Internet Access Policy

Introduction

The Internet Access Policy has been written by the school’s Information Communication Technology (ICT) team, a group within the school with varying experience and will be reviewed on an annual basis.  It has been agreed by the Senior Leadership Team and approved by governors. 

The statutory curriculum expects pupils to learn how to locate, retrieve and exchange information using ICT.  In delivering the curriculum, teachers need to plan for and make use of ICT, for example, web-based resources and e‑mail.  Access to life-long learning and employment increasingly requires computer and communications use and pupils need to develop ICT life skills in their use. Access to the internet is a necessary tool for staff and pupils. It is an entitlement for pupils who show a responsible and mature approach towards its use.  

The purpose of internet access in school is to raise educational standards, to support the professional work of staff and to enhance the school’s management information and business administration systems.

Aims 

To give pupils and staff the opportunities to:

·        access world-wide educational resources;

·        participate in new initiatives such as a managed learning environment;

·        gather information and have cultural exchanges between appropriate pupils in other schools;

·        participate in staff discussions with experts in many fields;

·        provide access to educational materials and good curriculum practice;

·        communicate with the advisory and support services, professional associations and colleagues;

·        exchange curriculum and administration data with the Local Authority (LA) and Department for Children, Schools and Families (DfCSF).

Scope

This policy applies to all school equipment at any time and all other ICT equipment brought onto the school premises by staff. Staff should seek the headteacher’s permission before bringing their own equipment onto the premises. 

Management

·        The headteacher will delegate editorial responsibility of our school website to the ICT Manager to ensure that content is accurate and quality of presentation is maintained;

·        The website will comply with the school's guidelines (see also Child Media Policy);

·        Pupils will be made aware that the quality of their work published on the web needs to reflect the diversity of the audience;

·        Photographs must not identify individual pupils in any way.  Only group shots or pictures taken over the shoulder will be used;

·        Full names will not be used anywhere on the website, particularly alongside photographs;

·        Written permission from parents will be sought before photographs of pupils are published on the school website;

·          Parents will be informed that pupils will be provided with supervised internet access;

·          Parents will be asked to sign and return a permission form;

·          Personal CD’s and memory sticks may not be brought into school by pupils;

·          Responsibility for handling incidents will be given to the headteacher;

·          Rules for internet access will be posted near computer systems.  The ‘Acceptable Internet Use Statement’ or ‘Rules for Responsible Internet Use’ could be printed as posters (see appendix 1 and 2);

·          All staff, including teachers, supply staff, teaching assistants and support staff will be provided with the Internet Access Policy, and its importance explained;

·          Parents' attention will be drawn to the policy in newsletters, the school brochure and on the school website;

Planning and use of the Internet 

·        Internet access will be planned to enrich and extend learning activities.  Access levels will be reviewed to reflect the curriculum requirement;

·        Pupils will be given clear objectives for internet use;

·        Staff will select sites which will support the learning outcomes planned for the pupils’ age and maturity;

·        Approved sites must be bookmarked, listed or copied to the school intranet;

·        Staff and pupils will not be allowed to access public chat rooms, including social network sites;

·        Staff and pupils will not access inappropriate sites that could put others at risk;

·        New facilities will be thoroughly tested before pupils are given access;

·        At Key Stage 1, the majority of the access to the internet will be by teacher or adult demonstration. However there may be situations when pupils have supervised access to specific approved on-line materials;

·        At Key Stage 2, internet access will be granted to a whole class as part of the scheme of work, after a suitable education in responsible internet use;

·        Pupils using the Internet will be supervised by an adult;

·        If staff or pupils discover unsuitable sites, the URL (address) and content will be immediately reported to the Internet Service Provider via the ICT leader. 

Abbey Primary School

Responsible Internet Use Statement

Staff

ThThe computer system is owned by the school and is made available to pupils to further their

     education and to staff to enhance their professional activities including teaching, research,

      administration and management.  The school's Internet Access Policy has been drawn up to

     protect all parties - the pupils, the staff and the school.  The school reserves the right to examine

     or delete any files that may be held on its computer system or to monitor any internet sites visited.

     Staff and pupils requesting internet access should sign a copy of this Acceptable Internet Use

     Statement and return it to the ICT leader for approval.

·        Access should only be made via the authorised account and password, which should not be made available to any other person; 

·        Activity that threatens the integrity of the school ICT systems, or activity that attacks or corrupts other systems, is forbidden;

·        Users are responsible for all e-mail sent and for contacts made that may result in e-mail being received;

·        Posting anonymous messages and forwarding chain letters is forbidden;

·        Copyright of materials must be respected;

·        All internet activity should be appropriate for staff professional activity or pupils’ education. 

·        The same professional levels of language and content should be applied as for letters or other media, particularly as e-mail is often forwarded or may be sent inadvertently to the wrong person;

·        Use for personal financial gain, gambling, political purposes or advertising is forbidden;

·        Users must access only those sites and materials relevant to their work in school.  Users will be aware when they are accessing inappropriate materials and should expect to have their permission to use the system removed;

·        Staff should not give their email address to pupils.

     Any material breach of this will result in disciplinary action.

    Full name            … … … … … … … …        post     … … … … … … … … …

    Signed    … … … … … … … …                     date  … … … … … … … … … … … …

    Access granted … … … … … … …               date  … … … … … … … … … … … …
 

Abbey Primary School

Rules for Responsible Internet Use

Pupils

The school has computers and internet access to help our learning.  These rules will keep everyone safe and help us be fair to others.

·     I will only access the email with my own login and password, which I will keep secret;

·     I will not access other people's files;

·     I will only use the computers for school work and homework;

·     I will not bring CD’s or a memory stick into school;

·     I will ask permission from a member of staff before using the internet;

·     I will only e-mail people I know, or my teacher has approved;

·     The messages I send will be polite and sensible;

·     I will not give my home address, telephone number, email address or personal website details, or arrange to meet someone, unless my parent, carer or teacher has given permission;

·     To help protect other pupils and myself, I will tell a teacher if I see anything I am unhappy with or I receive messages I do not like;

·     I understand that the school may check my computer files and may monitor the internet sites I visit.  

Dear Parents

Responsible Internet Use

As part of pupils' curriculum enhancement and the development of ICT skills, Abbey Primary School is providing supervised access to the internet including email.

Although there have been concerns about pupils having access to undesirable materials, we are taking positive steps to deal with this risk in school.  Our school internet access provider operates a filtering system that restricts access to inappropriate materials.

The access your child will have to the internet will be highly planned for and appropriate to enhance their educational needs.  I enclose a copy of the Rules for Responsible Internet Use that we operate at Abbey. 

Should you wish to discuss any aspect of Internet use please telephone me to arrange an appointment.

Yours sincerely

Miss L Tunstall

Headteacher

 

Permission for Internet Access
Parent/carer’s permission	Pupil’s agreement
I give permission for access to the Internet on the terms set out in the above letter.	I agree to follow the rules for Responsible Internet Use.
Signed: … … … …… …… …… … Print name: … …… …… …… … … Date: … …… …… …… …	Signed: … …… …… …… …… … Print name: … …… …… …… … … Class:  … … …… …… …… … …

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