Cookies
Cookie information
About our cookies
When you use our websites, a number of cookies identified with our domain name (topeducation.uk) are stored in your web browser. Your consent to this is assumed in your continued use of the site. Instructions on how to delete cookies from your browser can be found at the bottom of this page.
1. System cookies
Topeducation.uk websites use cookies which are essential for its software to work properly, including:
| name | validity | purpose |
|---|---|---|
| CFID | session | System – sessionID (with CFTOKEN) |
| CFTOKEN | session | System – sessionID (with CFID) |
| recently-viewed | 20 mins’ | Recently viewed’ panel |
| dd-wrapper-* | session | jQuery drilldown menus |
2. Google Analytics cookies
These cookies are set and used by Google Analytics software, and all our webpages use them. We use Google Analytics to track how people use our website, and this helps us to make sure our content is relevant and up-to-date. When a tracking script is be loaded, cookies with names beginning “__utm” are set by Google. The data they hold is sent to directly to Google. More information on this is available from Google.
| name | validity | purpose |
|---|---|---|
| consent_google | 90 days | (true/false) – determines whether user has accepted or declined use of Google Analytics cookies. If set to true, utm cookies (below) will also be set by Google under our domain name. |
| __utma | 2 years | Google Analytics – unique browser ID |
| __utmb | 30 mins | Google Analytics – session ID (with __utmc) |
| __utmc | session | Google Analytics – session ID (with __utmb) |
| __utmv | 2 years | Google Analytics – visitor id |
| __utmz | 6 months | Google Analytics – referral information |
| _dc_gtm_UA- | 10 mins | Google Analytics (Tag Manager) |
3. Other cookies
Third party cookies: Google Analytics cookies aren’t strictly “third party” because they are set under our own domain name, topeducation.uk. Where other website applications (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc) are included in our pages, these sites will usually install cookies in your browser, listed under their respective domain names. You might be able to opt out of receiving these altogether, depending on whether or not you web browser gives you the choice of accepting or blocking third party cookies. You will need to look in your browser settings to see if this is possible.
Finding cookies in your browser
| PC | MAC |
|---|---|
| Firefox: Tools > Options > Privacy > Show Cookies… | Firefox: Preferences > Privacy > History > Use custom settings for history > Show cookies… |
| Chrome: Settings > Privacy > Content Settings > Cookies > All cookies and site data | Chrome: Settings > Under the Bonnet > Privacy > Content Settings > Cookies > All cookies and site data |
| IE 8: Tools > Internet Options > General > Browsing history > Settings > View files (to see cookies and values). Tools > Internet Options > Privacy > Advanced (to override automatic cookie handling, accept/reject third party cookies, etc) | Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Cookies and other website data |
For more information on the new legislation regarding cookies, see the Information Commissioner’s Office guidelines (PDF).
For useful information on cookies, see the About Cookies website.