Online Safety Policy

Introduction

The Link school online safety policy aims to create an environment where learners, staff, parents, governors and the wider school community work together to inform each other of ways to use the Internet responsibly, safely and positively.

Through teaching ICT we equip children and young people to participate in a rapidly-changing world where work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by technology. We enable them to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information in a varied and stimulating way. ICT skills are a major factor in enabling them to be confident, creative and independent learners. As the aims of ICT are to equip children and young people with the skills necessary to use technology to become independent learners, the teaching style that we adopt is as active and practical as possible. We provide suitable learning opportunities for all children and young people by matching the challenge of the task to the ability and experience of the child.

Internet technology helps learners learn creatively and effectively and encourages collaborative learning and the sharing of good practice amongst all school stakeholders. The online safety policy encourages appropriate and safe conduct and behaviour when achieving this.

Learners, staff and all other users of school related technologies will work together to agree standards and expectations relating to usage in order to promote and ensure good behaviour.

These agreements and their implementation will promote positive behaviour which can transfer directly into each learner’s adult life and prepare them for experiences and expectations in the workplace. The policy is not designed to be a list of prohibited activities, but instead a list of areas to discuss, teach and inform, in order to develop positive behaviour and knowledge leading to a safer Internet usage and year on year improvement and measurable impact on online safety. It is intended that the positive effects of the policy will be seen online and offline; in school and at home; and ultimately beyond school and into the workplace.

The Link School Online Safety Policy Scope

The school online safety Policy and agreements apply to all learners, staff, support staff, external contractors and members of the wider school community who use, have access to or maintain school and school related Internet, computer systems and mobile technologies internally and externally.

The school will make reasonable use of relevant legislation and guidelines to affect positive behaviour regarding ICT and Internet usage both on and off the school site. ‘In Loco Parentis’ provision under the Children Act 1989 also allows the school to report and act on instances of cyber bullying, abuse, harassment (including sexual harassment), malicious communication and grossly offensive material; including reporting to the police, social media websites, and hosting providers on behalf of learners.

The online safety policy covers the use of:

• School based ICT systems and equipment
• School based intranet and networking
• School related external Internet, including but not exclusively, extranet, e-learning platforms, blogs, social media websites
• External access to internal school networking, such as webmail, network access, file-serving (document folders) and printing.
• School ICT equipment off-site, for example staff laptops, digital cameras, mobile phones, tablets
• Learner and staff personal ICT equipment when used in school and which makes use of school networking, file-serving or Internet facilities.
• Tablets, mobile phones, devices and laptops when used on the school site.

 

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You can read our full Online Safety Policy by downloading the PDF below.

 Online Safety Policy – PDF