Cookies and your choices

The three kinds of cookie we use

Strictly necessary

Always on. They store your theme preference and your cookie choice on this device, and let features you ask for work, such as keeping your place in a practice test. Consent is not needed for these, as the cookie guidance from the Data Protection Commission explains.

Analytics

Off until you agree. Google Analytics uses them to count visits and see how pages are used, so we know what to improve.

Advertising

Not used until ads run on the site, and then off until you agree. Google and its advertising partners use them to show ads, limit how often the same ad appears, measure ads and detect fraud. Third parties, including Google, may place and read cookies on your browser. Ads on this site are set up not to be personalised.

Before you choose

Every visitor starts with analytics and advertising storage refused in Google Consent Mode, so nothing in those two groups is stored until you agree.

While consent is refused, Google Analytics still measures visits in a cookieless mode, and your IP address and browser details reach Google. The privacy notice explains what it receives.

Change your choices

The Cookie settings link in the footer of every page opens your choices again. Reject all sits beside Accept all and takes no more steps, and in Settings you can turn analytics on or off at any time. Turning it off deletes the analytics cookies listed below from your browser.

We keep your choice for no longer than six months, then ask again, as the Data Protection Commission advises. Clearing site data in your browser also clears your choice, so the choices appear again on your next visit.

Source: Data Protection Commission, Guidance note on cookies and other tracking technologies, checked on 2026-09-15

Cookie names and what each one does

Set only after you accept analytics:

_ga

Google Analytics. Tells one browser from another across visits. Lasts 2 years.

_ga_<id>

Google Analytics. Keeps track of the current visit to this site. Lasts 2 years.

Your theme preference and your cookie choice are kept in your browser storage on this device, not in cookies, and are never sent to us.

Source: Google, [GA4] Cookie usage on websites, checked on 2026-09-16