DOLPHIN SCHOOL

Guidance on Pupils’ safe use of ICT, Mobile Phones and other Electronic Devices

ICT IN THE CURRICULUM

Technology has transformed the entire process of teaching and learning at Dolphin School. It is a crucial component of every academic subject, and is also taught as a subject in its own right. Most of our classrooms are equipped with electronic whiteboards or projectors with standard whiteboards or both and all have a networked computer. We have one ICT suite in the school and pupils may use the machines there and in some classrooms under supervision.

Pupils from Year 3 are taught how to research on the internet and to evaluate sources. Help is given with suitable websites that are more helpful to children. They are educated into the importance of evaluating the intellectual integrity of different sites, and why some apparently authoritative sites need to be treated with caution. Some sites that appear to be serious, impartial, historical sites, actually masquerade as sources of racist, homophobic, jihadist or other propaganda. Some free, on-line encyclopaedias do not evaluate or screen the material posted on them.

THE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR PUPILS’ LIVES

Technology plays an enormously important part in the lives of all young people.

Sophisticated games consoles, or PSPs (play station portable), like the Wii and Nintendo DS, together with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones provide unlimited access to the internet, to SMS messages, to blogging (web logging) services (like Twitter), to Skype (video calls, via web cameras built into computers, phones and PSPs), to wikis (collaborative web pages), chat rooms, social networking sites (such as Bebo, Facebook and MySpace) and video sharing sites (such as YouTube).

This communications revolution gives young people unrivalled opportunities. It also brings risks. It is an important part of our role at Dolphin School to teach our pupils how to stay safe in this environment and how to avoid making themselves vulnerable to a range of risks, including identity theft, bullying, harassment, grooming, stalking and abuse. They also need to learn how to avoid the risk of exposing themselves to subsequent embarrassment.

ROLE OF OUR TECHNICAL STAFF

With the explosion in technology, we recognise that blocking and barring sites is no longer adequate. We need to teach all of our pupils to understand why they need to behave responsibly if they are to protect themselves. This aspect is a role for our Child Protection Officers and our pastoral staff. Our technical staff have a key role in maintaining a safe technical infrastructure at the school and in keeping abreast with the rapid succession of technical developments. They are responsible for the security of our hardware system, our data and for training our teaching and administrative staff in the use of ICT. They monitor the use of the internet and emails and will report inappropriate usage to the pastoral staff.

ROLE OF OUR CHILD PROTECTION OFFICERS

We recognise that internet safety is a child protection and general safeguarding issue.

Veronica Gibbs, Alison Alderson and Rita Robinson, our Child Protection Officers (CPO) have been trained in the safety issues involved with the misuse of the internet and other mobile electronic devices. They work closely with the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) and other agencies in promoting a culture of responsible use of technology, which is consistent with the ethos of Dolphin School. The school’s comprehensive PSHE programme on e-safety is the CPO’s responsibility. They will ensure that all year groups in the school are educated in the risks and the reasons why they need to behave responsibly online. Allegations of misuse of the internet are handled by the CPO in liaison with the ICT coordinator and IT technician.

MISUSE: STATEMENT OF POLICY

We will not tolerate any illegal material, and will always report illegal activity to the police and/or the Local Child Safeguarding Board (LCSB). If we discover that a child or young person is at risk as a consequence of online activity, we may seek assistance from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Unit (CEOP). We will impose a range of sanctions on any pupil who misuses technology to bully, harass or abuse another pupil in line with our anti-bullying policy.

INVOLVEMENT WITH PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

We seek to work closely with parents and guardians in promoting a culture of e-safety. We will always contact you if we have any worries about your son or daughter’s behaviour in this area, and we hope that you will feel able to share any worries with us. We recognise that not all parents and guardians may feel equipped to protect their son or daughter when they use electronic equipment at home. We are therefore happy to discuss any queries a parent may have on the potential hazards of this exploding technology, and the practical steps that parents can take to minimise the potential dangers to their sons and daughters without curbing their natural enthusiasm and curiosity.

Helpful advice for parents and guardians at home can be found by clicking on the link:

http://www.kenttrustweb.org.uk/UserFiles/CW/File/Advisory_Service_ICT/E-Safety/Children_ICT-260509.pdf

CHARTER FOR THE SAFE USE OF THE INTERNET AND ELECTRONIC DEVICES AT DOLPHIN SCHOOL

“Children and young people need to be empowered to keep themselves safe. This isn’t just about a top-down approach. Children will be children - pushing boundaries and taking risks. At a public swimming pool we have gates, put up signs, have lifeguards and shallow ends; but we also teach children how to swim.” Dr Tanya Byron “Safer Children in a digital world: the report of the Byron Review”.

E-safety is a whole school responsibility, and at Dolphin School, the staff and pupils have adopted the following charter for the safe use of the internet inside the school:

Cyberbullying

• Cyberbullying is a particularly pernicious form of bullying, because it can be so pervasive and anonymous. There can be no safe haven for the victim, who can be targeted at any time or place. Our school’s anti-bullying policy describes our preventative measures and the procedures that will be followed when we discover cases of bullying.

• Proper supervision of pupils plays an important part in creating a safe ICT environment at school; but everyone needs to learn how to stay safe outside the school.

• We value all of our pupils equally. It is part of the ethos of Dolphin School to promote considerate behaviour, and to value diversity.

• Bullying and harassment in any form should always be reported to a member of staff. It is never the victim’s fault, and he or she should not be afraid to come forward.

Treating Other Users with Respect

• We expect pupils to treat staff and each other online with the same standards of consideration and good manners as they would in the course of face to face contact. They should always follow the school’s Rules and Regulations.

• We expect a degree of formality in communications between staff and pupils, and would not normally expect them to communicate with each other by text or mobile phones.

• Everyone has a right to feel secure and to be treated with respect, particularly the vulnerable. Harassment and bullying will not be tolerated. Our Anti-bullying policy is set out on the school website. The school is strongly committed to promoting equal opportunities for all, regardless of race, gender, gender orientation or physical disability.

• All pupils are encouraged to look after each other, and to report any concerns about the misuse of technology, or a worrying issue to a member staff.

• The use of mobile phones is not permitted in schools. Pupils are allowed to bring a mobile phone to school for purposes of help with transport home after school, but must hand it in to the school office for safe-keeping during the day.

Keeping the School Network Safe

• We adhere to the BECTA guidelines regarding E-teaching and the internet.

• Certain sites are blocked by our filtering system and our IT Department monitor website access.

• The IT Technician monitors email traffic and attachments. SPAM is automatically blocked.

• When considering access to email, it is more appropriate for our young children to use a class or teaching group email account, accessed under the direction of the class teacher, where they can be guided in their email use in a structured way.

• Access to sites such as “hotmail”, Facebook, MySpace, Bebo and other chat rooms is not allowed on the school’s network.

• Email attachments from and to school for homework purposes may be sent via the general email address system and must be virus checked.

• We have strong anti-virus protection on our network, which is operated by the IT Department.

• Any pupil, who wishes to connect a removable device to the school’s network has to arrange in advance with the IT Department. Viruses are check automatically.

Promoting Safe Use of Technology

Pupils of all ages are encouraged to make use of the excellent online resources that are available from sites such as:

• Childnet International (www.childnet-int.org)

• Digizen (www.digizen.org.uk) -

• Cyber Mentors (www.cybermentors.org.uk)

• Cyberbullying (www.cyberbullying.org)

• E-Victims (www.e-victims.org)

• Bullying UK (www.bullying.co.uk)

These sites cover the different hazards on the internet, such as grooming, stalking, abuse, bullying, harassment and identity theft. Guidance covers topics such as saving yourself from future embarrassment, explaining that any blog or photograph posted onto the internet is there permanently. Anything that has been deleted may be cached in a search engine, company server or internet archive and cause embarrassment years later.

Safe Use of Personal Electronic Equipment

• Our guidance is that no one should put anything onto the web that they would not say to their grandmother!

• We offer guidance on the safe use of social networking sites and cyberbullying in ICT and PSHE lessons, which covers blocking and removing contacts from “buddy lists”.

• Our ICT and PSHE lessons include guidance on how pupils can identify the signs of a Cyberstalker, and what they should do if they are worried about being harassed or stalked online.

• We offer guidance on keeping names, addresses, passwords, mobile phone numbers and other personal details safe. Privacy is essential in the e-world.

• We give guidance to parents and pupils on how to keep safe at home, by encrypting your home wireless network, not opening unknown attachments and reporting any illegal content.

• Staff may confiscate personal equipment that is being used during the school day. This will be handed to the Head or School Office and may be collected at the end of the day. Repeat offences may result in confiscation for longer periods.

We expect all pupils to adhere to this charter for the safe use of the internet. Copies are given to all pupils and their parents, and we may impose sanctions for the misuse, or attempted misuse of the internet, mobile phones and other electronic devices.