Otiya Retention and Deletion Schedule
Version 1.0 · 14 October 2026
This schedule sets out how long Helixus Ltd (Otiya) keeps each kind of data used in Otiya for Schools, and how it is deleted. It forms Annex 4 of the Otiya Data Processing Agreement.
Otiya deletes data automatically when its time is up. A clean-up runs every hour and removes anything past its retention period.
Retention periods
| Data | Kept for | How it is deleted |
|---|
| Live game rooms: nicknames, avatars, answers, scores and pictures | 90 days after the room was last used | Automatically |
|---|
| Homework: the assignment, nicknames or initials, answers and scores | 12 months after the homework's closing date, or sooner if the teacher deletes it | The teacher can delete it at any time ("Homework deleted, with its results"); otherwise automatically |
|---|
| Saved class reports (class totals only, no pupil names) | 12 months after the report is saved, or sooner if the teacher deletes it | The teacher can delete it at any time; otherwise automatically |
|---|
| Staff accounts (name, email, role) | While the account is in use | Staff can ask for deletion from their account, or the school can ask us to remove a leaver. We delete within 30 days |
|---|
| School workspace (name, logo, class labels, shared quizzes) | While the school uses Otiya | Within 30 days after a 30 day export window at the end of the agreement |
|---|
| Quizzes made by staff | While the account or workspace exists | Staff can delete them at any time; they are removed with the account or workspace |
|---|
| otiya AI retry records (questions held so a retry gets the same answer) | 1 hour | Automatically |
|---|
| Files and photos sent to otiya AI | Not kept after the questions are written | Never stored |
|---|
| Security request counters (hashed, no content) | 24 hours | Automatically |
|---|
| Website visit counts (no cookies, a daily one-way code) | The daily code is deleted after 2 days; counts are kept as totals | Automatically |
|---|
| Otiya Kids usage | Anonymous totals only, with nothing about any child | Kept as totals |
|---|
| Support and safeguarding emails | 2 years after the matter is closed, unless a safeguarding concern means it must be kept longer | Reviewed and deleted once a year |
|---|
| Hosting logs | A short period set by our hosting provider | Automatically by the provider |
|---|
Backups
We keep safety copies of the database so we can recover from a mistake or a fault. There are two kinds:
- a daily backup, kept for 21 days
- a rolling recovery window covering the last 7 days
Both stay in the same Europe location as the database, are encrypted, and can only be used by the people who run Otiya. When data is deleted, it leaves the live database straight away, the recovery window within 7 days, and the last backup within 21 days. We never restore a backup to bring back data that was deleted on schedule or at a school's request.
Data that stays on the pupil's or adult's device
These never reach Otiya's servers, so there is nothing for us to delete:
- Inclusive Live Play Profile choices (kept in the pupil's browser)
- Otiya Kids names, avatars, age bands, answers and scores (kept in the adult's browser)
- Exam practice answers
- Flashcard progress
- Files imported from Word, Excel or other quiz tools
- Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams class lists and grades (handled in the teacher's browser)
Clearing the browser's data removes them.
When a school leaves
- The school can export its quizzes and reports for 30 days after the agreement ends.
- Within 30 days after that, we delete the school workspace, its staff memberships, homework and saved reports. Backup copies are gone 21 days later.
- We confirm deletion in writing on request.
Asking for deletion
Schools can email hello@otiya.xyz with "Deletion request" in the subject. Please include the workspace name and, for a pupil, the game code, date and nickname used. We act within one month, as data protection law requires.
Trust and safety | Otiya for Schools | Privacy
