Co-op Academy Walkden

Online Safety Policy

Policy details

● Date created - 25 August 2024

● Date reviewed - 01 September 2024

● Date approved by trust board - 04 July 2024

● Next review date - 04 July 2025

● Policy owner - Miss Kirsty Peet

Contents:

1. Aims 3

2. Legislation and guidance 3

3. Roles and Responsibilities 4

3.1 Trust Safeguarding Lead 4

3.2 The Headteacher 5

3.3 The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) 6

3.4a Central IT Team 7

3.4b Regional IT Manager/Network Manager/Technician/Apprentice 7

3.5 All Colleagues and Volunteers 8

3.6 Parents and Carers 9

3.7 Visitors and Members of the Community 9

4. Educating Pupils about Online Safety 10

5. Educating Parents/Carers about Online Safety 11

6. Handling online-safety concerns and incidents 12

7. Examining Electronic Devices 15

8. Artificial intelligence (AI) 17

9. Acceptable Use of the Internet in School 17

10. Pupils Using Mobile Devices in School 18

11. Staff Using Work Devices Outside School 18

12. How the Academy will Respond to Issues of Misuse 19

13. Training 19

14. Monitoring and Filtering Arrangements 20

Appendix 1: KS2, KS3 and KS4 Acceptable Use Agreement (Pupils and Parents/Carers) 23

Appendix 2: Acceptable Use Agreement (Staff, Governors, Volunteers and Visitors) 24

Appendix 3: Online Safety Training Needs - Self Audit for Staff 26

1. Aims

This policy sets out expectations for all Co-op Academies Trust community

members’ online behaviour, attitudes and activities and use of digital technology.

All Co-op Academies aim to:

● Have robust processes in place to ensure the online safety of pupils, colleagues,

volunteers, and visitors

●Identify and support groups of pupils that are potentially at greater risk of harm

online than others

●Establish clear mechanisms to identify, intervene and escalate an incident, where

appropriate

●Deliver an effective approach to online safety, which empowers us to protect and

educate the whole academy community in its use of technology, including

mobile and smart technology (which we refer to as ‘mobile phones’)

All Co-op Academies adopt an approach to online safety that is based on

addressing the following categories of risk:

● Content – being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content, such as

pornography, fake news, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, antisemitism,

radicalisation and extremism

● Contact – being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users, such as

peer-to-peer pressure, commercial advertising and adults posing as children or

young adults with the intention to groom or exploit them for sexual, criminal,

financial or other purposes

● Conduct – personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes,

harm, such as making, sending and receiving explicit images (e.g. consensual

and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and/or pornography),

sharing other explicit images and online bullying; and

● Commerce – risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing

and/or financial scams

2. Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) statutory safeguarding

guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and its advice for schools on:

● Teaching online safety in schools

● Preventing and tackling bullying and cyber-bullying: advice for headteachers

and school staff

● Relationships and sex education

● Searching, screening and confiscation

It also refers to the DfE’s guidance on protecting children from radicalisation.

It reflects existing legislation, including but not limited to the Education Act 1996

(as amended), the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and the Equality Act 2010. In

addition, it reflects the Education Act 2011, which has given teachers stronger

powers to tackle cyber-bullying by, if necessary, searching for and deleting

inappropriate images or files on pupils’ electronic devices where they believe there

is a ‘good reason’ to do so.

The policy also takes into account the National Curriculum programmes of study.

This policy complies with our funding agreement and articles of association.

It is designed to sit alongside academies’ statutory Safeguarding and Child

Protection policies and Behaviour policies, our Trust’s Colleague Code of Conduct

and our Trust’s Data Protection Policy, and Trust Social Media policy.

3. Roles and Responsibilities

Our Trust is a community and all members have a duty to behave respectfully online

and offline, to use technology for teaching and learning and to prepare for life after

school, and to immediately report any concerns or inappropriate behaviour, to

protect staff, pupils, families and the reputation of the Trust and its academies. We

learn together, make honest mistakes together and support each other in a world

that is online and offline at the same time.

3.1 Trust Safeguarding Lead

The Trust’s Safeguarding Lead has overall responsibility for monitoring this policy

and holding academy leaders to account for its implementation. The Safeguarding

Lead will receive regular reports on the implementation of the policy from the

Designated Safeguarding Lead via the Regional Safeguarding Leads, and will report

on the implementation of this policy to the Trust Board on an annual basis as part of

their annual safeguarding report.

The Trust’s Safeguarding Lead will ensure that, where necessary, teaching about

safeguarding, including online safety, is adapted for vulnerable children, victims of

abuse, and some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This is because of the importance of recognising that a ‘one size fits all’ approach

may not be appropriate for all children in all situations, and a more personalised or

contextualised approach may often be more suitable

3.2 The Principal

The Principal is responsible for implementing the policy, ensuring that:

● all stakeholders understand this policy

● the policy is being implemented consistently throughout the academy

● all colleagues have appropriate online safety training

● staff understand their expectations, roles, and responsibilities around filtering

and monitoring

● all staff undergo online safety training, receive regular online safety updates

(via email, e-bulletins and staff meetings), as required and at least annually, to

ensure they are continually provided with the relevant skills and knowledge to

effectively safeguard children

● children are taught how to keep themselves and others safe, including

keeping safe online

● the academy has appropriate filtering and monitoring systems in place on

academy devices and academy networks, and will regularly review their

effectiveness; this will include reviewing the DfE filtering and monitoring

standards, and discussing with IT staff and service providers what needs to be

done to support the academy in meeting the standards, which include:

Identifying and assigning roles and responsibilities to manage filtering

and monitoring systems;

Reviewing filtering and monitoring provisions at least annually;  Blocking harmful and inappropriate content without unreasonably

impacting teaching and learning;

To Having effective monitoring strategies in place that meet their

safeguarding needs.

Key responsibilities:

● Liaise with the designated safeguarding lead on all online-safety issues which

might arise and receive regular updates on academy issues and broader

policy and practice information

● Support safeguarding leads and technical staff as they review protections for

pupils who may be accessing remote learning

● Ensure that, where necessary, teaching about safeguarding, including online

safety, is adapted for vulnerable children, victims of abuse and some pupils

with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is because of

the importance of recognising that a ‘one size fits all’ approach may not be

appropriate for all children in all situations, and a more personalised or

contextualised approach may often be more suitable

● Take overall responsibility for data management and information security

ensuring the academy’s provision follows best practice in information

handling; work with the academy’s Data Protection Ambassador, DSL and

governors to ensure a UK GDPR-compliant framework for storing data, but

helping to ensure that child protection is always put first and data-protection

processes support careful and legal sharing of information

● Ensure the academy implements and makes effective use of appropriate IT

systems and services including school-safe filtering and monitoring,

protected email systems and that all technology including cloud systems are

implemented according to child-safety first principles

● Ensure the Trust’s Safeguarding Lead is updated as needed on the nature

and effectiveness of the academy’s arrangements for online safety

3.3 The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Details of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputies are set out in the

academy’s child protection and safeguarding policy, as well as relevant job

descriptions.

The DSL takes lead responsibility for online safety in the academy, in particular:

●Supporting the headteacher in ensuring that staff understand this policy and that

it is being implemented consistently throughout the academy

●Taking the lead on understanding the filtering and monitoring systems and

processes in place on academy devices and academy networks

●Managing all online safety issues and incidents in line with the academy’s child

protection policy

●Ensuring that online safety incidents of a safeguarding nature are logged on

CPOMS and dealt with appropriately

●Ensuring that any incidents of cyberbullying are logged and dealt with

appropriately in line with the academy behaviour policy

●Ensure a zero-tolerance, whole school approach to incidents of child on child

sexual abuse or sexual harm where this behaviour takes place through the use of

technology, in line with Keeping Children Safe Part 5 and the academy

behaviour policy

●Work with the HT and IT staff to review protections for pupils in the home and

remote-learning procedures, rules and safeguards

●Updating and delivering (or organising) staff training on online safety

●Providing regular reports on online safety in the academy to the headteacher

and/or governing board (i.e. an annual online safety review)

This list is not intended to be exhaustive

3.4a Central IT Team

Responsible for:

●Putting in place an appropriate level of security protection procedures, including

filtering and monitoring systems on academy devices and academy networks,

which are reviewed and updated at least annually to assess effectiveness and

ensure pupils are kept safe from potentially harmful and inappropriate content

and contact online while at academy, including terrorist and extremist material

●Ensuring that the academy’s IT systems are secure and protected against viruses

and malware, and that such safety mechanisms are updated regularly

● Conducting daily, weekly and termly checks to ensure the academy’s IT systems

are updated and provide protection for end users.

This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

3.4b Regional IT Manager/Network Manager/Technician/Apprentice

Responsibilities as listed in the ‘all staff’ section, plus:

● Support and advise on the implementation of the filtering and monitoring

software.

● To report online-safety related issues that come to their attention to the DSL

and our Trust’s Central IT team

● Keep up to date with our Trust’s Online Safety Policy and technical

information in order to effectively carry out their online safety role and to

inform and update others as relevant

● Liaise with relevant staff to see how the online-safety curriculum can

complement the academy IT system and vice versa, and ensure no conflicts

between educational messages and practice.

● Work closely with the designated safeguarding lead academy Data

Protection Ambassador to ensure that academy systems and networks reflect

academy policy

● Ensure the above stakeholders understand the consequences of existing

services and of any changes to these systems (especially in terms of access to

personal and sensitive records / data) and to systems such as YouTube mode,

web filtering settings, sharing permissions for files on cloud platforms etc

● Maintain up-to-date documentation of the academy’s online security and

technical procedures

● Manage the academy’s systems, networks and devices, according to a strict

password policy, with systems in place for detection of misuse and malicious

attack, with adequate protection, encryption and backup for data, including

disaster recovery plans, and auditable access controls

● Support the HT and DSL team as they review protections for pupils in the

home and remote-learning procedures, rules and safeguards

3.5 All Colleagues and Volunteers

All colleagues, including contractors and agency staff, and volunteers, including

members of the academy’s community council are responsible for:

●Understanding that online safety is a core part of safeguarding; as such it is part

of everyone’s job

●Maintaining an understanding of this policy

●Implementing this policy consistently

●Agreeing and adhering to the terms on acceptable use of the academy’s ICT

systems and the internet (appendix 2), and ensuring that pupils follow the

academy’s terms on acceptable use (appendix 1)

●Knowing that the DSL has oversight of the filtering and monitoring systems and

processes, and being aware of how to report any incidents of those systems or

processes failing by reporting these directly to the DSL

●Recording online-safety incidents in the same way as any safeguarding incident

and report in accordance with academy procedures using CPOMS

●Following the correct procedures by liaising with the IT team if they need to

bypass the filtering and monitoring systems for educational purposes

●Working with the DSL to ensure that any online safety incidents are logged and

dealt with appropriately in line with this policy

●Ensuring that any incidents of cyber-bullying are dealt with appropriately in line

with the academy behaviour policy

● Carefully supervising and guiding pupils when engaged in learning activities

involving online technology and recognise the importance of human monitoring

to safeguard children whilst using devices.

●Responding appropriately to all reports and concerns about sexual violence

and/or harassment, both online and offline, and maintaining an attitude of ‘it

could happen here’

●Modelling safe, responsible and professional behaviours in their own use of

technology. This includes outside the academy hours and site, and on social

media, in all aspects upholding the reputation of the academy and of the

professional reputation of all colleagues

This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

3.6 Parents and Carers

Parents/carers are expected to:

●Monitor their children’s online activity closely

● Consult with the academy if they have any concerns about their children’s and

others’ use of technology

●Ensure their child has read, understood and agreed to the terms on acceptable

use of the academy’s ICT systems and internet (appendices 1 and 2)

●Promote positive online safety and model safe, responsible, respectful and

positive behaviours in their own use of technology, including on social media:

not sharing other’s images or details without permission and refraining from

posting negative, threatening or violent comments about others, including the

academy staff, volunteers, governors, contractors, pupils or other parents/carers.

●Encourage children to engage fully and safely in home-learning during any

period where this may be required.

Parents/carers can seek further guidance on keeping children safe online from the

following organisations and websites:

●What are the issues? – UK Safer Internet Centre

● Hot topics – Childnet

●Parent resource sheet – Childnet

3.7 Visitors and Members of the Community

Key responsibilities:

● Follow any instructions or guidance given in relation to use of academy

technology or the internet within the academy

● Report any concerns, no matter how small, to the designated safety lead

● Maintain an awareness of current online safety issues and guidance

● Model safe, responsible and professional behaviours in their own use of

technology at the academy and as part of remote teaching or any online

communications

● Note that a contractor should never attempt to arrange any meeting,

including tutoring sessions, without the full prior knowledge and approval of

the academy, and will never do so directly with a pupil. The same applies to

any private/direct communication with a pupil.

4. Educating Pupils about Online Safety

Pupils will be taught about online safety as part of the curriculum:

All academies have to teach:

●Relationships education and health education in primary schools

●Relationships and sex education and health education in secondary schools

In KS3, pupils will be taught to:

● Understand a range of ways to use technology safely, respectfully,

responsibly, and securely, including protecting their online identity and

privacy

● Recognise inappropriate content, contact and conduct, and know how to

report concerns

Pupils in KS4 will be taught:

● To understand how changes in technology affect safety, including new ways

to protect their online privacy and identity

● How to report a range of concerns

By the end of secondary school, pupils will know:

● Their rights, responsibilities and opportunities online, including that the same

expectations of behaviour apply in all contexts, including online

● About online risks, including that any material someone provides to another

has the potential to be shared online and the difficulty of removing

potentially compromising material placed online

● Not to provide material to others that they would not want shared further and

not to share personal material that is sent to them

● What to do and where to get support to report material or manage issues

online

● The impact of viewing harmful content

● That specifically sexually explicit material (e.g. pornography) presents a

distorted picture of sexual behaviours, can damage the way people see

themselves in relation to others, and negatively affect how they behave

towards sexual partners

● That sharing and viewing indecent images of children (including those

created by children) is a criminal offence that carries severe penalties

including jail

● How information and data is generated, collected, shared and used online

● How to identify harmful behaviours online (including bullying, abuse or

harassment) and how to report, or find support, if they have been affected by

those behaviours

● How people can actively communicate and recognise consent from others,

including sexual consent, and how and when consent can be withdrawn (in all

contexts, including online)

5. Educating Parents/Carers about Online Safety

The academy will periodically raise parents’/carers’ awareness of internet safety

(including issues and best practice) in letters or other communications home, and in

information via our website. This policy will also be shared with parents/carers.

The academy will let parents/carers know:

●What systems the academy uses to filter and monitor online use

●What their children are being asked to do online, including the sites they will be

asked to access and who from the academy (if anyone) their child will be

interacting with online

If parents/carers have any queries or concerns in relation to online safety, these

should be raised in the first instance with the headteacher and/or the DSL.

Concerns or queries about this policy can be raised with any member of staff or the

headteacher.

6. Handling online-safety concerns and incidents

Procedures for dealing with online-safety concerns or incidents will be mostly

detailed in the following policies (primarily in the first key document):

● Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

● Anti-Bullying Policy

● Behaviour Policy (including academy sanctions)

● PREVENT - Risk Assessment / Policy

● Data Protection Policy, agreements and other documentation (e.g. privacy

statement and consent forms for data sharing, image use etc)

● Colleague Code of Conduct

Co-op Academies Trust commits to take all reasonable precautions to ensure online

safety, but recognises that incidents will occur both inside the academy and outside

the academy (and that incidents outside the academy may continue to impact

pupils when they come into the academy or during extended periods away from the

academy). All members of the academy are encouraged to report issues swiftly to

allow us to deal with them quickly and sensitively through the academy’s escalation

processes.

Any suspected online risk or infringement should be reported to the online safety

lead / designated safeguarding lead on the same day – where clearly urgent, it will

be made by the end of the lesson.

Any concern/allegation about staff misuse is always referred directly to the

Headteacher, unless the concern is about the Headteacher in which case the

complaint is referred to the Regional Director and/or Chair of Governors. Where

appropriate, the LADO (Local Authority’s Designated Officer) should also be

informed. Staff may also use the NSPCC Whistleblowing Helpline.

The academy will actively seek support from other agencies as needed (i.e. the local

authority, LGfL, UK Safer Internet Centre’s Professionals’ Online Safety Helpline

(POSH), NCA CEOP, Prevent Officer, Police, IWF). We will inform parents/carers of

online-safety incidents involving their children, and the Police where staff or pupils

engage in or are subject to behaviour which we consider is particularly disturbing or

breaks the law (particular procedures are in place for sexting and upskirting; see

section below).

The academy should evaluate whether reporting procedures are adequate for any

future closures/lockdowns/isolation etc and make alternative provisions in advance

where these might be needed.

Actions where there are concerns about a child:

Staff should follow their academy Safeguarding and Child Protection policy if they

are concerned about the safety of a pupil at the academy and report their concerns

to the DSL using CPOMS.

Sexting - sharing nudes and semi-nudes:

All academies (regardless of phase) should refer to the updated UK Council for

Internet Safety (UKCIS) guidance on sexting - now referred to as Sharing nudes and

semi-nudes: advice for education settings to avoid unnecessary criminalisation of

children. NB - where one of the parties is over 18, this is no longer sexting but child

sexual abuse.

There is a one-page overview called Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: how to

respond to an incident for all staff (not just classroom-based staff) to read, in

recognition of the fact that it is mostly someone other than the designated

safeguarding lead (DSL) or online safety lead to first become aware of an incident,

and it is vital that the correct steps are taken. Colleagues other than the DSL must

not attempt to view, share or delete the image or ask anyone else to do so, but to

go straight to the DSL.

The academy DSL will in turn use the full guidance document, Sharing nudes and

semi-nudes – advice for educational settings to decide next steps and whether

other agencies need to be involved.

1. The incident involves an adult

2. There is reason to believe that a child or young person has been coerced,

blackmailed or groomed, or there are concerns about their capacity to consent (for

example, owing to special educational needs)

3. What you know about the images or videos suggests the content depicts sexual

acts which are unusual for the young person’s developmental stage, or are violent

4. The images involves sexual acts and any pupil in the images or videos is under 13

5. You have reason to believe a child or young person is at immediate risk of harm

owing to the sharing of nudes and semi-nudes, for example, they are presenting as

suicidal or self-harming

It is important that everyone understands that whilst sexting is illegal,

pupils/students can come and talk to members of staff if they have made a mistake

or had a problem in this area.

The documents referenced above and materials to support teaching about sexting

can be found at sexting.lgfl.net

Upskirting

It is important that everyone understands that upskirting (taking a photo of

someone under their clothing, not necessarily a skirt) is now a criminal offence, as

highlighted in Keeping Children Safe in Education and that pupils/students can

come and talk to members of staff if they have made a mistake or had a problem in

this area.

Bullying

Online bullying should be treated like any other form of bullying and the academy

anti-bullying policy should be followed for online bullying, which may also be

referred to as cyberbullying, including issues arising from banter.

Materials to support teaching about bullying and useful Department for Education

guidance and case studies are at bullying.lgfl.net.

7. Examining Electronic Devices

The Principal and any member of staff authorised to do so by the Principal as set

out in your behaviour policy can carry out a search and confiscate any electronic

device that they have reasonable grounds for suspecting:

●Poses a risk to staff or pupils, and/or

●Is identified in the academy rules as a banned item for which a search can be

carried out, and/or

●Is evidence in relation to an offence

Before a search, if the authorised staff member is satisfied that they have reasonable

grounds for suspecting any of the above, they will also:

●Make an assessment of how urgent the search is, and consider the risk to other

pupils and staff. If the search is not urgent, they will seek advice from the

Principal / DSL / appropriate staff member.

●Explain to the pupil why they are being searched, how the search will happen,

and give them the opportunity to ask questions about it

●Seek the pupil’s co-operation

Authorised staff members may examine, and in exceptional circumstances erase,

any data or files on an electronic device that they have confiscated where they

believe there is a ‘good reason’ to do so.

When deciding whether there is a ‘good reason’ to examine data or files on an

electronic device, the staff member should reasonably suspect that the device has,

or could be used to:

● Cause harm, and/or

●Undermine the safe environment of the academy or disrupt teaching, and/or

● Commit an offence

If inappropriate material is found on the device, it is up to the staff member in

conjunction with the DSL / Principal / other member of the senior leadership team

to decide on a suitable response. If there are images, data or files on the device that

staff reasonably suspect are likely to put a person at risk, they will first consider the

appropriate safeguarding response.

When deciding if there is a good reason to erase data or files from a device, staff

members will consider if the material may constitute evidence relating to a

suspected offence. In these instances, they will not delete the material, and the

device will be handed to the police as soon as reasonably practicable. If the material

is not suspected to be evidence in relation to an offence, staff members may delete

it if:

●They reasonably suspect that its continued existence is likely to cause harm to

any person, and/or

●The pupil and/or the parent/carer refuses to delete the material themselves

If a staff member suspects a device may contain an indecent image of a child (also

known as a nude or semi-nude image), they will:

●Not view the image

● Confiscate the device and report the incident to the DSL (or equivalent)

immediately, who will decide what to do next. The DSL will make the decision in

line with the DfE’s latest guidance on screening, searching and confiscation and

the UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS) guidance on sharing nudes and

semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young

people

Any searching of pupils will be carried out in line with:

●The DfE’s latest guidance on searching, screening and confiscation

●UKCIS guidance on sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings

working with children and young people

● Our behaviour policy / searches and confiscation policy

Any complaints about searching for or deleting inappropriate images or files on

pupils’ electronic devices will be dealt with through the academy complaints

procedure.

8. Artificial intelligence (AI)

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools are now widespread and easy to access.

Staff, pupils and parents/carers may be familiar with generative chatbots such as

ChatGPT and Google Bard.

Co-op Academies Trust recognises that AI has many uses to help pupils learn, but

may also have the potential to be used to bully others. For example, in the form of

'deepfakes', where AI is used to create images, audio or video hoaxes that look real.

This includes deepfake pornography: pornographic content created using AI to

include someone’s likeness.

Co-op Academies Trust will treat any use of AI to bully pupils in line with our

anti-bullying and behaviour policy.

Staff should be aware of the risks of using AI tools whilst they are still being

developed and should carry out a risk assessment where new AI tools are being

used by our trust.

9. Acceptable Use of the Internet in School

All pupils, parents/carers, staff, volunteers and governors are expected to sign an

agreement regarding the acceptable use of the academy’s ICT systems and the

internet (samples are available in appendix 1 to 3). Visitors will be expected to read

and agree to the academy’s terms on acceptable use if relevant.

Use of the academy’s internet must be for educational purposes only, or for the

purpose of fulfilling the duties of an individual’s role.

We will monitor the websites visited by pupils, staff, volunteers, governors and

visitors (where relevant) to ensure they comply with the above and restrict access

through filtering systems where appropriate.

More information is set out in the acceptable use agreements in appendices 1 to 3.

10. Pupils Using Mobile Devices in School

Individual academies are responsible for setting out and communicating the details

of personal device usage e.g. whether or not pupils / students are able to bring

their mobile phones to school and when they are allowed to use them. Academies

should follow this guidance when setting their policy Guidance for Mobile phones in

schools.

The academy should consider that pupils may have access to 3G, 4G, and 5G

phone networks which may result in pupils being sexually harassed, bullied and

controlled via their mobile and smart technology, share indecent images

consensually and non-consensually (via large chat groups) and view and share

pornography and other harmful content.

11. Staff Using Work Devices Outside School

All staff members will take appropriate steps to ensure their devices remain secure.

This includes, but is not limited to:

●Keeping the device password-protected – strong passwords are at least 8

characters, with a combination of upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and

special characters (e.g. asterisk or currency symbol)

●Ensuring their hard drive is encrypted – this means if the device is lost or stolen,

no one can access the files stored on the hard drive by attaching it to a new

device

●Making sure the device locks if left inactive for a period of time

●Not sharing the device among family or friends

●Installing/updating anti-virus and anti-spyware software

●Keeping operating systems up to date by always installing the latest updates

Staff members must not use the device in any way that would violate the academy’s

terms of acceptable use, as set out in appendix 2.

Work devices must be used solely for work activities.

If staff have any concerns over the security of their device, they must seek advice

from their academy IT team or any central IT staff.

12. How the Academy will Respond to Issues of Misuse

Where a pupil misuses the academy’s ICT systems or internet, we will follow the

procedures set out in our policies on behaviour and ICT and internet acceptable use

policies. The action taken will depend on the individual circumstances, nature and

seriousness of the specific incident, and will be proportionate.

Where a staff member misuses the academy’s ICT systems or the internet, or

misuses a personal device where the action constitutes misconduct, the matter will

be dealt with in accordance with the staff disciplinary procedures and staff code of

conduct. The action taken will depend on the individual circumstances, nature and

seriousness of the specific incident.

The academy will consider whether incidents that involve illegal activity or content,

or otherwise serious incidents, should be reported to the police. This includes social

media incidents.

13. Training

All new staff members will receive training, as part of their induction, on safe

internet use and online safeguarding issues, including cyber-bullying and the risks of

online radicalisation.

All staff members will receive refresher training at least once each academic year as

part of safeguarding training, as well as relevant updates as required (for example

through emails, e-bulletins and staff meetings).

By way of this training, all staff will be made aware that:

●Technology is a significant component in many safeguarding and wellbeing

issues, and that children are at risk of online abuse

● Children can abuse their peers online through:

o Abusive, threatening, harassing and misogynistic messages

o Non-consensual sharing of indecent nude and semi-nude images and/or

videos, especially around chat groups

o Sharing of abusive images and pornography, to those who don’t want

to receive such content

●Physical abuse, sexual violence and initiation/hazing type violence can all contain

an online element

Training will also help staff:

● Develop better awareness to assist in spotting the signs and symptoms of

online abuse

● Develop the ability to ensure pupils can recognise dangers and risks in online

activity and can weigh up the risks

● Develop the ability to influence pupils to make the healthiest long-term

choices and keep them safe from harm in the short term

The DSL and any deputies will undertake child protection and safeguarding training

regularly. They will also update their knowledge and skills on the subject of online

safety at regular intervals, and at least annually.

Governors will receive training on safe internet use and online safeguarding issues

as part of their safeguarding training.

Volunteers will receive appropriate training and updates, if applicable.

More information about safeguarding training is set out in our child protection and

safeguarding policy.

14. Monitoring and Filtering Arrangements

Keeping Children Safe in Education obliges schools to “ensure appropriate filters

and appropriate monitoring systems are in place [and] not be able to access harmful

or inappropriate material [but at the same time] be careful that “over blocking”

does not lead to unreasonable restrictions as to what children can be taught with

regards to online teaching and safeguarding.”

Our Trust is moving to a central broadband provider (LGfL). This means we have a

dedicated and secure, schoolsafe connection that is protected with firewalls and

multiple layers of security, including a web filtering system called WebScreen, which

is made specifically to protect children in schools. This provision is reviewed at least

annually.

There are three types of appropriate monitoring identified by the Safer Internet

Centre. These are:

1. Physical monitoring (adult supervision in the classroom, at all times)

2. Internet and web access

3. Active/Pro-active technology monitoring services

Adult supervision is expected whenever pupils are using devices in an academy

setting, and parents/carers are responsible for supervising their children when they

are online at home. Pupil devices are monitored by OnGuard, which alerts the DSL

of each school with any safeguarding concerns. Trust safeguarding leads and DSLs

test the effectiveness of this system on a regular basis.

Appendix 1: KS3 and KS4 Acceptable Use Agreement (Pupils and

Parents/Carers)

ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE ACADEMY’S ICT SYSTEMS AND INTERNET: AGREEMENT FOR PUPILS AND

PARENTS/CARERS

Name of pupil:

ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE ACADEMY’S ICT SYSTEMS AND INTERNET: AGREEMENT FOR PUPILS AND PARENTS/CARERS

I will read and follow the rules in the acceptable use agreement policy.

When I use the academy’s ICT systems (like computers) and get onto the internet in the academy I will:

● Always use the academy’s ICT systems and the internet responsibly and for educational purposes only

● Only use them when a teacher is present, or with a teacher’s permission

● Keep my usernames and passwords safe and not share these with others

● Keep my private information safe at all times and not give my name, address or telephone number to

anyone without the permission of my teacher or parent/carer

● Tell a teacher (or sensible adult) immediately if I find any material that might upset, distress or harm me

or others

● Always log off or shut down a computer when I’ve finished working on it

I will not:

● Access any inappropriate websites including: social networking sites, chat rooms and gaming sites

unless my teacher has expressly allowed this as part of a learning activity

● Open any attachments in emails, or follow any links in emails, without first checking with a teacher

● Use any inappropriate language when communicating online, including in emails

● Create, link to or post any material that is pornographic, offensive, obscene or otherwise inappropriate

● Log in to the academy’s network using someone else’s details

● Arrange to meet anyone offline without first consulting my parent/carer, or without adult supervision

If I bring a personal mobile phone or other personal electronic device into academy:

● I will not use it during lessons, tutor group time, clubs or other activities organised by the academy,

without a teacher’s permission

● I will use it responsibly, and will not access any inappropriate websites or other inappropriate material

or use inappropriate language when communicating online

I agree that the academy will monitor the websites I visit and that there will be consequences if I don’t

follow the rules.

Signed (pupil): Date:

Parent/carer’s agreement: I agree that my child can use the academy’s ICT systems and internet when

appropriately supervised by a member of academy staff. I agree to the conditions set out above for pupils

using the academy’s ICT systems and internet, and for using personal electronic devices in academy, and

will make sure my child understands these.

Signed (parent/carer): Date:

Appendix 2 Acceptable Use Agreement (Staff, Governors, Volunteers

and Visitors)

ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE ACADEMY’S ICT SYSTEMS AND INTERNET: AGREEMENT FOR STAFF,

GOVERNORS, VOLUNTEERS AND VISITORS

Name of staff member/governor/volunteer/visitor:

When using the academy’s ICT systems and accessing the internet in the academy, or outside the

academy on a work device (if applicable), I will not:

● Access, or attempt to access inappropriate material, including but not limited to material of a violent,

criminal or pornographic nature (or create, share, link to or send such material)

● Use them in any way that could harm the academy’s reputation

● Access social networking sites or chat rooms

● Use any improper language when communicating online, including in emails or other messaging

services

● Install any unauthorised software, or connect unauthorised hardware or devices to the academy’s

network

● Share my password with others or log in to the academy’s network using someone else’s details

● Take photographs of pupils without checking with teachers first

● Share confidential information about the academy, its pupils or staff, or other members of the

community

● Access, modify or share data I’m not authorised to access, modify or share

● Promote private businesses, unless that business is directly related to the academy

I will only use the academy’s ICT systems and access the internet in the academy, or outside the academy

on a work device, for educational purposes or for the purpose of fulfilling the duties of my role.

I understand that the academy will monitor the websites I visit and my use of the academy’s ICT facilities

and systems.

I will take all reasonable steps to ensure that work devices are secure and password-protected when using

them outside the academy, and keep all data securely stored in accordance with this policy and the

academy’s data protection policy.

I will let the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and ICT manager know if a pupil informs me they have

found any material that might upset, distress or harm them or others, and will also do so if I encounter any

such material.

I will always use the academy’s ICT systems and internet responsibly, and ensure that pupils in my care do

so too.

Signed (staff member/governor/volunteer/visitor): Date:

Appendix 3: Online Safety Training Needs - Self Audit for Staff

ONLINE SAFETY TRAINING NEEDS AUDIT

Name of staff member/volunteer: Date:

Question Yes/No (add comments if necessary)

Do you know the name of the person who has lead

responsibility for online safety in the academy?

Are you aware of the ways pupils can abuse their

peers online?

Do you know what you must do if a pupil approaches

you with a concern or issue?

Are you familiar with the academy’s acceptable use

agreement for staff, volunteers, governors and

visitors?

Are you familiar with the academy’s acceptable use

agreement for pupils and parents/carers?

Are you familiar with the filtering and monitoring

systems on the academy’s devices and networks?

Do you understand your role and responsibilities in

relation to filtering and monitoring?

Do you regularly change your password for accessing

the academy’s ICT systems?

Are you familiar with the academy’s approach to

tackling cyber-bullying?

Are there any areas of online safety in which you

would like training/further training?