Cookies Policy of The Essential School of Painting Ltd
Version 2.0 · Published April 2026
This version replaces all previous versions, including the version dated 5 January 2026.
1. What Cookies Are
Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit a website. They help websites function properly, remember your preferences, and provide information about how the site is being used.
Some cookies are strictly necessary for the website to operate. Others are optional and are only active if you give your consent.
2. Who We Are
This Cookies Policy is published by The Essential School of Painting Ltd (“ESOP”, “we”, “us” or “our”), an independent art school based in London. We are the data controller responsible for our website.
Company number: 13261727 · ICO registration: ZB253159 · Email: admin@theesop.com
This Cookies Policy should be read alongside our Privacy Policy, which explains more broadly how we collect, use and protect your personal data:
3. How We Use Cookies
We use cookies to:
- Ensure our website functions correctly and securely
- Remember your preferences and choices
- Understand how visitors use our website, so we can improve it
- Support secure payments and form submissions
We do not use cookies for advertising purposes and we do not sell personal data collected through cookies to third parties.
Where cookies involve the processing of personal data, we handle that data in accordance with UK data protection law. Full details are in our Privacy Policy.
4. Types of Cookies We Use
4.1 Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are essential for the website to function and cannot be switched off. They enable core features such as security, page navigation, access to secure areas, and form submissions. They do not require your consent.
Examples include: security and fraud prevention, session management, and load balancing.
4.2 Analytics cookies (optional)
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors use our website. Where enabled, we use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to collect aggregated, anonymised information about pages visited, time spent on the site, and how visitors arrive. This information is not used to identify you personally. Google acts as a data processor; see policies.google.com/privacy.
Analytics cookies are only set if you give your explicit consent via the cookie banner or cookie settings.
4.3 Functional cookies (optional)
Functional cookies allow the website to remember choices you make to provide a more consistent experience. These are optional and only set with your consent.
5. Third-Party Services and Embedded Content
5.1 Payment processing
We process payments through two platforms: PayPal and WorldPay. Where you make a payment via either service, they may set cookies that are strictly necessary to complete the transaction securely. These cookies do not require your separate consent; they cannot be switched off without preventing the payment from completing.
Each platform operates as an independent data controller for payment processing. Further information:
- PayPal: paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full
- WorldPay: worldpay.com/en-gb/privacy-policy
5.2 Embedded content
Some pages on our website may include embedded content from third-party platforms such as video or social media services. These services may set their own cookies when you interact with the embedded content; but only after you have given consent, unless the content is required to deliver a service you have specifically requested.
5.3 Other third-party providers
We use trusted third-party services to operate our website, including our hosting provider, email platform, and form services. These providers may set strictly necessary cookies to deliver their services. Where they act as data processors on our behalf, we have appropriate contractual arrangements in place.
6. Your Cookie Choices
When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie banner allowing you to:
- Accept all cookies
- Reject non-essential cookies
- Choose your cookie preferences in detail
Non-essential cookies are not set unless you actively choose to allow them. You are not required to accept optional cookies in order to use the website.
You can change or withdraw your cookie preferences at any time using the Cookie Settings link in the website footer or cookie banner. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of any processing that took place before you withdrew it.
7. Managing Cookies Through Your Browser
In addition to our cookie settings, you can manage cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:
- View cookies stored on your device
- Delete existing cookies
- Block cookies from specific websites
- Block all cookies
Please note that blocking strictly necessary cookies will affect how the website functions. We recommend using our Cookie Settings for the most precise control.
8. Contact, Changes and Further Information
8.1 Questions
If you have any questions about this Cookies Policy or how we use cookies, please contact us at admin@theesop.com.
8.2 Changes to this Policy
We review this Cookies Policy annually and update it where necessary. Any updates are published on this page with a revised version number and effective date. Where we make material changes, we will notify you through the cookie banner on your next visit.
8.3 Further information
For full details of how we handle your personal data and your rights as a data subject, please read our Privacy Policy:
Other helpful resources:
- UK Information Commissioner’s Office: ico.org.uk/for-the-public/online/cookies/
- Your Online Choices: youronlinechoices.com
- All About Cookies: allaboutcookies.org
Version 2.0 · Published April 2026 · Replaces Version 1.0 (5 January 2026) · Review cycle: annual, each September