Safe Use of Internet

Policy for Internet Access

Introduction

1. Using the Internet for Education
2. Pupil's Access to the Internet
3. Expectations of Pupils using the Internet
4. Web Site guidelines
5. Internet letter to parents and Internet Agreement - Pupil Version

1. Introduction

Usually, the resources used by pupils in school are carefully chosen by the teacher and determined by curriculum policies.  Use of the Internet, by its nature, will provide access to information, which has not been selected by the teacher.  Whilst pupils will often be directed to sites which provide reviewed and evaluated sources, at times they will be able to move beyond these, to sites unfamiliar to the teacher.

The problems and issues that have been highlighted by the media concern all schools.  Whilst some of the media interest is hype, there is genuine cause for concern that children might access unsuitable material either accidentally or deliberately.

The purpose of this policy is to:

• Establish the ground rules we have in school for using the Internet,
• Describe how these fit into the wider context of our discipline and PSHE polices.
• Demonstrate the methods used to protect the children from sites containing pornography, racist or politically extreme views and violence.

The School believes that the benefits to pupils from access to the resources of the Internet far exceed the disadvantages.  Ultimately, the responsibility for setting and conveying the standards that children are expected to follow, when using media and information resources, is one the school shares with parents and guardians.

At High Down, we feel that the best recipe for success lies in a combination of site filtering, of supervision and by fostering a responsible attitude in our pupils in partnership with parents.

2. Using the Internet for Education

The benefits include:

• Access to a wide variety of educational resources including libraries, art galleries and museums,
• Rapid and cost effective world-wide communication,
• Gaining an understanding of people and cultures around the globe,
• Staff professional development through access to new curriculum materials, experts' knowledge and practice,
• Exchange of curriculum and administration data with LEA/DfEE,
• Social and leisure use,
• Greatly increased skills in Literacy, particularly in being able to read and appraise critically and then communicate what is important to others.

The school intends to teach pupils about the vast information resources available on the Internet, using it as a planned part of many lessons.  All staff will review and evaluate resources available on web sites appropriate to the age range and ability of the pupils being taught.

Initially the pupils may be restricted to sites, which have been reviewed and selected for content.  They may be given tasks to perform using a specific group of web sites accessed from a common ‘Favourites' menu on the school ‘Intranet'.

Pupils will have the opportunity to exchange information via email.  They will be taught how to use the address book, how to attach files to an email and how to follow conventions of politeness.

As pupils gain experience, they will be taught how to use searching techniques to locate and use specific information for themselves.  Comparisons will be made between researching from different sources of information (CD-ROM, books, WWW)  We hope that pupils will learn to decide when it is appropriate to use the Internet, as opposed to other sources of information, in terms of the time taken, the amount of information found and the usefulness and reliability of information located.

At time, information such as text, photos etc may be downloaded from the Internet for use in pupils' presentations.  Tasks will be set to encourage pupils to view web sites and information with a critical eye.

3. Pupils' Access to the Internet

High Down Junior School uses a filtered Internet service, which minimises the chances of pupils encountering undesirable material.

We will normally only allow children to use the Internet when there is a responsible adult present to supervise.  However, it is unrealistic to suppose that the teacher's attention will always be directed towards any one specific computer screen.

Members of staff will be aware of the potential for misuse, and will be responsible for explaining to pupils the expectations we have.

Teachers will have access to pupil's emails and other Internet related files and will check these on a regular basis to ensure expectations of behaviour are being met.

4. Expectations of Pupils using the Internet

All pupils are expected to read and agree the Internet Agreement.

• At High Down, we expect all pupils to be responsible for their own behaviour on the Internet, just as they are anywhere else in school. This includes the materials they choose to access and the language they use.
• Pupils using the Internet are expected not to deliberately seek out offensive materials. Should any pupils encounter any such material accidentally, they are expected to report it immediately to a teacher, so that the Internet Service Provider can block further access to the site.
• Pupils are expected not to use any rude language in their email communications and are only allowed to send emails to other people in school or to people outside of school in projects set up by a teacher.
• Pupils must ask permission before accessing the Internet and have a clear idea why they are using it.
• Pupils should not access other people's files unless permission has been given.
• Computers should only be used for school work and homework unless permission has been granted otherwise.
• No program files may be downloaded to the computer from the Internet
• No personal information, such as phone numbers and addresses should be given out and no arrangements to meet someone made unless this is part of an approved school project.
• Pupils consistently choosing not to comply with these expectations will be warned and subsequently may be denied access to the Internet. They will also come under the general discipline procedures of the school.

5. Web Site Guidelines

A web site can celebrate good work, promote the school, publish resources for projects and homework and link to other good sites of interest.

Photographs of children will be used if parental permission has been received. Names will not be used to identify individual children.

• Home information and email identities will no be included, only the point of contact to the school, i.e. phone number, school address and school email.
• Work displayed will be of the highest quality and reflect the status of the school.

6. Internet Letter to Parents and Pupil Internet Agreement

10^th September 2008

Dear Parents,

Responsible Use of the Internet

You are no doubt aware that, as part of the pupils' curriculum enhancement and the development of ICT skills, High Down Junior School provides supervised access to the Internet.  Pupils are regularly given opportunities to use websites designed to support their learning.  They are also taught research and evaluation skills to help them use the Internet effectively and efficiently.

Although there have been concerns about pupils having access to undesirable materials, we have taken positive steps to deal with that possibility.  Our broadband Internet service provider, The South-west Grid for Learning, is a consortium of the region's Local Education Authorities and operates a filtering system that restricts access to inappropriate materials.  All of our computers are in public view and, as stated above, access is supervised.   Children are also taught the SMART rules for using the Internet, in order to help them to stay safe wherever they use Internet.

The SMART rules:

SAFE             -       stay safe, don't give out personal information

MEETING        -      only meet someone from the internet with your parents

ACCEPTING   -      emails, IM, texts from strangers can lead to problems

RELIABLE      -     information on the internet may not be true

TELL              -     a trusted adult if anything online makes you feel uncomfortable

We are, as you can see, taking our responsibilities in this area very seriously indeed.  To this end, we would ask that you read the ‘Computer Use and Internet Agreement' (shown overleaf) with your child.  Our full Internet Policy can be viewed on the School's website.

Yours sincerely,

Nicola Wright

ICT co-ordinator

High Down Junior School - Pupil ‘Computer Use and Internet Agreement'

This is to be read through with your parent(s).

• Pupils must ask permission before accessing the Internet.
• At High Down Junior School, we expect all pupils to be responsible for their own behaviour on the Internet, just as they are anywhere else in school. This includes materials they choose to access and the language they use.
• Pupils using the Internet are expected not to deliberately seek out offensive materials. Should any pupils encounter any such material accidentally, they are expected to report it immediately to a teacher.
• No program files may be downloaded to the computer from the Internet.
• Pupils are only allowed to send emails to other people in school or to people outside of school in projects set up by a teacher.
• No personal information such as phone numbers and addresses should be given out and no arrangements to meet someone made unless this is part of an approved school project.
• Pupils are expected not to use any rude language in their email communications. It is forbidden to be involved in sending chain letters.
• Pupils should not access other people's files unless permission has been given.
• Computers should only be used for schoolwork and homework unless permission has been granted otherwise.
• No programs on disc, CD-ROM, memory stick or other storage device may be brought in from home for use in school.
• Personal printing is not allowed on our network for cost reasons (eg pictures of pop groups/cartoon characters).
• Pupils consistently choosing not to comply with these expectations will be warned and subsequently may be denied access to Internet resources.