Ashcombe School Online Safety

Ashcombe Primary School

School Online Safety Policy

 

The online Safety Policy relates to other policies including Computing, Anti -Bullying and Child Protection/safeguarding policies. It will also be used in conjunction with the recommended e-safety guidance policy from South West Grid for Learning.

 

• The school will appoint an online Safety leader (Jo Rose)

 

• Our online Safety Policy has been written by the school to take into account the school online safety self review tool (south west grid for learning) and government guidance. It has been agreed by senior management and approved by governors, school council and parent council.

 

• The online Safety Policy and its implementation will be reviewed annually.

 

Teaching and Learning

 

Why Internet use is important

 

• The Internet is an essential element in 21st century life for education, business

and social interaction. The school has a duty to provide students with quality Internet access as part of their learning experience.

 

• Internet use is a part of the statutory curriculum and a necessary tool for staff

and pupils.

 

Internet use will enhance learning

 

• The Internet access provided at school will be designed expressly for pupil use and will

include filtering appropriate to the age of pupils.

 

• Pupils will be taught what Internet use is acceptable and what is not. Age appropriate acceptable user policies will be explained to and signed by all children and their parents annually. Children will be given clear objectives for Internet use and will be expected to actively promote safe internet use.

 

• Pupils will be educated in the effective use of the Internet in research, including the skills of knowledge location, retrieval and evaluation.

 

Pupils will be taught how to evaluate Internet content

 

• The school will ensure that the use of Internet derived materials by staff and pupils complies with copyright law.

 

• As they become more able, pupils should be taught to be critically aware of the

materials they read and shown how to validate information before accepting its

accuracy.

 

Managing Internet Access

Information system security

 

• School ICT systems capacity and security will be reviewed regularly with our ICT technical support (Agilysis and 2IT).

 

• Virus protection will be updated regularly in line with expert guidance.

 

• Security strategies will be discussed with the senior management team and appropriate guidance followed.

 

E-mail

 

• Pupils may only use approved e-mail accounts on the school system.

 

• Pupils must immediately tell a teacher if they receive offensive e-mail.

 

• Pupils must not reveal personal details of themselves or others in e-mail communication, or arrange to meet anyone without specific permission.

 

• E-mail sent to an external organisation should be written carefully and authorised before sending, in the same way as a letter written on school headed paper.

 

• The forwarding of chain letters by staff or pupils is not permitted.

 

• Staff should use their Outlook 365 account for all school-related emails. This is essential when sending emails to pupils and parents.

 

Published content and the school web site

 

• The contact details on the Web site should be the school address, e-mail and telephone number. Staff or pupils’ personal information will not be published.

 

• The headteacher will delegate overall editorial responsibility to named members of staff who will  ensure that the website content is accurate and appropriate.

 

Publishing pupil’s images and work

 

• Photographs that include pupils will be selected carefully and will not include children where parental consent has been refused.

 

• Pupils’ full names will not be used anywhere on the Web site or Blog, (first name only), particularly in association with photographs.

 

• Written permission from parents or carers will be obtained before photographs

are published on the school Web site. Permission renewed yearly.

 

Social networking and personal publishing

 

• The school will block access to social networking sites from the school hardware. If a proxy server is used by staff or pupils this would be a disciplinary matter.

 

• Newsgroups will be blocked unless a specific use is approved.

 

• Pupils will be advised never to give out personal details of any kind which may

identify them or their location.

 

• Pupils and parents will be advised through the school newsletter that the use

of social network spaces outside school is inappropriate for primary aged

pupils. If, however, parents do allow their children to use such sites at home it

should be under close supervision.

Staff should be constantly aware of their professional life when using social networking sites away from work. They should avoid all contact with pupils through such sites & ensure that no comments (however innocent) are made about school matters.

Managing filtering

 

• The school will work with the LA, DCSF and the Internet Service Provider to

ensure systems to protect pupils are reviewed and improved.

 

• If staff or pupils discover an unsuitable site, it must be reported to the Online Safety

Leader.

 

• Senior staff will ensure that regular checks are made to ensure that the filtering

methods selected are appropriate, effective and reasonable.

 

Advice will be provided to staff, children and parents on a regular basis on how to set parental controls and social network settings to safeguard children & staff.

 

Managing videoconferencing

 

• IP videoconferencing should use the educational broadband network to ensure

quality of service and security rather than the Internet.

 

• Pupils should ask permission from the supervising teacher before making or

answering a videoconference call.

 

• Videoconferencing will be appropriately supervised for the pupils’ age.

 

Managing emerging technologies

 

• Emerging technologies will be examined for educational benefit and a risk

assessment will be carried out before use in school is allowed.

 

• Mobile phones are not encouraged in school. However the school understands that mobile phones offer older children added protection when they are travelling to/from school independently. When used in this way children must either pass the phone (switched off) to a member of staff for safe keeping until 3.15 or switch it off/turn to silent and store phone safely. The phone should not be used by the child during the school day unless permission has been given by the Headteacher.

 

• The sending of abusive or inappropriate text messages at any time within the school community is strictly forbidden and would be dealt with seriously.

 

• Any mobile phone brought into school remains the responsibility of the owner.

 

Protecting personal data

 

o Personal data will be recorded, processed, transferred and made available

according to the Data Protection Act 1998.

 

Policy Decisions

Authorising Internet access

 

• All staff must read and sign the ‘Acceptable ICT Use Agreement’ before using

any school ICT resource.

 

• The school will keep a record of all staff and pupils who are granted Internet

access. The record will be kept up-to-date, for instance a member of staff may

leave or a pupil’s access be withdrawn.

 

• • There will always be an adult in close proximity when children are accessing the internet to monitor usage.

 

• Parents will be asked to sign and return a consent form giving children

permission to use the Internet according to these guidelines and supporting

the e-safety policy

 

Assessing risks

 

• The school will take all reasonable precautions to ensure that users access

only appropriate material. However, due to the international scale and linked

nature of Internet content, it is not possible to guarantee that unsuitable

material will never appear on a school computer. Neither the school nor NSC

can accept liability for the material accessed, or any consequences of Internet

access.

 

• The school will audit ICT provision to establish if the online safety policy is

adequate and that its implementation is effective.

 

Handling online safety complaints

 

• Complaints of Internet misuse will be dealt with by a senior member of staff.

 

• Any complaint about staff misuse must be referred to the headteacher.

 

• Complaints of a child protection nature must be dealt with in accordance with

school child protection procedures.

 

• Pupils and parents will be informed of the complaints procedure.

 

• Discussions may be held with the Police about the handling of potentially

illegal issues.

 

Communications Policy

Introducing the e-safety policy to pupils

 

• Online safety rules will be posted in classrooms and in the ICT suites. It will be discussed with the pupils at regular intervals in the year and a signed class agreement displayed.

 

• Pupils will be informed that network and Internet use will be monitored, any misuse will result in sanctions being imposed and could result in suspension of computer or internet access.

 

Staff and the online Safety policy

 

• All staff will be given the School online Safety Policy and its importance explained.

 

• Staff should be aware that Internet traffic can be monitored and traced to the individual user. Discretion and professional conduct is essential.

 

Enlisting parents’ support

 

• Parents’ attention will be drawn to the School online Safety Policy in newsletters,

the school prospectus and on the school Website.