Last updated: 9 November 2026
At Target Band English, we take your privacy seriously.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with and how you can exercise your data-protection rights.
Our services include IELTS Speaking simulations, AI-powered assessment and personalised evaluations by Daniel James, a former IELTS Speaking Examiner (2017 to 2024).
When you use our platform, we may process your account information, speaking recordings, transcripts, assessment results and payment-related information. We use this information to provide the services you request, operate the platform and meet our legal obligations.
We do not sell your personal information or use your speaking recordings for advertising.
Target Band English is an independent IELTS Speaking preparation and assessment service operated by Daniel James.
For the purposes of applicable data-protection legislation, the operator of Target Band English is responsible for determining how and why personal information is processed.
Privacy enquiries: [email protected]
You can contact us using this address to ask questions about your information or exercise your data-protection rights.
We collect information necessary to operate your account, deliver assessments and maintain the security of our services.
When you register, we may collect:
When you complete a speaking simulation, we record your spoken responses.
These recordings allow us to deliver the simulation, generate transcripts and provide automated or human assessment.
For human evaluations, Daniel James personally listens to the submitted recording to assess your speaking performance.
Our speech-recognition technology converts recorded answers into written transcripts.
Transcripts are used to generate automated feedback and may be referenced in assessment reports.
Where audio analysis is used, relevant audio information may also be processed as part of the assessment.
We may store:
Payments are processed through Stripe.
We retain relevant transaction information, such as:
We do not directly receive or store your complete payment-card number, card security code or other full card credentials.
If you book a live assessment, we may collect your name, email address, scheduled appointment time and relevant booking details.
When you use our website, we may process:
To reduce the likelihood of receiving the same IELTS Speaking questions repeatedly, our platform may process a randomly generated browser identifier, one-way hashes derived from your IP address or email address, and records of previously assigned topics and cue cards.
This information is used for test selection rather than advertising.
Test-variety records are retained for up to 90 days.
We process personal information for the following purposes:
| Purpose | Information used |
|---|---|
| Account registration and access | Name, email, authentication information |
| IELTS Speaking simulations | Recordings, transcripts, test responses |
| AI assessments | Transcripts and, where required, audio |
| Human evaluations | Recordings, responses and assessment history |
| Payments and refunds | Purchase information and transaction records |
| Live session bookings | Name, email and appointment details |
| Service communications | Contact details and relevant service information |
| Test variety | Identifiers and previous test assignments |
| Security and troubleshooting | Technical logs and account activity |
| Legal and accounting obligations | Relevant payment and transaction records |
We collect and use information for specified purposes and do not use it for unrelated activities without an appropriate lawful basis.
Under UK data-protection law, we must have a lawful basis for processing personal information.
Depending on the activity, we generally rely on the following.
We process information necessary to create and administer your account, deliver purchased assessments, generate results and provide the services you request.
We retain certain payment, accounting and transaction records to comply with applicable legal requirements.
We may process limited information where reasonably necessary to:
Our legitimate interests are maintaining a secure, reliable and effective educational service. Where we rely on this basis, we must consider and balance these interests against your rights and freedoms.
Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before processing information for specific optional purposes, such as non-essential cookies or consent-based marketing.
You may withdraw consent at any time, although withdrawal does not affect processing already lawfully completed.
Providing certain information, including an email address and speaking responses, is necessary to deliver the relevant services. If you choose not to provide it, some assessments or account features may be unavailable.
Target Band English uses artificial intelligence to assist with IELTS Speaking practice and evaluation.
Your recorded answers may be transcribed and analysed against the four IELTS Speaking assessment criteria:
The platform uses automated processing to generate estimated bands and written feedback.
These results are intended for educational preparation and do not constitute official IELTS scores.
AI-generated estimates can be inaccurate and should not be treated as guarantees of future examination performance.
Our automated assessments are not intended to make legally binding decisions or decisions with similarly significant effects concerning admission, immigration or employment.
Where you purchase a human assessment, Daniel James personally evaluates your speaking performance.
For more information, please consult our AI Evaluation Disclaimer.
We use specialist technology providers to operate our platform.
These may include:
Stripe: Payment Processing
Processes payment-card information and transactions securely through its payment infrastructure.
Calendly: Appointment Scheduling
Processes relevant booking details for live IELTS Speaking assessment sessions.
Brevo: Transactional Email
Supports service-related communications, including verification messages, booking information and assessment notifications.
OpenAI: Speech Recognition and AI Assessment
Processes relevant audio and transcript information to support speech transcription, automated evaluation and written feedback.
ElevenLabs: Voice Technology
Provides synthesised examiner speech and may process relevant audio or conversation information where voice-interaction features are used.
Hosting and Storage Providers
Provide the infrastructure used to host our website, maintain account records, store speaking recordings and operate the assessment platform.
Service providers may process personal information on our behalf or, where applicable, act as independent data controllers for specific activities.
We seek to use appropriate contractual, technical and organisational protections when sharing information with service providers.
Third parties receive information relevant to the services they perform.
Target Band English uses technology providers that may process personal information in countries outside the United Kingdom.
This can include voice recordings, transcripts, account information and other data necessary to deliver assessments.
Where UK data-protection law applies, international transfers must be supported by an appropriate legal mechanism.
Depending on the provider and destination, this may include UK adequacy regulations or legally recognised contractual safeguards.
You can contact [email protected] to request information about the safeguards applicable to your information.
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy, subject to applicable legal obligations.
| Information | Retention approach |
|---|---|
| Account details | While your account remains active, subject to applicable retention requirements |
| Speaking recordings | While your account remains active, unless deleted earlier or otherwise required |
| Transcripts and assessment results | While your account remains active, to allow review of previous assessments |
| Test variety records | Up to 90 days |
| Payment and accounting records | As required by applicable accounting, tax and legal obligations |
| Booking information | As necessary to administer appointments and maintain appropriate records |
| Technical logs | For a limited period necessary for security, troubleshooting and operational purposes |
Where appropriate, information may be deleted, anonymised or retained in a restricted form.
Deleting your account does not necessarily require the immediate removal of records that we must retain for legal, accounting, fraud-prevention or dispute-resolution purposes.
Further information is available in our Voice Recording & Data Retention Policy.
Depending on the circumstances and applicable law, you may have the right to:
Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Rectification: Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Erasure: Request deletion of personal information where the relevant legal conditions apply.
Restriction: Request that we limit certain processing activities.
Data portability: Receive eligible personal information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.
Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or other applicable grounds.
Withdraw consent: Withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis for processing.
Rights relating to automated decisions: Exercise applicable rights concerning qualifying solely automated decisions, including relevant rights to information, representations or human intervention where provided by law.
These rights are subject to legal conditions and exceptions.
To exercise your rights, email:
We will normally respond to valid data-protection requests within one calendar month, subject to applicable rules concerning extensions and verification.
We may request additional information where reasonably necessary to confirm your identity before disclosing or deleting personal information.
You will not normally be charged for exercising your data-protection rights.
You may request deletion of your account, speaking recordings, transcripts and assessment information.
To do so, email:
Please use the email address associated with your account so that we can identify the relevant records.
We will review your request and delete eligible information in accordance with applicable data-protection law.
Certain information may need to be retained where required for accounting, legal compliance or the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
Please see our Delete My Data page for further details.
We may send emails necessary to operate your account and deliver purchased services.
These include:
These are transactional or service-related communications rather than promotional marketing.
If we introduce optional marketing communications, we will explain how your information is used and provide appropriate consent or opt-out arrangements in accordance with applicable law.
You can unsubscribe from marketing emails where offered, but essential communications about your account or purchases may continue when necessary.
Our website uses cookies and related technologies to support account authentication, security and essential functionality.
We may also use browser-based identifiers to reduce repetition in speaking assessments.
We do not currently use advertising or behavioural profiling trackers.
Where non-essential cookies or similar technologies are introduced, we will provide the required information and consent choices.
For further information, please read our Cookie Policy.
We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect personal information against unauthorised access, misuse, loss or disclosure.
These measures may include protected authentication credentials, access restrictions, secure communications and controls over access to recordings and account information.
No online service can guarantee absolute security.
If you suspect unauthorised access to your account or have concerns about the security of your information, please contact us promptly.
Target Band English is intended for users aged 16 and over.
Users aged 16 or 17 must obtain permission from a parent or legal guardian before purchasing services.
We do not knowingly provide accounts to children under 16.
If you believe a child under 16 has registered or submitted personal information, please contact us so that we can investigate and take appropriate action.
If you have concerns about how we handle your information, please contact us first so that we have an opportunity to investigate and resolve the matter.
You also have the right to raise a complaint with the UK's data-protection regulator:
Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Website: https://ico.org.uk
You may also have the right to complain to another competent data-protection authority, depending on your location and the applicable law.
We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our services, technology, legal obligations or data-processing practices.
The latest revision date will appear at the top of this page.
Where changes materially affect how we process your personal information, we will provide additional notice where required by law.
For questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal information or your data-protection rights, please contact:
Daniel James
Target Band English
Email: [email protected]
We aim to handle privacy enquiries promptly and transparently.
Target Band English is an independent IELTS preparation service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by IELTS, the British Council, IDP IELTS or Cambridge University Press & Assessment.