At Cheadle Hulme School, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive digital environment where technology enhances learning, communication and personal development. We recognise that safeguarding our children from potentially harmful and inappropriate online material is an essential part of our wider safeguarding responsibilities. Our whole-school approach to online safety promotes the safe, responsible and effective use of technology by educating pupils, staff and parents/carers, while ensuring clear processes are in place to recognise, respond to and manage online safety concerns appropriately. We recognise that the breadth of issues encompassed by online safety is considerable and continually evolving. In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026, we categorise online safety risks into four key areas: - Content – being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content.
- Contact – being subjected to harmful online interactions with other users or with generative artificial intelligence (AI) applications that simulate human interaction.
- Conduct – engaging in or being exposed to online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm.
- Commerce – being exposed to risks associated with online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing, financial scams and other commercial exploitation.
The School will ensure that it maintains a whole-school approach to online safety that is embedded within its safeguarding culture, and complies with, and takes account of, all current statutory guidance and legislation relating to online safety, including Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026 and relevant Department for Education guidance on the use of generative AI in education.
The following commitments set out how the School will implement this approach through curriculum provision, staff development, the leadership of the safeguarding team and meaningful engagement with parents and carers. Curriculum - the School will:- The School will deliver a progressive, age-appropriate online safety curriculum through PSHE/RSE, Computing and cross-curricular opportunities, including assemblies, tutor activities and awareness campaigns. The curriculum will equip pupils to recognise, respond to and report online risks, including cyberbullying, online grooming, exploitation, coercion, scams, phishing, cybercrime, misinformation, radicalisation, the making or sharing of nudes or semi-nudes (including AI-generated images or deepfakes), and exposure to harmful or inappropriate content. Teaching will develop pupils' understanding of privacy, digital footprints, consent, respectful online relationships and the responsible use of technology through discussion, scenario-based learning, case studies and practical activities, enabling them to develop critical thinking, resilience and the confidence to seek support from trusted adults and appropriate external organisations. Curriculum content will be reviewed regularly to reflect emerging technologies, online behaviours and safeguarding risks.
Teacher Training - the School will: - Provide all staff with regular KCSIE-compliant (including Prevent and Safeguarding) online safety training updates as required and at least annually.
- Ensure staff understand current online safeguarding risks, including emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, social media, gaming platforms and online exploitation.
- Train staff to recognise, respond to and appropriately report online safety concerns in accordance with the School's safeguarding procedures.
- Ensure all staff understand and comply with the School's Acceptable Use Policy Agreements and Staff Code of Conduct (Breaches of these agreements are likely to result in disciplinary action).
- Provide additional specialist training for members of the safeguarding team and those with specific online safety responsibilities.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Safeguarding Team - the team will: - Lead the School's strategic approach to online safety and ensure compliance with statutory safeguarding guidance.
- Monitor emerging online safeguarding risks and update policies, procedures and practice accordingly.
- Ensure that all online safety concerns are recorded, assessed and managed in line with safeguarding procedures.
- Work closely with IT staff to ensure appropriate filtering and monitoring systems are in place, regularly reviewed and effective.
- Coordinate responses to online safety incidents, working with external agencies where appropriate.
- Support staff in managing online safeguarding concerns and provide advice where required.
- Ensure an annual review of the School's online safety arrangements, including risk assessment, policies and procedures.
- Monitor the effectiveness of online safety education and identify areas for improvement.
Parental Engagement, the School will: - Work in partnership with parents and carers to promote safe and responsible use of technology.
- Provide regular information, guidance and resources to help parents understand current online risks and how to support their children.
- Share advice on parental controls, privacy settings, social media, gaming, mobile devices and emerging technologies.
- Encourage parents and carers to report online safety concerns to the School promptly.
- Offer opportunities for parents to engage with online safety through newsletters, workshops, information evenings or digital communications.
Technical Measures - the School will:- Maintain appropriate filtering and monitoring systems that meet statutory expectations.
- Review the effectiveness of filtering and monitoring systems at least once every academic year, and following any significant changes to the School's digital infrastructure or systems.
- Ensure the annual review is led by the Head, supported by the DSL and IT staff.
- Maintain records of all filtering and monitoring reviews, including any actions identified and implemented.
- Regularly review and audit the security of the School's network and digital systems.
- Implement Acceptable Use Agreements for staff, pupils, governors and visitors.
- Provide clear procedures for reporting breaches of acceptable use and responding to incidents.
- Publish clear guidance on the appropriate use of personal devices and staff communication with pupils and parents.
- Take all reasonable steps to ensure that the School's digital infrastructure is safe, secure and fit for purpose.
Mobile PhonesThe School recognises that unrestricted access to mobile phones can increase the risk of cyberbullying, online abuse and the unauthorised sharing of images or videos. To help safeguard pupils, CHS operates as a mobile phone-free school. Pupils (except Sixth Form students) are not permitted to access mobile phones during the school day. Any concerns relating to the misuse of mobile phones or other personal devices will be managed in accordance with the School's Behaviour, Safeguarding and Online Safety policies. Role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) has overall responsibility for the school's approach to online safety and will ensure that online safeguarding arrangements are effective and reflect the requirements of KCSIE 2026. The DSL will: - Lead the School's response to online safeguarding concerns, including cyberbullying, online abuse, child-on-child abuse, online exploitation, the making or sharing of nudes or semi-nudes, and incidents involving artificial intelligence (AI).
- Ensure all online safety concerns are recorded, assessed and managed appropriately, with referrals made to external agencies where necessary.
- Work with the IT staff to ensure online safeguarding systems remain effective.
- Provide advice, guidance and training to staff on emerging online risks and statutory requirements.
- Work alongside the Director of Technology to ensure that pupils receive an age-appropriate online safety curriculum and that parents/carers are supported in promoting online safety at home.
- Monitor trends in online safety incidents and use this information to inform safeguarding practice, staff training and curriculum development.
- Report significant online safety concerns and emerging risks to the Head and Governing Body as appropriate.
Further detail about the practice and guidelines that create an “online safety culture” will be referred to in the School’s Online Safety Procedures, linked below. |