ICT acceptable use and e-safety policy

Anteros Community ICT Acceptable Use Policy for Staff and Pupils

Introduction

The internet is a valuable resource that can raise educational standards by offering both pupils and teachers opportunities to search for information from a very wide range of sources based throughout the world. However, some of the information to be found on the internet will be inappropriate for students and we feel it is important to have a policy in place that takes this issue into account. We have a duty to ensure that before using the internet with students, staff have had the opportunity to discuss how they will deal sensitively with inappropriate use. The following policy helps to define appropriate and acceptable use by both team and students.

The Internet in School

The internet is a powerful technology, and we realise that it must play an important role in any learning environment, both for staff and students. The use of the Internet needs careful planning, and it should not be assumed that everyone has the skills and knowledge of how to work safely in an online environment – for example, how to use search engines safely. Therefore, if the internet is to be used, the tutor should ensure that these points are covered in the interests of accessibility, and of safety. The ICT system at Anteros Community is designed to keep team and pupils safe when accessing the Internet. The school’s filtering system will block websites that contain any material that isn’t suitable for children.

Our Website and social media contain images of our students included in the content. Children in photographs are not be identifiable by name (ie. there will not be any captions containing the children’s names alongside photographs). If a child’s name is mentioned elsewhere (for example, because of some work that is displayed on the website), only the first name will be used and it will not be linked to any photograph of the child or any other personal details.

Students working at Anteros community use the google suite of online software. An account will be created for each student with a unique username for our organisation. Access to this account is strictly limited to authorised users only. Authorised users may include: Students, members of our team, authorised teachers from client schools, parents/guardians, external moderators. Access will not be granted to individual user accounts. A google account must be set up by client organisations specifically for monitoring students. For further guidance please contact James Hoy.

Roles and responsibilities

E-safety is recognised as an essential aspect of strategic leadership at Anteros Community. The Director ensures that the policy is implemented and compliance with the policy monitored. All team members are responsible for promoting and supporting safe behaviours in their classrooms and following school e-safety procedures. Central to this is fostering a ‘No Blame’ culture so pupils feel able to report any bullying, abuse or inappropriate materials. Pupils will be made aware of unacceptable use of the internet without team members being too explicit (as this may encourage some children to disobey the rules). The rules for using the internet will be made clear to all pupils and children will have to sign the Rules for Responsible Internet Use prior to using the internet.

Monitoring

It is the role of the ICT coordinator to monitor and evaluate the overall effectiveness of internet use throughout the organisation. Each team member will be responsible for monitoring the use of the internet within their classroom and ensure that unacceptable material is not accessed. James Hoy has responsibility for checking that no inappropriate material is on our system and the students are made aware that team members have access to all their folders of work.

Rules for Responsible Internet Use

Students and staff at Anteros Community are expected to use the ICT equipment responsibly
and correctly. These guidelines will help you to understand what we expect from you:

 Be a good ‘digital citizen’. Use the computers, ipads and other ICT equipment in
school positively to learn, research, develop your skills and to celebrate your work
and the work of others.

 Ask permission from a member of staff before using the Internet.

 Don’t access other people’s folders without permission.

 Use ICT systems at Anteros Community, including the internet, email, digital video, mobile
technologies, etc, for work purposes only.

 Do not use the computers or ipads to write and record unpleasant comments about
other people e.g. in comments on blogs about another pupil’s work or when writing
a caption about a photograph of other pupils in a Powerpoint/keynote presentation.
Remember, everything you post on your blog has to be approved by your tutor, so
unpleasant comments will be seen.

 Don’t record or write rude or offensive words and language when using the computers
or ipads.

 Treat the ICT equipment in school respectfully and carefully. Tell a team member if
something isn’t working properly or is damaged. Don’t try and fix or move any of the
equipment yourself.

 Don’t try to search for, access, download or upload inappropriate material and
websites on the Internet e.g. websites that should only be looked at by adults. The
websites will be blocked and our systems will make a record of your activity.

 If you accidentally come across any inappropriate material, you must report it
immediately to your tutor.

 If you want to use a video or photo that includes other pupils and/or teachers, you
should ask them first if you can use it e.g. in a presentation or to post on your blog. These images should only be related to Anteros Community activities and purposes.

 Do not copy other people’s work and say that it is your own.

 Do not give out any personal information such as name, phone number or address
on the Internet. Do not arrange to meet someone unless this is part of a project
approved by my tutor.

 Ensure that your online activity, both here at Anteros Community and outside of our organisation, will not cause our team, pupils or others distress or bring our organisation into disrepute.

 Please keep your password our network secret and don’t use anyone else’s
account to log on. If you think your password needs to be changed
because another pupil knows it or you have forgotten it, please tell a member of the team
straight away.