airlawn and Haseltine Federation

Online Safety Policy

September 2015

Online safety encompasses Internet technologies and electronic communications such as mobile phones and wireless technology. It highlights the need to educate children and young people about the benefits and risks of using technology, and provides safeguards and awareness for users regarding content and contact with others, to enable them to control their online experiences.

This policy has built on the London Grid for Learning exemplar policy, Kent e-safety policy and Becta government guidance.

This policy will be reviewed annually.

Written by Kim Clark and Aimee Steele in September 2015.

Purpose and Intentions

This policy has been written in order to:

  • Ensure the safety of our pupils in the ‘digital world’
  • Set out the key principles expected of all members of the schools’ community with respect to the use of technologies.
  • Set clear expectations of behaviour and/or codes of practice relevant to responsible use of the Internet for educational, personal or recreational use.
  • Have clear structures to deal with online abuse such as cyber-bullying, the intentional misuse of technology or privacy issues.

Context - The technologies

Current and emerging Internet and online technologies used in school and, more importantly in many cases, used outside of school by children include:

  • The Internet – World Wide Web
  • e-mail
  • Instant messaging (often using simple web cams) e.g. Instant Messenger
  • Web based voice and video calling (e.g. Skype)
  • Online chat rooms
  • Online discussion forums
  • Social networking sites (e.g. Facebook)
  • Blogs and Micro-blogs (e.g. Twitter)
  • Video broadcasting sites (e.g. You Tube)
  • Music and video downloading (e.g. iTunes)
  • Mobile phones with camera and video functionality
  • Smart phones with e-mail, messaging and internet access
  • Apps (Instagram, whatsapp etc)

Assessing risks

As a Federation, we are aware of these risks when accessing online technologies:

  • Exposure to inappropriate content, including online pornography, and ignoring age ratings in games (exposure to violence and inappropriate content)
  • Lifestyle websites, for example pro-anorexia/self-harm/suicide sites
  • Hate sites
  • Content validation: how to check authenticity and accuracy of online content
  • Inappropriate contact with others.

The school will take all reasonable precautions to prevent access to inappropriate material. However, due to the international scale and linked Internet content, it is not possible to guarantee that unsuitable material will never appear on a school computer. Neither the school nor Lewisham LEA can accept liability for the material accessed, or any consequences of Internet access.

Class teachers will be responsible for monitoring the children’s online safety and ‘netiquette’ during school hours.

Teaching and Learning

Internet content

Pupils should be taught:

  • Skills of Information Literacy, that is,to be critically aware of the materials they read and the importance of cross-checking information before accepting its accuracy.
  • to always report unpleasant, offensive or distressing internet content directly to an adult at the time that it occurs, so that action can be taken.

Email and other cloud applications (Google Apps)

Pupils should be taught:

  • About the risks of ‘spam’ and ‘spoofing’ and how to report it
  • About the risks of opening attachments from unknown senders
  • How to identify and report cases of grooming
  • About the seriousness of e-bullying when partaking in discussions, emails and instant messages.
  • How to correctly reference materials they have found from other sources so as not to infringe copyright or the intellectual property of others.
  • How to communicate and collaborate appropriately by becoming increasingly aware of ‘netiquette’.

Portable Devices

Pupils should be taught:

  • That due to portable devices always being accessible, there are dangers of overuse (and therefore social exclusion) of, and, unsolicited contact, by text and picture message / social media through mobile phones.

Videoconferencing/Webcams (also includes use of Skype and Facetime)

Pupils should be taught:

  • The appropriate behaviours/conduct to adopt when using a webcam.
  • The dangers of using a webcam outside of school.

The use of webcam technology will always be facilitated by a member of staff.

Managing Pupil Internet Access and Other Technologies

Information system security

  • School technology systems capacity and security will be reviewed regularly.
  • All students have a shared log in, with access to a student shared area.
  • Virus protection will be installed on all school computers and updated regularly in light of new virusesandTrojan horses that weaken the schools’ security.
  • All software installations and updates are done by the technician.
  • The schools’ wireless access points are encrypted to prevent outside access.

Internet

  • The school Internet access will be designed solely for pupil use and will include filtering appropriate to the age of pupils. Filtering is provided by LGFL.
  • The school will work in partnership with the Internet Service Provider LGFL to ensure systems to protect pupils are reviewed and improved.
  • Pupils are unable to download anything onto computers or ipads due to password protection.
  • Public chat-rooms and instant messaging are not allowed and are blocked using the school Internet filter.
  • Children must adhere to the Online Safety Agreement, which will be signed at the beginning of every year (see Appendix 1 for Early years agreement, Appendix 2 for KS1 agreement and Appendix 3 for KS2 agreement. Appendix 1 m ay also be used for children who are on the Autistic Spectrum)
  • The technician will ensure that regular checks are made to ensure that the filtering methods selected are appropriate, effective and reasonable.
  • Children will be taught to use search engines to find appropriate content on the Internet.
  • Parents will be asked to sign an agreement on entry to school to pertain to the schools’Online Safety Agreement regarding Internet access (see Appendix 4)
  • In the Early Years, internet access is facilitated by a member of staff
  • Children will be taught the ‘SMART’ rules when using the internet (These are stated on the Online Safety Agreement)

Email

  • Pupils may only use approved Google Apps for Educationemail accounts on the school system.
  • Unless involved in a specific project where outside communication is required, all children’s email addresses must be placed within a ‘safe list,’ which only allows them to send and receive emails to/from internal addresses within the school.
  • Pupils must immediately tell a teacher if they receive an offensive email.
  • If pupils send emails containing inappropriate language, a copy of the email will be sent to the Online Safety lead, so that action can be taken.
  • Pupils must not reveal personal details of themselves or others in email communication, or arrange to meet anyone without specific permission.
  • The forwarding of chain letters is not permitted.

Portable Devices

  • Pupils are not allowed to use personal mobile phones, or other similar devices at school. Pupils who may need them on their journey to and from school, may store them securely in school.

Learning Platform (Google Apps)

  • Activity on the Learning Platform will be monitored to ensure that the content posted by users is valid and does not infringe the intellectual property rights of others.
  • Children are not to input their own images on their contact cards, and are to be encouraged to use an ‘avatar’.

Published content and the school web site

  • The schools’ Senior Leadership Teams will take overall editorial responsibility and ensure that content is accurate and appropriate.

Publishing and storing pupils’ images and learning

  • Parents who do not want their children’s photos taken and published on the website must opt out in writing when the child enrols.
  • Pupils’ full names will not be used anywhere on the Web site or Blog, particularly in association with photographs.
  • Pupil image file names will not refer to the pupil by name.
  • Pupil image files should be securely stored on the school network.

Social networking, personal publishing and blogging

  • Pupils will be advised never to give out personal details of any kind that may identify them or their location.
  • We encourage the use of blogs ad school based social networking sites (Such as Edmodo) in school. Pupils and parents will be advised that the use of social network spaces outside school brings a range of dangers for primary aged pupils.
  • The use of non-educational social networks is not permitted at school.
  • Children will be taught to apply the ‘netiquette’ rules when networking, publishing or blogging (These are stated on the Online Safety Agreement)

Managing emerging technologies

  • Emerging technologies will be examined for educational benefit and risk before use in school is allowed.

Protecting personal data

  • Personal data will be recorded, processed, transferred and made available according to the Data Protection Act 1998.

Out of Hours Provision

  • There are breakfast and after school clubs that run each day. iPads are available during these times. Access to the Internet is always supervised by staff at the clubs and these clubs always adhere to the Online Safety Policy.

Breaches of the online safety agreement

As there are so many different aspects to consider with online safety, any breach of the online safety agreement will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

However, to support teachers to respond to safety incidents in school appropriately, the following guidelines are given:

For incidents where children deliberately access material that is not related to the learning (e.g. online games, celebrity pictures, music downloads, sport websites etc), or there are minor breaches of the netiquette procedures, we will:

  • Follow school behaviour policy and reiterate expectations and responsible use.

If this issue persists, then it will need to be referred to Senior Leadership.

For incidents where children deliberately access or create offensive material (e.g. pornographic images, racist, sexist or hate website or images, publishing, blogging or emailing offensive comments), we will:

  • Report incidents to the Senior Leadership Team
  • Ensure that the Online Safety leader records the incident on our Online Safety log (which is saved on the server). Depending on the offence, the following sanctions may be applied:

-Contacting the parents to discuss the incident

-Removal of Internet privileges for a period of time.

-Children acknowledging and rectifying their actions.

With all serious incidents, the child must re sign the Online Safety Agreement. Parents and carers should be involved in this, and support given if required.

Subsequent incidents will be treated very seriously by the Head of School and may result in exclusion and/or police involvement.

Complaints of a child protection nature must be dealt with in accordance with school child protection procedures.

After any breach of the Online Safety agreement, the Senior Leadership team will review online safety procedures, and this policy, to reduce the likelihoodof a reoccurrence. Any action taken, or changes made, as a result of each incident, will be recorded on the Online Safety log.

Cyber bullying

Online bullying and harassment via Instant messaging, texting, e-mail, social networks and chat-rooms are potential problems that can have a serious effect on pupils. Pupils are encouraged to discuss any concerns or worries they have about online bullying and harassment with staff.

Complaints of cyber-bullying are dealt with in accordance with our Anti-Bullying Policy.

Staff and online safety

Please refer to the Staff Online Safety contract for The Federation’s expectations regarding staff conduct (Appendix 5).

Parental Involvement

Online safety workshops for parents will be held throughout the year. Each parent will read, sign and return an Online Safety Agreement at the start of each year (see Appendix 5)

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