E-Safety Policy
At BOS, we recognise that the use of technology is essential for our students and we are passionate about empowering children to become confident, global citizens who use the internet safely and responsibly. This goal can only be achieved when parents work alongside the school as partners in developing e-safety.
1. Family Support
As a parent, it is vital that you are aware of what your child is using the internet for and that you are informed about how to ensure they are safe online. Open and ongoing communication about technology will ensure that children are kept safe and are free to enjoy the internet responsibly. Setting up parental controls is one of the many things you can do to keep your child safe online. As an absolute minimum, we recommend:
- Ensuring your child has ‘safe adults’ they are willing to talk to if they are feeling unsure, frightened or upset about something they have seen. This could be a parent or a teacher.
- Children should not have access to their devices at bedtime/overnight.
- Parents should have access to all of their child’s online accounts and know all passwords. Parents should routinely review children’s internet accounts to ensure that they are not placing themselves at risk or being exploited by way of their activities online.
Remember that internet connection is included within smartphones, tablets, laptops and game consoles, not just computers, so the same precautions should be taken with them.
2. Social Media and Personal Publishing
In order to protect the school’s reputation and individuals within the organisation, members of staff are not allowed to discuss, comment or mention the school directly or indirectly on any social networking sites where these are being used personally (i.e. they are not school sites involved in promoting the school).
Under no circumstances:
● Must comments be made that are derogatory to the school or any member of staff or individual within the school.
● Must confidential information be posted or discussed on any sites
● Must any information relating to the school’s affairs be posted on sites – this may include operational matters, restructures, changes in personnel etc.
● Should members of staff run social network spaces for pupils to use on a personal basis.
Personal publishing/blogging etc. will be taught via age-appropriate sites that are suitable for educational purposes where they are moderated by the class teacher.
E-safety is embedded in the curriculum so that students are regularly advised on security and privacy online and will be taught how to set strong passwords, deny access to unknown individuals and block unwanted communications.
Concerns regarding students’ use of social networking, social media and personal publishing sites (in and out of school) will be raised with their parents/carers, particularly when concerning students’ underage use of sites.
3. Cyber-bullying
Cyberbullying, along with all other forms of bullying, of any member of the school community will not be tolerated.
Cyberbullying can include the following:
• Threatening, intimidating or upsetting text messages
• Threatening or embarrassing pictures and video clips sent via mobile phone cameras
• Silent or abusive phone calls or using the victim’s phone to harass others, to make them think the victim is responsible
• Threatening or bullying emails, possibly sent using a pseudonym or someone else’s name
• Menacing or upsetting responses to someone in a chatroom
• Unpleasant messages sent via instant messaging
• Unpleasant or defamatory information posted to blogs, personal websites and social networking sites, e.g. Instagram
Cyberbullying against pupils or staff is not tolerated under any circumstances. Incidents of cyberbullying against pupils are dealt with quickly and effectively wherever they occur.
BOS will support anyone in the school community affected by cyberbullying. Students, staff and parents/carers are advised to keep a record of the incidents as evidence; the school will take steps to identify the children or adults involved where possible and appropriate. students, staff and parents/carers are required to work with the school to support our approach to cyber-bullying and the school’s E-Safety ethos.
4. Cyber-crime
Cybercrime is a criminal activity committed using computers and/or the internet. There are two key categories of cyber-crime:
• Cyber-enabled
These crimes can be carried out offline; however, are made easier and can be conducted at higher scales and speeds online, e.g. fraud, purchasing and selling of illegal drugs and exploitation.
• Cyber-dependent
These crimes can only be carried out online or by using a computer, e.g. making, supplying or obtaining malware, illegal hacking, and ‘booting’, which means overwhelming a network, computer or website with internet traffic to render it unavailable.
The school will factor into its approach to online safety the risk that students with a particular affinity or skill in technology may become involved, whether deliberately or inadvertently, in cybercrime. Where there are any concerns about a student’s use of technology and their intentions with regard to using their skill and affinity towards it, the parents will be informed.
Cybercrime can also affect adults and those who use technology daily to carry out their role can be at risk. To prevent this, schools should ensure where possible all staff, but as a minimum those staff who use the internet daily (including emails), receive Cyber Security training.
5. The school website
The Principal and Vice Principal are responsible for the overall content of the school website – they will ensure the content is appropriate, accurate, up-to-date and meets government requirements with regards to GDPR and statutory reporting and that the website complies with guidelines for publications including accessibility, data protection, respect for intellectual property rights, privacy policies and copyright law. Personal information relating to staff and students is not published on the website. Images and videos are only posted on the website with prior consent.
