Roselyn House School / The RHISE Service
E-SAFETY POLICY
MISSION STATEMENT
Moving forwards together to a positive
future.
Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic more online learning and resources have taken place. Policies
have been updated to reflect this. This policy should be read along with Online Safety Policy, Social Media Policy and Remote Learning Policy.
E-Safety may be described as the school’s ability
to:
- protect and educate pupils and
staff in their use of technology
- have the appropriate mechanisms to
intervene and support any incident where appropriate.
The breadth of issues classified within e-safety is considerable,
but can be categorised into three areas of risk:
- content: being exposed to illegal,
inappropriate or harmful material
- contact: being subjected to harmful
online interaction with other users
- conduct: personal online behaviour
that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm.
Examples given later
Why is Internet use important?
- The purpose of Internet use in school is to raise educational
standards, to promote student achievement, to support the professional work of staff and to enhance the school’s management information and business administration systems.
- Internet use is a part of the statutory curriculum and a
necessary tool for staff, students and parents/ carers.
- Internet access is an entitlement for students who show a
responsible and mature approach to its use.
- The Internet is available to support communication internally
and externally.
- The Internet is an essential element in 21st
century life for education, business and social interaction. The school has a duty to provide students with quality Internet access as part of their learning experience.
- Provides the opportunity of distance learning/ remote learning
for students unable to attend the school premises. This is apparent for students who are on gradual integration programmes or who have to self-isolate due to Covid 19.
How does the Internet benefit
education?
Benefits of using the Internet in education include:
- Access to worldwide educational resources including museums
and art galleries;
- Inclusion in government initiatives such as the DfE ICT in
Schools and the Virtual Teacher Centre (VTC) http://vtc.ngfl.gov.uk;
- Educational and cultural exchanges between students
worldwide;
- Cultural, vocational, social and leisure use in libraries,
clubs and at home;
- Access to experts in many fields for students and
staff;
- Staff professional development through access to national
developments, educational materials and good curriculum practice;
- Communication with support services, professional associations
and colleagues.
- Improved access to technical support including remote
management of networks;
- Exchange of curriculum and administration data with the LEAs
and DFE.
- Mentoring of students and provide peer support for them and
teachers
- Ensuring ongoing education for those students who have
self-isolated.
How can Internet use enhance learning?
- The school Internet access will be designed expressly for
student use and will include filtering appropriate to the age of students.
- Students will be taught what Internet use is acceptable and
what is not and given clear objectives for Internet use.
- Internet access will be planned to enrich and extend learning
activities. Access levels will be reviewed to reflect the curriculum requirements and age of students.
- Staff should guide students in on-line activities that will
support the learning outcomes planned for the students’ age and maturity.
- Students will be educated in the effective use of the Internet
in research, including the skills of knowledge location, retrieval and evaluation.
- Can be used where appropriate to deliver online
lessons.
How will students learn to evaluate Internet content?
- If staff or students discover unsuitable sites, the URL
(address) and content must be reported to the Internet Service Provider via the ICT Co-ordinator and/ or the Head Teacher or Deputy Head Teacher.
- Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service will ensure that
the use of Internet derived materials by staff and by students complies with copyright law.
- Students should be taught to be critically aware of the materials they read and shown how to validate information before
accepting its accuracy.
- Students will be taught to acknowledge the source of information used and to respect copyright when using Internet
material in their own work.
How will e-mail be managed?
- If they have a school email, students may only use approved
e-mail accounts on the school system after permission has been sought.
- Students must immediately tell a staff member if they receive
offensive e-mail.
- Students must not reveal details of themselves or others in
email communication, such as address or telephone number, or arrange to meet anyone.
- E-mail sent to an external organisation should be written
carefully and authorised before sending, in the same way as a letter written on school headed paper.
- The forwarding of chain letters is not
permitted.
How should Web site content be managed?
- The point of contact on the Web site should be the school
address, school e-mail and telephone number. Staff or students’ home information will not be published.
- Web site photographs that include students will be selected
carefully and written permission from parents or carers will be obtained before photographs of students are published on the school Web site.
- Students’ full names will not be used anywhere on the Web
site, particularly in association with photographs.
- The Head Teacher, and/ or the Deputy Head Teacher will take
overall editorial responsibility and ensure that content is accurate and appropriate.
- The Web site should comply with the school's guidelines for
publications.
- The copyright of all material must be held by the school, or
be attributed to the owner where permission to reproduce has been obtained.
Chat Rooms and social Media
- Students nor staff will not be allowed access to any kind of
chat rooms.
- No students or staff will be permitted to use social media
unless permission has been granted by parents/ carers (students) and by the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher.
See Social Media Policy
New Technologies
- Emerging technologies will be examined for educational benefit before use in school is
allowed.
- Mobile phones will not be used during lessons or formal school time unless authorised or for
educational purposes.
- The sending of abusive or inappropriate text messages is forbidden.
- A risk assessment will be carried out before students are allowed to use a new technology in
school.
Online tutoring/ Remote Learning
In light of the coronavirus pandemic online video tutoring/ remote learning
may be used to enhance the education of students.
- Written consent must be received before lessons can take place.
- Only SLT approved systems will be used.
- Only school-registered staff accounts will be used.
- A member of SLT must be made aware of a lesson taking place
before commencing.
- One-to-ones will be avoided unless pre-approved by
SLT.
- Where possible another member of staff will be present on the
call.
- If no staff available a digital audio recording of the lesson
will be made and securely, remotely stored in line with GDPR.
- Throughout the duration of a TEAMS session a responsible adult
must be present with the student.
- Video calls can only take place in appropriate place with
consideration of the background image, no inappropriate objects/information visible.
- Staff and children must wear suitable clothing,
- A record will be maintained of attendees for each
lesson.
Roselyn House Facebook and Twitter
The community page is a digital safe space for students to be able to stay in touch with school
and our staff; following Roselyn House School's/ The RHISE Service Safeguarding, Online and E-Safety Policies. All staff have been requested to create ‘Roselyn’ profile pages so
that they can interact with the page and students whilst still maintaining professional boundaries. All interactions should be facilitated through the Community page. Staff are not to add
or accept friend requests from students but to direct them to the community page. Once the ‘Roselyn Community’ page has been liked and followed by the individual profiles staff will see
posts from the page on their timelines. All posts by ‘visitors’ can be viewed in the community section of the page. Where possible any posted from staff including videos will be shared by
the page admin so will be visible on the main page and appearing on followers’ timelines therefore more accessible to our students. Written consent has been received from Parents/ Carers
for their child to access this.
There is also a main Facebook Page and Twitter account which is used for information and
celebration.
How will Internet access be authorised?
- The school will keep a record of all staff and students who
are granted Internet access. The record will be kept up-to-date, for instance a member of staff may leave or a student’s access be withdrawn.
- Our students much apply for Internet access individually by
agreeing to abide by the Responsible Internet Use statement.
- All students and staff who attend Roselyn House School and The
RHISE Service must abide by the Responsible Internet Use statement.
- Parents/Carers will be asked to sign and return a consent
form.
How will the risks be assessed?
- In common with other media such as magazines, books and video,
some material available via the Internet is unsuitable for students. The school will take all reasonable precautions to ensure that users access only appropriate material. However, due to the
international scale and linked nature of Internet content, it is not possible to guarantee that unsuitable material will never appear on a school computer. Roselyn House School cannot accept
liability for the material accessed, or any consequences of Internet access that is beyond the school’s current filtering system.
Other common
risks include:
Content
- exposure to inappropriate content,
including online pornography; ignoring age ratings in games (exposure to violence, often associated with racist language); and substance abuse
- lifestyle websites, for example
pro-anorexia, self-harm or suicide sites
- hate
sites
- content validation: how to check
authenticity and accuracy of online content.
Contact
- grooming
- cyber-bullying in all
forms
- identity theft (including ‘frape’
(hacking Facebook profiles)) and sharing passwords.
Conduct
- privacy issues, including
disclosure of personal information
- digital footprint and online
reputation
- health and well-being (amount of
time spent online (internet or gaming))
- sexting (sending and receiving of
personally intimate images) also referred to as SGII (self-generated indecent images)- (any disclosure should follow Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service’s normal safeguarding practices and
protocols. (“Sexting” in schools- advice and support around self generated images- see parentsprotect.co.uk)
- copyright (little care or
consideration for intellectual property and ownership – such as music and film).
- The use of computer systems without permission or for
inappropriate purposes could constitute a criminal offence under the Computer Misuse Act 1990.
- Methods to identify, assess and minimise risks will be
reviewed regularly.
- The Deputy Headteacher and Headteacher will ensure that the
e-safety policy is implemented and compliance with the policy monitored.
- Why is this important? Technology
offers unimaginable opportunities and is constantly evolving. Access is currently becoming universal and increasingly more mobile, and pupils are using technology at an ever earlier
age.
How will filtering be managed?
- Blocking strategies prevent access to a list of unsuitable
sites or newsgroups. Maintenance of the blocking list is a major task as new sites appear every day.
- A walled-garden or allow list provides access only to a list
of approved sites. An allow list will inevitably restrict students' access to a narrow range of information.
- Dynamic filtering examines the content of Web pages or e-mail
for unsuitable words. Filtering of outgoing information such as Web searches is also required.
- Rating systems give each Web page a rating for sexual,
profane, violent or other unacceptable content. Web browsers can be set to reject these pages.
- Monitoring records Internet sites visited by individual user.
Access to a site forbidden by the filtering policy will result in a report. It is also possible to remove access automatically after a set number of policy violations.
- The school will work in partnership with parents/ carers, the
LEA, DFE and the Internet Service Provider to ensure systems to protect students are reviewed and improved.
- If staff or students discover unsuitable sites, the URL
(address) and content must be reported to the Internet Service Provider via the ICT Co-ordinator.
- Senior staff and the ICT Co-ordinator will ensure that regular
checks are made to ensure that the filtering methods selected are appropriate, effective and reasonable.
- Any material that the school believes is illegal must be
referred to the Internet Watch Foundation (please see references given later).
- Filtering strategies will be selected by the school, in
discussion with the filtering provider. The filtering strategy will be selected to suit the age and curriculum requirements of the student.
How will the policy be introduced to students?
- Rules for Internet access and Responsible Internet Use will be
posted in all rooms where computers are used.
- Students will be informed during induction and reminded
regularly that Internet use will be monitored.
- Instruction in responsible and safe use should precede
Internet access.
- Students will look at E-Safety within assemblies, workshops,
within the wider curriculum including PSHE.
- Roselyn House School and The RHISE Service will have open
discussion with students about online safety so that “students learn to set personal boundaries and feel more comfortable reporting incidents like bullying and harassment”
(edudemic.com)
“Ensure students know that apps such as
Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat collect data and keep permanent records of all the information they collect. Even Snapchat, beloved for its disappearing messages, keeps unread messages on a server
for 30 days. And some programs that open Snapchat content outside of the app allow recipients to permanently save messages without the server knowing.” (edudemic April 2015)
How will staff be consulted?
All staff must accept the terms of the ‘Responsible Internet Use’ statement before using any
Internet resource in school.
All staff including teachers, supply staff, learning support assistants and auxiliary staff,
will be provided with the School e-safety Policy of which they can also find on the school’s network.
Staff should be aware that Internet traffic can be monitored and traced to the individual user.
Discretion and professional conduct is essential.
The monitoring of Internet use is a sensitive matter. Staff who operate monitoring procedures
should be supervised by senior management.
Staff development in safe and responsible Internet use and on the school e-safety policy will
be provided as required.
How will ICT system security be maintained?
- Local Area Network security issues include:
- The user must act reasonably. Loading non-approved software
could cause major problems. Good password practice is required including logout after use.
- The workstation should be secure from casual mistakes by the
user.
- Cabling should be secure and wireless LANs safe from
interception.
- Servers must be located securely and physical access
restricted.
- The server operating system must be secured to a high
level.
- Virus protection for the whole network must be installed and
current.
Wide Area Network (WAN) security issues include:
- The school ICT systems will be reviewed regularly with regard
to security.
- Virus protection will be installed and updated
regularly.
- Personal data sent over the Internet will be encrypted or
otherwise secured.
- Use of portable media such as memory sticks and CD-ROMs will
be reviewed. Portable media may not be brought into school without specific permission from the ICT Co-ordinator and Head Teacher or Deputy Head Teacher and a virus check.
- Unapproved system utilities and executable files will not be
allowed in students’ work areas or attached to e-mail.
- Files held on the school’s network will be regularly
checked.
- The ICT co-ordinator will ensure that the system has the
capacity to take increased traffic caused by Internet use.
- All USB flash drives must be encrypted if they contain any
confidential school content.
How will complaints regarding Internet use be handled?
- Responsibility for handling incidents will be delegated to
senior members of staff.
- Any complaint about staff misuse must be referred to the
Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher
- Students and parents/ carers will be informed of the
complaints procedure.
- Parents/ carers and students will need to work in partnership
with staff to resolve issues.
- As with drugs issues, there may be occasions when the police
must be contacted. Early contact could be made to establish the legal position and discuss strategies.
- Sanctions available include: interview/ counselling by the
Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher or other Senior staff informing parents/ carers, removal of Internet or computer access for a period, which could ultimately prevent access to files held on the
system, including examination coursework.
How will parents’/ carers’ support be enlisted?
- Parents’/ Carers’ attention will be drawn to the School
e-safety Policy in letters/ newsletters, the school prospectus and on the school Web site.
- Internet issues will be handled sensitively to inform parents/
carers without undue alarm.
- A partnership approach with parents/ carers will be
encouraged. This could include demonstrations, practical sessions and suggestions for safe Internet use at home.
- Interested parents/ carers will be referred to organisations
such as PIN, Parents Online and NCH Action for Children (URLs in reference section).
- The following link is on the school website for all parents/
carers to register for e-safety support.
https://www.e-safetysupport.com/trainingcourses/17/training
Internet Across the Community
- Adult users will need to agree by the acceptable use policy.
- Parents/carers of children under 16 years of age will generally be required to sign an
acceptable use policy on behalf of the child.
- In libraries, generally children under 8 years of age must be accompanied by an adult when
accessing the Internet.
This policy should be read in conjunction with the Safeguarding Policy, Social Media Policy, Electronic Information And
Communications System Policy and Data Protection Policy (GDPR).
Reviewed: December 2019
Updated April 2020 with amendments to reflect the current Covid- 19
Pandemic.
Reviewed June 2021
References
Particularly for Parents/ Carers and
Children.
Keeping children safe in
education
For Schools and Colleges
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/550511/Keeping_children_safe_in_education.pdf
National Action for Children
(NCH) www.nchafc.org.uk/itok/
Parents Guide on Internet usage
Bullying
Online
www.bullying.co.uk
Advice for children, parents and schools
FKBKO- For Kids by Kids
Online www.fkbko.co.uk
Excellent Internet savvy for kids; KS1 to
KS3
Parents Information Network
(PIN) www.pin.org.uk
Comprehensive guidelines on Internet
Safety
Internet Safety Parents
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/Internetsafety/index.htm
UK Safer Internet
Centre- www.saferinternet.org
Parentsprotect- parentsprotect.co.uk
A guide for parents/ carers about potential dangers their children can face when using the
internet.
Kidsmart
www.kidsmart.org.uk
An internet safety site from Childnet, with low cost leaflets for
parents.
Think U
Know?
www.thinkyouknow.co.uk/
Home Office site for students and parents explaining Internet
dangers and how to stay in control.
Family Guide Book (DfES recommended) www.familyguidebook.com
Parents Guide on Internet usage
NCH Action for
Children
www.nchafc.org.uk
Expert advice for children, young people and parents/
carers.
Safekids)
www.safekids.com
Family guide to making Internet safe, fun and
productive.
Internet Watch
Foundation www.iwf.org.uk/
Reporting criminal online content
The following link provides access to a wide ranging glossary of technological terms in
current use: http://www.digizen.org/glossary/.
Notes
on the legal framework
Many young people and indeed some staff use the Internet regularly
without being aware that some of the activities they take part in are potentially illegal. The law is developing rapidly and changes occur frequently. Please note this section is designed to inform
users of legal issues relevant to the use of communications, it is not professional advice.
Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006
This Act makes it a criminal offence to threaten
people because of their faith, or to stir up religious hatred by displaying, publishing or distributing written material which is threatening. Other laws already protect people from threats based on
their race, nationality or ethnic background.
Criminal Justice Act 2003
Section 146 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 came
into effect in April 2005, empowering courts to impose tougher sentences for offences motivated or aggravated by the victim's sexual orientation in England and Wales.
Sexual Offences Act 2003
It is an offence to take, permit to be taken,
make, possess, show, distribute or advertise indecent images of children in the United Kingdom. A child for these purposes is anyone under the age of 18. Viewing an indecent image of a child on your
computer means that you have made a digital image. An image of a child also covers pseudo-photographs (digitally collated or otherwise). This can include images taken by and distributed by the child
themselves (often referred to as “Sexting”). A person convicted of such an offence may face up to 10 years in prison.
The offence of grooming is committed if you are
over 18 and have communicated with a child under 16 at least twice (including by phone or using the Internet) it is an offence to meet them or travel to meet them anywhere in the world with the
intention of committing a sexual offence.
Causing a child under 16 to watch a sexual act is
illegal, including looking at images such as videos, photos or webcams, for your own gratification.
It is also an offence for a person in a position
of trust to engage in sexual activity with any person under 18, with whom they are in a position of trust. (Typically, teachers, social workers, health professionals, connexions staff etc fall in
this category of trust).
Any sexual intercourse with a child under the age
of 13 commits the offence of rape.
N.B. Schools should already have a copy of
“Children & Families: Safer from Sexual Crime” document as part of their child protection packs.
More information about the 2003 Act can be found
at www.teachernet.gov.uk
Communications Act 2003 (section 127)
Sending by means of the Internet a message or
other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character; or sending a false message by means of or persistently making use of the Internet for the purpose of causing
annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety is guilty of an offence liable, on conviction, to imprisonment.
This wording is important because an offence is
complete as soon as the message has been sent: there is no need to prove any intent or purpose.
Data Protection Act 1998
The Act requires anyone who handles personal
information to notify the Information Commissioner’s Office of the type of processing it administers, and must comply with important data protection principles when treating personal data relating to
any living individual. The Act also grants individuals rights of access to their personal data, compensation and prevention of processing.
The Computer Misuse Act 1990 (sections 1 —
3)
Regardless of an individual’s motivation, the Act
makes it a criminal offence to:
· gain access to computer
files or software without permission (for example using someone else’s password to access files);
· gain unauthorised access,
as above, in order to commit a further criminal act (such as fraud); or
· Impair the operation of a
computer or program (for example caused by viruses or denial of service attacks).
UK citizens or residents may be extradited to
another country if they are suspected of committing any of the above offences.
Malicious Communications Act 1988 (section
1)
This legislation makes it a criminal offence to
send an electronic message (email) that conveys indecent, grossly offensive, threatening material or information that is false; or is of an indecent or grossly offensive nature if the purpose was to
cause a recipient to suffer distress or anxiety. This can include Racist, Xenophobic and Homophobic comments, messages etc.
Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988
Copyright is the right to prevent others from
copying or using his or her “work” without permission.
The material to which copyright may attach (known
in the business as “work”) must be the author’s own creation and the result of some skill and judgement. It comes about when an individual expresses an idea in a tangible form. Works such as text,
music, sound, film and programs all qualify for copyright protection. The author of the work is usually the copyright owner, but if it was created during the course of employment it belongs to the
employer.
It is an infringement of copyright to copy all or
a substantial part of anyone’s work without obtaining the author’s permission. Usually a licence associated with the work will allow a user to copy or use it for limited purposes. It is advisable
always to read the terms of a licence before you copy or use someone else’s material.
It is also illegal to adapt or use software
without a licence or in ways prohibited by the terms of the software licence.
Public Order Act 1986 (sections 17 — 29)
This Act makes it a criminal offence to stir up
racial hatred by displaying, publishing or distributing written material which is threatening. Like the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 it also makes the possession of inflammatory material with
a view of releasing it a criminal offence.
Obscene Publications Act 1959 and 1964
Publishing an “obscene” article is a criminal
offence. Publishing includes electronic transmission.
Protection from Harassment Act 1997
A person must not pursue a course of conduct,
which amounts to harassment of another, and which he knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other.
A person whose course of conduct causes another to
fear, on at least two occasions, that violence will be used against him is guilty of an offence if he knows or ought to know that his course of conduct will cause the other so to fear on each of
those occasions.
This also includes incidents of Racism, Xenophobia
and Homophobia.
Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act
2000
The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000
(RIP) regulates the interception of communications and makes it an offence to intercept or monitor communications without the consent of the parties involved in the communication. The RIP was enacted
to comply with the Human Rights Act 1998.
The Telecommunications (Lawful Business Practice)
(Interception of Communications) Regulations 2000, however, permit a degree of monitoring and record keeping, for example, to ensure communications are relevant to school activity or to investigate
or detect unauthorised use of the network. Nevertheless, any monitoring is subject to informed consent, which means steps must have been taken to ensure that everyone who may use the system is
informed that communications may be monitored.
Covert monitoring without informing users that
surveillance is taking place risks breaching data protection and privacy legislation.
Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008
Section 63 offence to possess “extreme
pornographic image”
63 (6) must be “grossly offensive, disgusting or
otherwise obscene”
63 (7) this includes images of “threats to a
person life or injury to anus, breasts or genitals, sexual acts with a corpse or animal whether alive or dead” must also be “explicit and realistic”
Penalties can be up to 3 years
imprisonment.
Education and Inspections Act 2006
Education and Inspections Act 2006 outlines legal
powers for schools which relate to Cyberbullying/Bullying:
- Headteachers have the power “to such an extent as is reasonable”
to regulate the conduct of pupils off site.
- School staff are able to confiscate items such as mobile phones
etc when they are being used to cause a disturbance in class or otherwise contravene the school behaviour/anti-bullying policy.