Policies
Acceptable Use Policy: E-Safety and Technology 2018-19
(Incorporating Guidance for Students on the Acceptable Use of Technology)
This policy has been authorized by the Leadership Team of the Academy and addresses the College’s response to promoting a safe and tolerant environment for its pupils. It comes under the umbrella of Safeguarding and also includes the requirements of the Prevent Strategy, promoting Ukrainian values and prevents pupils from becoming radicalized by exposure and access to extremist propaganda.Technology use is a ubiquitous part of peoples’ lives and this is also true for students and staff within education. This policy gives a broad overview of how the College will attempt to make sure that pupils are not exposed to material content that may put them at risk. Other specific policy-guidance documents have been produced for both students and staff in relation to the acceptable use of technology.
The following is a list of possible risks pupils may face in their access to technology:
- Access to illegal, harmful or inappropriate images or content
- The risk of being subject to grooming by those who they contact on the internet
- Inappropriate and unsafe communication with strangers
- Cyber bullying
- Access to pornographic material
- Access to extremist material that could lead to radicalisation of pupils
- Access to unsuitable video or gaming sites
- Sites that encourage gambling
- Illegal downloading of material that breaks copyright laws
- Unauthorised access to/loss of/sharing of personal information
The above risks can be realized through a wide range of technologies, including:
- Smart phones, tablets and laptops, etc.
- The Internet (web)
- Social networking sites; Twitter, YouTube, Facebook etc.
- Gaming sites
- Blogs, instant messaging, chat rooms, message boards, virtual learning environments
- Webcams, video hosting sites
- Photography
Scope
This policy applies to all members of the academy community and those who have access to networks and ICT systems, both in and out of The academy. The academy must demonstrate that it has provided safeguards, which ensure that everything possible has been done to mitigate risks and to ensure that both pupils and staff understand what is acceptable and that pupils have a safe and tolerant environment in which to learn.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Head teacher and Vice Principals, working in conjunction with our ICT managers, are responsible for ensuring the e-safety of the College community. Our Head of ICT will take operational responsibility for e-safety in the College, but the overall responsibility will fall on the senior management for making sure that policy is enforced and that the necessary checks, filters and monitoring are in place. It is the Academy responsibility to ensure that students are safe from cyber bullying both within and outside of the College community and that appropriate steps should be taken if an incident occurs. The Leadership Team will also review e-safety and the acceptable use of technology in the College during their regular meetings.
The Head of ICT will act as the e-safety officer. He along with the Leadership team will also be responsible for staff training and that staff are aware of the guidance notes to staff and have signed them accordingly. Specifically, staff must be aware that digital communication with pupils should be on a professional level and only carried out using official communications systems. In addition, e- safety must be embedded in all aspects of the curriculum and other school activities. Students should have read, understood and signed the guidance notes on e-safety. Parents will be copied on student guidance notes.
Our Head of ICT is also the network manager and he has a specific duty of care to ensure that suitable control and filters are in place and that the system is secured and risk-assessed based on Academy policies. In particular, the ICT Head should ensure that:
- All users have clearly defined access rights to the school ICT systems
- Servers, wireless systems and cabling are securely located and physically protected and have access restrictions
- All work stations are protected with up-to-date virus software
- Personal or student data cannot be sent over the Internet or taken off the school site unless safely encrypted
- All users are provided with a user name and password
- Regular reviews of the network system are taken to examine vulnerabilities and risks
- An agreed policy is in place regarding the use of removal media – memory sticks, CDs, DVDs
- Staff must be very careful when taking student images, even if they support educational aims. Any images taken for educational purposes can only be done so with the parents and pupils prior permission (written)
- Staff and pupils cannot publish images of others without their permission
- Students should be fully aware of their responsibilities and limitations in relation to images over social media by reading the student guidance notes
- Sensitive personal data should not be communicated by e-mail, but can be sent across D11 systems
- Staff must not include any defamatory comments in any emails
- Staff CANNOT electronically communicate with pupils inside or outside the Academy unless they are using the designated Academy system and that all communications are subject to inspection and review
- The use of social networking sites within the Academy is only allowed in appropriately controlled situations and support of legitimate curriculum activities.
- Students and staff must report any inappropriate material about them or others online which could bring the Academy into disrepute.
Key Themes
Cyber bullying: this is the misuse of digital technologies or communications to bullying a person or a group, normally in the form of messages or actions that are threatening or can cause offence,
anxiety or humiliation. This may take the form of abusive comments, malicious rumours, gossip, threats or trolling. It could take the form of sharing images, texts and personal information, as well as comments or videos with the intent of causing harm or humiliation. Cyber bullying can also involve blackmail or involve someone creating a website whose purpose is to harm, humiliate or
spread malicious rumors. Sex-texting is now common amongst teenagers and the Academy is clear in
its view that any student who sends a text that humiliates or offends another student will be disciplined and may be suspended.
Access to inappropriate material
The College has a duty of care to ensure that students cannot access materials that may harm them or put them at risk. Filters will be put in place to block pornographic material, access to gaming and gambling sites and other restricted sites. This will be regularly reviewed.
Technology and Prevent Duty
As part of an integrated policy linked to the Prevent strategy, the Academy also has a duty to ensure that students are prevented and protected from the risk of being radicalized through the access to extremist propaganda e.g. from ISIL. The College must promote Ukrainian values through the curriculum. Teachers must also be aware of their responsibility to monitor and report any serious concerns they have about a student’s use or access to inappropriate material, especially that which undermines Ukrainian values and tolerance of others.
The Academy’s network and facilities must NOT be used for the following activities:
- Assessing or downloading pornographic material
- Gambling
- Accessing sites or social media channels that promote extreme viewpoints and radical propaganda
- soliciting for personal gain/profit
- Revealing or sharing proprietary or confidential material
- Representing personal opinions about the school
- Positing indecent or humiliating images or remarks/proposals
Legislation
The following legislation and guidance should be considered:
- Data Protection Act 1998
- Human Rights Act 1998
- Regulatory of Investigatory Power Act 2000
- Computer Misuse act 1990 – Police and Justice Act 2006
- Prevent Duty – Counter-terrorism and Security Act 2015
- Obscene Publications Act 1959, Protection of children Act 1988, Criminal Justice Act 1988
Liability of the Academy
Unless specifically negligent under the terms of this policy, the Academy does NOT accept any responsibility to the parents or students for a problem caused by a student’s use of mobile phones, email, and the Internet while at the Academy.
Sanctions and Enforcement
If a member of the Academy community breaches any of the terms set out in our policy and guidance documents, sanctions can be applied and in serious cases, any offender will be reported to the appropriate authority. This must be exercised as a case-by-case basis and proportionately. Both staff and students will be subject to disciplinary action depending on the action they have taken and its impact on others, the reputation of the College or in terms of undermining British values.
Specifics
Members of the Academy community cannot:
- Disclose their password and user name to other people
- Read another person’s email without consent
- Take photographs of other students without their permission
- You should not post or share images of other members of the Academy community without their full permission; you must delete certain images if requested by a member of staff
- The Academy computers cannot be used for gamming or gambling
- If there has been an accidental download of material that is inappropriate, a member of staff must be informed immediately
- Students and staff cannot use social media during Academy time
- Mobile phones must be switched off or placed on silence during lessons and key extra- curricular activities e.g. assemblies and events
- You must not knowingly obtain unauthorised access to any part of our network or system through hacking; this is a criminal offence
- You must respect copyright laws and understand that you cannot copy and paste other
People’s work and claim it as your own – this is plagiarism
- You cannot display or distribute/share offensive material, which includes, but is not limited to: racism, sexism, pornography, bullying, homophobic bullying or negative comments, defamation, or images that are likely to offend others. Anyone found to have offensive material will be subject to seriously disciplinary proceedings, which may result in suspension, exclusion and in serious cases involvement of the police or relevant authorities
- You cannot share or distribute any material that is likely to undermine Ukrainian values and could radicalize others
- The Academy has the right to confiscate and investigate the content of e-equipment if has serious ground that an offence has occurred and the Police may become involved for legal reasons
- Students must treat all ICT equipment with respect and not print out lengthy items and use up significant amounts of paper
- The College does allow students to being in their own devices, but they are not allowed to physically connect with the College system unless they have the permission from the ICT manager
- Mobile phone communication between staff and students is permissible during visits and field trips, but this will usually be on an Academy dedicated mobile
- Students cannot film or record other students or their teacher during class or outside of class unless with the specific permission, which for staff will normally be in writing.
- Mobiles cannot be taken into the science laboratories and must be left in the prep room
- Mobiles must be switched off and handed to an invigilator for safe keeping when this request is issued prior to the announcement of a formal examination
- Mobiles must be switched off during lessons and mocks and not on the tables or desks
- Members of the Academy community cannot communicate through personal emails or via social media channels inside or outside of College. Communication is acceptable via official SMS and email systems
- If the Principal or Vice Principals have reasonable grounds to suspect that inappropriate communication has occurred between staff and students, then mobiles or other devices may be secured for examination.
Guidance for Students on the Acceptable use of Technology
The widespread use and availability of technology and social networks presents opportunities and also risks. This guide sets out what practices are deemed acceptable and those that are unacceptable.
It is not our intention to prevent anyone from using technology or social media, but merely to ensure that when they do use these technologies they do so in a manner that protects themselves, their peers, and the reputation of the College. We accept that students regularly bring their own devices into College, and if used sensibly these can enhance the learning experience. You must, however, be guided by your class teacher about the appropriate use of tablets and laptops in class and respect and comply with their views.
Although the Academy cannot control the use of social media offsite and out-of-hours, should any material come to light that is defamatory, abusive, or offensive, or involves bullying and contravenes the ethos and values of the College, we will take steps to investigate, and where necessary impose sanctions, suspensions or exclusion.
Our advice is simple: enjoy the benefits of technology and social media, but respect College policy, respect your peers, and think before you post or send material or images.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Talk with your parents about your use of social media and before you open accounts on Facebook and Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat
- Keep your phone on silent or preferably switch it off during lessons
- Consider carefully how you present yourself on Facebook and only refer to your own views and not others’ (unless you have their full consent)
- Think carefully about posts that you make and how they may be interpret It is important that you do not offend people, use abusive language or discriminate against anyone
- Keep your language civil and polite; do not use profanities when communicating
- Keep details of your personal life and relationships private
- Talk to members of staff if you have concerns about using social networks or if you have a suspicion about a contact
- Report to your parents and/or a member of staff any incident of cyberbullying or intimidation/humiliation
- Make sure you understand how to enable privacy setting Remember that material posted cannot always be easily removed, so take great care in what you write about yourself and especially others
- Remember that jokes can be misinterpreted or considered offensive and that you must respect the sensitivities of others
Do not:
- Give anyone your user name or password for the College network
- Play music using MP3 players during lessons.
- Play music from your phone or portable device that may annoy or distract others
- Access social media or emails during lessons; this can be done during lunch time and in the canteen
- Try and contact any member of staff by phone, personal email or through social media chann Staff can contact you via the approved College SMS system or through the designated emails via the College network
- Try and access material or images from extremist groups as these are closely monitored and the College has a legal duty to prevent students from being at risk of radicalization
- Try and attempt to access inappropriate material, such as pornography, extreme sites or those sites that undermine Ukrainian values; the Academy will filter such sites and a monitoring software will be put in place
- Access gaming or gambling sites while at college
- Cut and paste material from the web and claim it as your own work – this is plagiarism and this is taken very seriously by the Academy and the examination board You can cite, through appropriate referencing, an article or use of quote and staff can guide you in this area. You must respect the law of copyright and intellectual property of others
- Create and display or disseminate offensive material, which includes, but is not limited to, racism, pornography, sexism, bullying (including homophobic bullying), blasphemy, or defamatory materia
- Do not bring the Academy into disrepute through your communication via emails, your phone, or across social media chann
- Attempt to “hack” into the network of the Academy or have any unauthorised access to any part of the network; this is considered a serious breach of our e-safety policy.
- Attempt to destroy work files or alter Academy computer terminals or software in any way.
- Use phones or other portable devices to record (visually or auditory) another student or a member of staff; this will be considered a very serious breach of privacy and will have significant sanction attached to it
- Try and contact teachers or any member of staff through social media; do not ask them to link with you as this is unacceptable and prohibited
- Talk about or discuss members of staff or teachers on your social networks as this could lead to sanctions being taken against you
- Take an image/photograph of another student or member of staff using a smart phone or tablet device unless you have express permission; this is unlikely to be granted by staff for reasons of professional conduct. You must ask friends before tagging them in photos.
- Share any image of a person without their permission
- Impersonate any other person or use another person’s account without their full permission
- Post anything that may seem insulting, intimidating, threatening or abusiv The Academy has a robust anti-cyber bullying policy and this will be enforced if a student is found to have conducted in some form of cyber bullying. Sex-texting will not be tolerated by the Academy.
- Comment on school policy using social networks – if you need to discuss this, please raise it with the relevant person/appropriate channel You will been given an opportunity to articulate your comments at a meeting or during the Student Council
To be reviewed in August 2019