ONLINE SAFETY POLICY

E-Safety Policy

This policy applies to EYFS

ICT IN THE CURRICULUM

Technology is an integral part of teaching and learning at St Christopher’s School. It is a crucial component of every academic subject, and it is also taught as a subject in its own right.

All of our pupils are taught how to research on the Internet and to evaluate sources. They are educated in the importance of evaluating the intellectual integrity of different sites and why some apparently authoritative sites need to be treated with caution. Some sites that appear to be serious, impartial, historical sites, actually masquerade as sources of racist, homophobic or other offensive propaganda. Some free, on-line encyclopaedias do not evaluate or screen the material posted on them.

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR PUPILS’ LIVES

Technology plays an enormously important part in the lives of all young people. Sophisticated games consoles, computers, tablets and mobile phones provide unlimited access to the Internet, to SMS messages, to blogging services (like Twitter), to video chat services, to wikis (collaborative web pages), chat rooms, social networking sites (such as Facebook, SnapChat, Instagram and WhatsApp) and video sharing sites (such as YouTube). This communications revolution gives young people unrivalled opportunities. It also brings risks. It is an important part of our role at St Christopher’s to teach our pupils how to stay safe in the online environment and how to avoid making themselves vulnerable to a range of risks, including identity theft, bullying, harassment, grooming, stalking and abuse. They also need to learn how to avoid the risk of exposing themselves to subsequent embarrassment.

ROLE OF OUR TECHNICAL STAFF

With the explosion of recent technology, we recognise that blocking and barring sites is no longer adequate. We need to teach all of our pupils to understand why they need to behave responsibly if they are to protect themselves. This aspect is a role for the Head of ICT, Designated Safeguarding Officer i/c of Online Safety and other ICT teachers. Our technical support staff play a key role in maintaining a safe technical infrastructure at the school and in keeping abreast with the rapid succession of technical developments. They are responsible for the security of our hardware system, ensuring the school’s adherence to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and for training our teaching and administrative staff in the use of ICT. They monitor the use of the Internet and emails and will report inappropriate usage to the Head of ICT, who will keep the Head informed.

ROLE OF OUR DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD AND ONLINE SAFETY AND EDUCATION COORDINATOR

We recognise that Internet safety is a child protection and general safeguarding issue. Bridget Laatz is the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, supported by William Groves (Deputy DSL and Designated Safeguarding Officer i/c of Online Safety, and Head of ICT). The ICT Handbook promotes a culture of responsible use of technology, which is consistent with the ethos of our school. All of the staff with pastoral responsibilities receive regular training in e-safety issues. Strong links between the school’s PSHEE programme and the ICT department ensure that all year groups in the school are educated in the risks and reasons why they need to behave responsibly online. The DSL and Deputy DSL are trained in E-Safety issues and made aware must be made aware of any issues arising involving:

• sharing of personal data
• access to illegal / inappropriate materials
• inappropriate on-line contact with adults / strangers
• potential or actual incidents of grooming
• cyber-bullying.

MISUSE – A STATEMENT OF POLICY

At St Christopher’s School we will not tolerate the downloading of any illegal material and the Designated Safeguarding Lead will always report illegal activity to the police and/ or the Local Child Safeguarding Board (LCSB). If we discover that a child or young person is at risk as a consequence of online activity, the Designated Safeguarding Lead may seek assistance from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Unit (CEOP). The Designated Safeguarding Lead will handle all allegations of misuse of the internet and social media. The Head may impose a range of sanctions on any pupil who misuses technology in order to bully, harass or abuse another pupil in line with our Anti-bullying Policy. The Head also reserves the right to impose sanctions on any pupil who misuses technology in order to bully, harass or abuse staff at St Christopher's.  

INVOLVEMENT WITH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

We seek to work closely with parents and guardians in promoting a culture of e-safety. We will always contact you if we have any worries about your son or daughter’s online behaviour, and we hope that you will feel able to share any worries with us. We recognise that not all parents may feel equipped to protect their son or daughter when they use electronic equipment at home. We therefore aim to arrange discussion evenings for parents where a specialist can advise about the potential hazards of this technology, and the practical steps that parents can take to minimise the potential dangers to their sons and daughters without curbing their natural enthusiasm and curiosity.

CHARTER FOR THE SAFE USE OF THE INTERNET AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES

“Children and young people need to be empowered to keep themselves safe. This isn’t just about a top-down approach. Children will be children - pushing boundaries and taking risks. At a public swimming pool we have gates, put up signs, have lifeguards and shallow ends; but we also teach children how to swim.” Dr Tanya Byron “Safer Children in a digital world: the report of the Byron Review”.

E-safety is a whole-school responsibility and at St Christopher’s School the staff and pupils have adopted the following Charter for the safe use of the Internet at school:

Cyberbullying

• Cyberbullying is a particularly pernicious form of bullying as it can be so pervasive and anonymous. There can be no safe haven for the victim, who can be targeted at any time or place. Our school’s Anti-bullying Policy describes the preventative measures and procedures that will be followed when we discover cases of bullying.
• Proper supervision of pupils plays an important part in creating a safe ICT environment at school, but everyone needs to learn how to stay safe outside school.
• We value all of our pupils equally. It is part of the ethos of St Christopher’s School to promote considerate behaviour and to value diversity.
• Bullying and harassment in any form should always be reported to a member of staff. It is never the victim’s fault, and he or she should not be afraid to come forward.

Treating Other Users with Respect

• We expect pupils to treat staff and each other online with the same standards of consideration and good manners as they would in the course of face-to-face contact. Pupils should always follow the school’s Code of Conduct.
• Everyone has a right to feel secure and to be treated with respect, particularly the vulnerable. Harassment and bullying will not be tolerated. Our Anti-bullying Policy available on our website and from the school office. The school is strongly committed to promoting equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, gender, gender orientation or physical disability.
• All pupils are encouraged to look after each other, and to report any concerns or worries about the misuse of technology, to a member of the pastoral staff.

Keeping the School Network Safe

• We adhere to UK General Data Protection Regulations (UK GDPR) for the protection of data.
• We adhere to the BECTA guidelines regarding E-teaching and the Internet.
• Certain sites are blocked by our filtering system and our ICT Department monitors pupils’ use of the network.

• We issue all pupils in the Middle and Upper School with their own personal school login, which is password-protected. We give guidance on the reasons for always logging off and for keeping all passwords securely.
• Access to sites such as Hotmail are not allowed on the school’s network.
• Pupils are not allowed to access the internet or the ICT suite if they are not supervised by a member of staff.
• We have strong anti-virus protection on our network, which is operated by the ICT Department.
• Any member of staff or pupil, who wishes to connect a removable device to the school’s network is asked to arrange in advance with the ICT Department to check it for viruses.

Promoting Safe Use of Technology

The school will arrange annual Safer Internet Days. Pupils of all ages are encouraged to make use of the excellent online resources that are available from sites such as:

• Think U Know (www.thinkuknow.co.uk)
• Cyber Mentors (www.cybermentors.org.uk)
• Cyberbullying (www.cyberbullying.org)
• E-Victims (www.e-victims.org)
• Bullying UK (www.bullying.co.uk)

Pupils often prepare their own models of good practice, which form the subject of presentations at assemblies. They cover the different hazards on the Internet, such as grooming, stalking, abuse, bullying, harassment and identity theft. Guidance covers topics such as saving yourself from future embarrassment, explaining that any blog or photograph posted onto the Internet is there permanently. Anything that has been deleted may be cached in a search engine, company server or Internet archive and cause embarrassment years later.

Safe Use of Personal Electronic Equipment

• Our guidance is that no one should put anything onto the web that they would not say to their grandmother!

• We offer guidance on the safe use of social networking sites and cyberbullying, which covers blocking and removing contacts from “buddy lists”.
• Our lessons include guidance on how pupils can identify the signs of a Cyber- stalker, and what they should do if they are worried about being harassed or stalked online.
• We offer guidance on keeping names, addresses, passwords, mobile phone numbers and other personal details safe. Privacy is essential in the e-world.
• We give guidance on how to keep safe at home, by encrypting your home wireless network, not opening unknown attachments and reporting any illegal content. Similarly we cover how a mobile phone filter can be activated, and how to block nuisance callers.
• We advise on the responsible use of video chat services like Zoom, Skype and Facetime.

Considerate Use of Electronic Equipment

• Only children in the Upper School (Years 7 and 8) may carry mobile phones; these devices should be handed in to the school office upon arrival and collected at the end of the day. The Head may confiscate phones if they are not handed in to the school office.

• Sanctions may be imposed on pupils who use their electronic equipment without consideration for others.

We expect all pupils to adhere to this charter for the safe use of the Internet. Copies are given to all pupils and their parents, and we may impose sanctions for the misuse, or attempted misuse of the internet, mobile phones and other electronic devices.

RESPONSIBLE INTERNET AND ELECTRONIC MAIL USE

The rules listed below, and the ICT Contacts, refer to the documents above and are designed to ensure that pupils use ICT facilities in a sensible, proper and safe manner.

Network Etiquette

Network users are expected to abide by the generally accepted rules of network etiquette. These rules include (but are not limited to) the following:

• I will always be polite and use appropriate language
• I will show consideration and respect for others at all times
• I will cite all quotes, references and sources
• I will always think about the social consequences of what I do on the computer

St Christopher's School Responsibilities

1. St Christopher's School reserves the right to install hardware and/or software to monitor the actions of individual users in order to determine whether or not those actions are in compliance with school policy, and with local and national laws.
2. A reasonable level of monitoring of pupil use of installed systems is expected of school employees. The school expects that violations of this policy will be reported to the Head of ICT, who will inform the Head.
3. St Christopher's School is not liable for damage to or loss of files due to system malfunction or administrator error.
4. The Network Manager has the right to monitor all accounts for the purpose of ensuring that all systems remain operable and optimised for users.
5. The Network Manager, after giving prior notice to all users, will periodically purge inactive files.

Chromebook Usage

In addition to the school’s normal ICT policy, the following main additions apply and have to be agreed to, for any child to be allowed to use a Chromebook in school:

• Pupils must be aware of the consequences of their actions and ensure they use their Chromebook for positive activities. Unpleasantness, cruelty, or any other inappropriate use (as outlined in the Computing Contract) will not be tolerated.
• The school cannot be held responsible for loss, vandalism or damage to any personally owned ICT equipment.
• It is accepted that the school will have access to any child’s Chromebook or school user identity and may review the History Log at any time to see what sites have been visited. If an inappropriate site has been visited and/or the Chromebook has been used at unusual times, then parents will be informed and the school will retain the right to withdraw the Chromebook from the child for a period of time.
• If a child does not have a Chromebook the school will obviously endeavour to minimise any resulting disadvantage.
• No other personal laptops, iPads or other such equipment can be brought into school as they will not have our web filtering and security protocols on them.