deletion.
Records the centre keeps
| Record | Kept for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Audit log (who changed what, when) | 400 days | Contains usernames and handles, never a member's legal name |
| Audit rows for credential reveals and deletions | 2 years | Longer because they record staff access to sensitive actions |
| Reward records (rewards earned, asked for and paid) | While the account exists | Deleted with the account; the audit rows recording each payout stay for the audit log's period |
| Order records (online purchases) | 7 years | Accounting; the payer's email is removed when the member's account is deleted |
| Friends | 30 days | Refreshed while the member is active, then expire |
| Deletion receipts | Indefinitely | Counts and hashed identifiers only; no names |
Residual copies we cannot edit
- The database keeps a point-in-time recovery window of 7 days. Deleted data drops out of it on its own after that.
- Server function logs are kept by Google Cloud for 30 days and then cleared.
- Signed paper enrollment forms stay on paper at the centre under the centre's own records policy.
Review
This policy is reviewed when the numbers above change. The version date at the top of the page records the last change.