1. Overview
CHERI School Management System ("CHERI SMS", "we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting the privacy of students, parents, teachers, and school administrators who use our platform.
This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using CHERI SMS, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
CHERI SMS is a cloud-based school management platform serving schools across India and internationally. Our registered office is in India and we comply with applicable Indian data protection laws as well as international standards including GDPR.
2. Data We Collect
2.1 School & Administrator Data
- School name, address, and contact details
- Administrator names, email addresses, and phone numbers
- Subscription and billing information
2.2 Student Data
- Student name, date of birth, class/section, and roll number
- Academic records: grades, attendance, assignments
- Fee payment records
- Health records (if provided by the school)
2.3 Parent & Guardian Data
- Parent/guardian name, email, and phone number
- Communication preferences
2.4 Teacher & Staff Data
- Name, employee ID, contact details, and subject assignments
- Attendance and leave records
2.5 Usage Data
- Login timestamps, IP addresses, device type, and browser
- Pages visited and features used within the platform
- Error logs for debugging purposes
3. How We Use Your Data
We use the data collected for the following purposes:
- Providing and maintaining the school management platform
- Sending automated notifications (attendance alerts, fee reminders, exam schedules)
- Generating academic reports and progress cards
- Improving platform features through aggregated analytics
- Customer support and technical troubleshooting
- Billing and subscription management
- Complying with legal obligations
We do not use student data for advertising, profiling, or any commercial purpose unrelated to school management.
4. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We may share data with:
4.1 Authorized School Staff
Data is shared only with authorised school administrators, teachers, and parents as per the access levels defined by the school.
4.2 Service Providers
We use trusted third-party services for cloud hosting, SMS/email delivery, and payment processing. These providers are contractually bound to handle data securely and only as instructed by us.
4.3 Legal Requirements
We may disclose data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court or government agency).
5. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your data:
- 256-bit AES encryption for data at rest
- TLS 1.3 encryption for data in transit
- Multi-factor authentication for administrator accounts
- Role-based access control (RBAC) to limit data access
- Regular security audits and penetration testing
- Automated backups with disaster recovery
- ISO 27001-aligned security practices
In the event of a data breach that affects your personal data, we will notify you as required by applicable law.
6. Data Retention
We retain personal data for as long as the school maintains an active subscription with CHERI SMS. Upon subscription termination:
- Schools can export all data before termination
- Data is deleted from our systems within 90 days of account closure
- Backup copies are purged within 180 days
Certain records may be retained longer if required by law (e.g., financial records).
7. Cookie Policy
Our website (cheriedu.com) and platform use cookies to improve your experience.
7.1 Types of Cookies We Use
- Essential Cookies: Required for the platform to function (session management, authentication). Cannot be disabled.
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use the website (e.g., Google Analytics). These are anonymised.
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences (language, theme).
7.2 Managing Cookies
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect some functionality of the platform. To opt out of Google Analytics, visit: tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
We do not use cookies for advertising or tracking purposes outside of our platform.
8. GDPR Rights (EU/UK Users)
If you are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, you have the following rights under GDPR:
- Right of Access: Request a copy of all personal data we hold about you.
- Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten").
- Right to Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data.
- Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@cheriedu.com. We will respond within 30 days.
8.1 Legal Basis for Processing
We process personal data on the following legal bases:
- Contract: Processing necessary to provide the school management service
- Legitimate Interests: Platform security, fraud prevention, and service improvement
- Legal Obligation: Compliance with applicable laws and regulations
- Consent: Where specifically requested (e.g., marketing communications)
9. Children's Privacy
CHERI SMS is a school management platform that processes data about students, including minors. This data is provided and managed by the school (acting as data controller). We process student data strictly as a data processor on behalf of the school.
Schools are responsible for obtaining any necessary parental consents required by local law before enrolling students in the CHERI SMS platform.
We do not allow children to create accounts directly on our website or contact forms.