What are cookies?
Cookies are text files containing small amounts of information, often including a unique identifier, which are downloaded to your device when you visit a website – if your browser preferences allow it. Cookies are then accessed by the originating website on each subsequent visit. Cookies can be useful because they allow a website to recognise a user’s device.

How are cookies used on the University of Birmingham School website?
The cookies we use on the uobschool.org.uk website are there to allow you to perform the services you require and to assist us in providing a better website for our users. We also use cookies to enable us to send you messages about the School, which will be based on your visits to our website, when you are visiting either our website or other websites. We do not use cookies to store information that identifies you as an individual. We encourage you to accept the cookies we serve. However, if you wish to restrict or block the cookies which are set by our or any other website, you can do this through your browser settings. Please see ‘How to control and delete cookies’ for more information.

Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics cookies to hold information about your visit to our site. This helps us better identify the use and popularity of our services and how successfully the website is functioning. If you do not wish us to do this, you can opt out of the Analytics service by installing an add-on for your browser. This can be found at http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Alternatively you can delete or restrict the cookies as for any other cookie – see ‘How to control and delete cookies’ for more information.

Google Advertising
We use Google Advertising Features to target advertising to users of our website, specifically the Adwords remarketing feature. If you do not wish us to do this, you can opt out of this service by installing the same Google Analytics opt-out add-on for your browser (http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout), by visiting Google’s Ads Settings or by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt out page. This feature in AdWords allows us to reach people who previously visited the University of Birmingham School website, and match the right people with the right message

Types of cookies
– Session Cookies
Session cookies are created temporarily when a user visits a website. Once the user leaves the site/closes the browser, the session cookie is deleted.
– Persistent Cookies
A persistent cookie file remains on the user’s device and is re-activated when the user visits the website that created that particular cookie. These cookies expire after a certain period (set in the file), or can be removed manually.

Classification of cookies
The cookies on this website have additionally been categorised based on the categories found in the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) UK Cookie Guide.
– Strictly necessary cookies: These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the website.
– Performance cookies: These cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. These cookies don’t collect information that identify a visitor. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous.
– Functionality cookies: These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make [such as your username, language or the region you are in] and provide enhanced, more personal features. For instance, a website may be able to provide you with local weather reports or traffic news by storing in a cookie the region in which you are currently located. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts and other parts of web pages you can customise. They may also be used to provide services you have asked for such as watching videos or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect may be anonymised and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.
– Targeting/advertising cookies: These cookies are used to deliver adverts more relevant to you and your interests. They are also used to limit the number of time you see an advertisement as well as help measure the effectiveness of the advertising campaign.

Cookies used on the uobschool.org.uk website
Our site makes use of cookies from WordPress, Google Analytics and Google Adwords.

How to control and delete cookies
You can manage cookie usage through your browser settings. The help function in your preferred browser should provide you with the correct information. Some browsers provide helpful cookie guides:

• Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=95647&p=cpn_cookies
• Firefox: http://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/Cookies
• Internet Explorer: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/278835
• Safari 5 for Mac: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Safari/5.0/en/9277.html
• Opera: http://help.opera.com/Linux/10.50/en/cookies.html

Alternatively, http://www.allaboutcookies.org provides advice on how to do this, and further information on cookies and how to manage them.
In addition Google Analytics offer their own opt-out options: http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
In the case of some mobile devices, it may be necessary to consult the device’s instruction manual to manage cookies effectively.

More information
All about cookies
Cookies and Google Analytics
ICC UK Cookie Guide (pdf)
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

Contact us
If you have any questions or comments about the University of Birmingham’s cookie policy, please contact us by emailing welcome@uobschool.org.uk or by post at the address below:

University of Birmingham School
12 Weoley Park Road
Birmingham
B29 6QU