Internet safety policy


St Andrew’s C.E. Primary School

Responsible Internet Access Policy.

This policy outlines our purpose in Providing Internet access and e-mail facilities and explains how the school is seeking to avoid the potential problems that unrestricted Internet access could give rise to.

Internet Access in school.
Providing Internet access will raise educational standards and support the professional work of staff. Pupils will have access to many web sites but only through Lancashire’s “Intranet”. The “Intranet” is a filtering system, which limits access to information, which is age appropriate for pupils within school. Any attempt to access inappropriate information is prevented because of this screening process.

Ensuring Internet Access is appropriate and safe.

  • Children using the Internet will normally be working in the classroom during lesson time and will be supervised by an adult (usually the class teacher) at all times.
  • Teaching staff will check that sites pre-selected for pupil use are appropriate to the age and maturity of the pupils. In addition staff will be vigilant when pupils are undertaking their own search and will check that children are following the taught search procedures.
  • All children will be taught to use the Internet and e-mail facilities responsibly in order to reduce risks to themselves and to others. To consolidate this, rules for responsible Internet use will be posted near all computers. (See appendix).
  • The ICT co-ordinator will monitor the effectiveness of Internet access strategies.
  • The ICT co-ordinator will ensure that occasional checks are made on files to monitor compliance with the school’s Internet access policy.
  • The head teacher will ensure that the policy is implemented effectively.

If an incident should occur in which a pupil is exposed to offensive or upsetting material, the school would wish to respond to the situation quickly and on a number of levels. Responsibility for handling such incidents will be taken by the ICT co-ordinator in consultation with the head teacher and the Child Protection Officer. Other staff will be made aware of the incident if appropriate. Appropriate support will be given to the children involved and parents/carers will be informed of the action the school has taken.
If any unsuitable sites are found by either staff or children, the ICT co-ordinator will be informed. The ICT co-ordinator will report the URL (address) and content to the Internet Service Provider and the LEA.

Maintaining the security of the school network.
St Andrew’s school is aware that connection to the Internet significantly increases the risk that a computer may be infected by a virus or accessed by unauthorised persons. Anti-virus protection will be updated regularly and the ICT co-ordinator will keep up to date with ICT developments and work with the LEA and Internet Service Provider to ensure system security strategies to protect the integrity of ICT facilities.

Using e-mail
Pupils will learn how to use e-mail application and be taught e-mail conventions to communicate with others and to request and share information.

  • Pupils will only be allowed to use e-mail once they have been taught the Rules of Responsible Internet Use and the reasons for these rules.
  • Pupils may send e-mail as part of planned lessons but will not be given individual e-mail accounts at present.
  • In-coming e-mails to pupils will not be regarded as private.
  • E-mails written by children will be checked by staff before being sent.
  • The forwarding of chain letters will not be allowed.
  • Pupils will not be permitted to use e-mail at school to arrange to meet someone outside school hours.

St Andrew’s CE Primary School web site
Our school web site is intended to:

  • Provide accurate and up to date information about our school.
  • Enable pupils to publish work for a wide audience including pupils, parents, staff, governors, members of the local community and others.
  • Celebrate good work.
  • Provide pupils with the opportunity to publish their work on the Internet.
  • Promote the school.

The point of contact on the web site will be the school address and telephone number. We do not publish pupil’s full names or photographs that will identify individuals. Staff will be identified by their title and surname unless they request otherwise. Permission will be sought from other individuals before they are referred to by name on any pages that we publish.

It has been the experience of other schools that the above measures have been effective. However, due to the vast scale and linked nature of information available via the Internet, it is not possible to guarantee that particular types of material will never appear on a compute screen.
A most important part of our Rules for Responsible Internet Use is that pupils will be taught to tell a member of staff immediately if they encounter any material that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Parent’s attention will be drawn to this policy by letter in the first instance and thereafter in our school prospectus. It will be available for parents and others to read on demand. Additionally parents will be informed of future ICT developments by letter and our web site.

This policy will be reviewed on an annual basis or following guidance from the LEA.

This policy was written by the ICT co-ordinator and will be reviewed annually

Appendix
Rules for Responsible Internet Use.

St Andrew’s school has installed computers with Internet access to help our learning. These rules will help keep us safe and help us to be fair to others.

Using the computers,

  • I will only use the computer system with permission from my teacher.
  • I will not look at other people’s files.
  • I will not bring in floppy disks or CDs from home without asking my teacher first.

Using the Internet.

  • I will ask my teacher before using the Internet.
  • I will report anything unpleasant to my teacher at once because this will help to protect other children and myself.
  • I understand that the school may check my computer files and make look at the Internet sites I have visited.
  • I will not complete and send any forms without asking my teacher first.
  • I will not give out my name, address or telephone number when completing any forms.

Using e-mail

  • I will ask my teacher before checking emails.
  • I will immediately report any unpleasant messages sent to me because this will help to protect other children and myself.
  • I understand that emails I send or receive can be read by others.
  • Any messages I send will be polite and responsible.
  • I will only email people I know, or my teacher has approved.
  • I will only send an email when it has been checked by a teacher.
  • I will not give out my full name, my home address or telephone number.
  • I will not use email to meet someone outside school hours.