Bancffosfelen CP School E-Safety Policy

Parents will be asked to complete a form for each child, a copy of which can be viewed by clicking the link below

ESafetyRhieniParents.pdf 

The school e-Safety Coordinator is Mr G Evans 

Our e-Safety Policy has been written by the school and reflects the Carmarthenshire eSafety Guidance. It has been agreed by senior management and approved by governors and the PTA.

• The e-Safety Policy and its implementation will be reviewed annually.
• The e-Safety Policy was revised by: Mr G Evans
• It was approved by the Governors in Sept 2009 

Teaching and learning 

Why Internet use is important 

• 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.
• Internet use is a part of the statutory curriculum and a necessary tool for staff and pupils.

Internet use will enhance learning 

• The school Internet access will be designed expressly for pupil use and will include filtering appropriate to the age of pupils.
• Pupils will be taught what Internet use is acceptable and what is not and given clear objectives for Internet use.
• Pupils will be educated in the effective use of the Internet in research, including the skills of knowledge location, retrieval and evaluation

Pupils will be taught how to evaluate Internet content 

• The school will ensure that the use of Internet derived materials by staff and pupils complies with copyright law.
• Pupils should be taught to be critically aware of the materials they read and shown how to validate information before accepting its accuracy.

Managing Internet Access 

Information system security  

• School ICT systems capacity and security will be reviewed regularly.
• Virus protection will be updated regularly. SWophos is installed on all School PCs
• Security strategies will be discussed with Carmarthenshire County Council.

E-mail  

• Pupils may only use approved e-mail accounts on the school system.
• Pupils must immediately tell a teacher if they receive offensive e-mail.
• Pupils must not reveal personal details of themselves or others in e-mail communication, or arrange to meet anyone without specific permission.
• 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.

Published content and the school web site

• The contact details on the Web site should be the school address, e-mail and telephone number. Staff or pupils’ personal information will not be published.
• The head teacher will take overall editorial responsibility and ensure that content is accurate and appropriate.  

Publishing pupil’s images and work  

• Photographs that include pupils will be selected carefully and will not enable individual pupils to be clearly identified.
• Pupils’ full names will not be used anywhere on the Web site or Blog, particularly in association with photographs.
• Written permission from parents or carers will be obtained before photographs of pupils are published on the school Web site.
• Pupil’s work can only be published with the permission of the pupil and parents.

Social networking and personal publishing 

• The school will block / filter access to social networking sites.
• Newsgroups will be blocked unless a specific use is approved.
• Pupils will be advised never to give out personal details of any kind that may identify them or their location.
• Pupils and parents will be advised that the use of social network spaces outside school is inappropriate for primary aged pupils.

Managing filtering 

• The school will work with the Carmarthenshire County Council IT Services to ensure systems to protect pupils are robust and regularly reviewed.
• If staff or pupils discover an unsuitable site, it must be reported to the eSafety Coordinator.
• Senior staff will ensure that regular checks are made to ensure that the filtering methods selected are appropriate, effective and reasonable.

Managing videoconferencing 

• IP videoconferencing should use the educational broadband network to ensure quality of service and security rather than the Internet.
• Pupils should ask permission from the supervising teacher before making or answering a videoconference call.
• Videoconferencing will be appropriately supervised for the pupils’ age.

Managing emerging technologies 

• Emerging technologies will be examined for educational benefit and a risk assessment will be carried out before use in school is allowed.
• Mobile phones will not be used during lessons or formal school time. The sending of abusive or inappropriate text messages is forbidden.
• Staff will be issued with a school phone where contact with pupils is required.

Protecting personal data 

• Personal data will be recorded, processed, transferred and made available according to the Data Protection Act 1998.

Policy Decisions 

Authorising Internet access 

• All staff must read and sign the ‘Acceptable ICT Use Agreement’ before using any school ICT resource.
• The school will maintain a current record of all staff and pupils who are granted Internet access.
• At Key Stage 1, access to the Internet will be by adult demonstration with occasional directly supervised access to specific, approved on-line materials.
• Parents will be asked to sign and return a consent form.

Assessing risks 

• 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. Neither the school nor CCC can accept liability for the material accessed, or any consequences of Internet access.
• The school will audit ICT provision to establish if the e-safety policy is adequate and that its implementation is effective.

Handling e-safety complaints  

• Complaints of Internet misuse will be dealt with by a senior member of staff.
• Any complaint about staff misuse must be referred to the head teacher.
• Complaints of a child protection nature must be dealt with in accordance with school child protection procedures.
• Pupils and parents will be informed of the complaints procedure.
• Discussions will be held with the Education & Children’s Service and / or Police to establish procedures for handling potentially illegal issues.

Community use of the Internet 

• The school will liaise with local organisations to establish a common approach to e-safety.

Communications Policy 

Introducing the e-safety policy to pupils 

• E-safety rules will be clearly posted where there is computer access and discussed with the pupils at the start of each year.
• Pupils will be informed that network and Internet use will be monitored.

Staff and the e-Safety policy

• All staff will be given the School e-Safety Policy and its importance explained.
• Staff should be aware that Internet traffic can be monitored and traced to the individual user. Discretion and professional conduct is essential.  

Enlisting parents’ support 

• Parents’ attention will be drawn to the School e-Safety Policy in newsletters, the school brochure / prospectus and on the school Web site.

Dear Parent, 

We are quite prepared to give medicine to children as long as you take the following steps:

• PARENTS MUST COMPLETE A MEDICATION REQUEST FORM BEFORE SENDING MEDICINE TO SCHOOL. THIS FORM IS AVAILABLE FROM THE SCHOOL OR BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW

  Medicine.pdf

• AFTER PERMISSION HAS BEEN GIVEN YOU SHOULD ONLY SEND THE REQUIRED DAILY DOSE TO SCHOOL - MEDICINE IN A SYRINGE IF POSSIBLE. CHILDREN SHOULD NOT CARRY FULL BOTTLES OF MEDICINE TO SCHOOL.
• WE WILL NOT GIVE MEDICINE TO ANY CHILD WHO BRINGS MEDICINE TO SCHOOL WITHOUT PRIOR PERMISSION. 

Any holidays during term time will be classed as UNAUTHORISED ABSENCE in accordance with LEA guidelines