Online Safety
As with all other risks, it is impossible to completely eliminate risks that arise from use of the internet. It is therefore essential, through good educational provision to build students’ resilience to the risks to which they may be exposed, so that they have the confidence and skills to face and deal with them. The school can demonstrate that it has provided the necessary safeguards to help ensure that staff have undertaken everything that could reasonably be expected of them to manage and reduce these risks.
Our e-Safety policy explains how we intend to do this, whilst also addressing wider educational issues in order to help young people (and their parents/carers) be responsible users and stay safe while using the internet and other communications technologies for educational, personal and recreational use. We strive to ensure that pupils do not access inappropriate materials online whilst at the school. The policy outlines the specific roles and responsibilities of how this will be achieved.
Whilst in school a filtering system is used. There is a requirement to ensure that pupils and students are able to use the internet and related communications technologies appropriately and safely.
We involve all stakeholders in a pupil’s education and see the internet as a source to enhancing learning. Students are made aware and have appropriate learning opportunities to know how to keep themselves safe through e-Safety lessons and taking part in ‘safer internet’ national projects. We also deliver a new and innovative approach to e-Safety education within our e-Safe Award, which some of our young people study as part of the intervention programme. The e-Safe Award is a course of six sessions including a test to ensure pupils are fully equipped to deal with the dangers and risks involved with using a range of technology. As part of this award students are allowed to bring personal devices (iPads, tablets, laptops, mobile phones, etc) in to school. This is only available for young people who have been given permission by parents to do so and the privilege can be taken away if pupils don’t adhere to the e-Safe rules. Please visit the SHARP to see exactly how we deliver the e-Safe Award.
We work with parents and carers to ensure they are equipped to support their children in relation to internet usage at home through termly e-Safety Parent Workshops. Staff can also undertake termly e-Safety Staff Workshops and everyone receives e-Safety Policies and Procedures training annually to ensure they are at the forefront of knowledge.
