Introduction 

 

Roots Federation recognises that internet, mobile and digital technologies provide positive opportunities for children and young people to learn, socialise and play but they also need to understand the challenges and risks. The digital world is an amazing place, but with few rules.  It is vast and fast moving and young people’s future economic success may be partly dependent on their online skills and reputation. 

 

1. Aims

Our school aims to: 

• Have robust processes in place to ensure the online safety of pupils, staff, volunteers and governors

• Identify and support groups of pupils that are potentially at greater risk of harm online than others

• Deliver an effective approach to online safety, which empowers us to protect and educate the whole school community in its use of technology, including mobile and smart technology (which we refer to as ‘mobile phones’)

• Establish clear mechanisms to identify, intervene and escalate an incident, where appropriate

The 4 key categories of risk

Our approach to online safety is based on addressing the following categories of risk:

• Content – being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content, such as pornography, misinformation, disinformation (including fake news), conspiracy theories, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, antisemitism, radicalisation and extremism

• Contact – being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users, such as peer-to-peer pressure, commercial advertising and adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit the user for sexual, criminal, financial or other purposes

• Conduct – personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm, such as making, sending and receiving explicit images (e.g. consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and/or pornography), sharing other explicit images and online bullying; and

• Commerce – risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing and/or financial scams

 

2. Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on the Department for Education’s (DfE’s) statutory safeguarding guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and its advice for schools on:

• Teaching online safety

• Meeting digital and technology standards

• Preventing and tackling bullying and cyber-bullying: advice for headteachers and school staff

• Searching, screening and confiscation

 

It also refers to the DfE’s guidance on protecting children from radicalisation.

It reflects existing legislation, including but not limited to the Education Act 1996 (as amended), the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and the Equality Act 2010. In addition, it reflects the Education Act 2011, which has given teachers stronger powers to tackle cyber-bullying by, if necessary, searching for and deleting inappropriate images or files on pupils’ electronic devices where they believe there is a ‘good reason’ to do so.

 

3. Roles and responsibilities

3.1 The governing board

The governing board has overall responsibility for monitoring this policy and holding the Executive Headteacher to account for its implementation.

The governing board will make sure all staff undergo online safety training as part of child protection and safeguarding training, and ensure staff understand their expectations, roles and responsibilities around filtering and monitoring.

The governing board will also make sure all staff receive regular online safety updates (via email, e-bulletins and staff meetings), as required and at least annually, to ensure they are continually provided with the relevant skills and knowledge to effectively safeguard children.

The governing board will co-ordinate regular meetings with appropriate staff to discuss online safety and requirements for training, and monitor online safety logs as provided by the designated safeguarding lead (DSL).

The governing board will make sure that the school teaches pupils how to keep themselves and others safe, including online. 

The governing board will make sure that the school has appropriate filtering and monitoring systems in place on school devices and school networks and will regularly review their effectiveness. The board will review the DfE’s filtering and monitoring standards, and discuss with IT staff and service providers what needs to be done to support the school in meeting the standards, which include:

• Identifying and assigning roles and responsibilities to manage filtering and monitoring systems

• Reviewing filtering and monitoring provisions at least annually

• Blocking harmful and inappropriate content without unreasonably impacting teaching and learning

• Having effective monitoring strategies in place that meet the school’s safeguarding needs

 

The governor who oversees online safety is Patrick Aikman, Safeguarding Governor.

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All governors will:

• Make sure they have read and understand this policy

• Agree and adhere to the terms on acceptable use of the school’s ICT systems and the internet (Appendix 1)

• Make sure that online safety is a running and interrelated theme when devising and implementing the whole-school or college approach to safeguarding and related policies and/or procedures

• Make sure that, where necessary, teaching about safeguarding, including online safety, is adapted for vulnerable children, victims of abuse and some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is because of the importance of recognising that a ‘one size fits all’ approach may not be appropriate for all children in all situations, and a more personalised or contextualised approach may often be more suitable

 

3.2 The Executive headteacher

The Executive headteacher is responsible ensuring the Head of Schools understand this policy, and that it is being implemented consistently throughout the school and is understood by staff.

The Executive Headteacher lead responsibility for online safety in school, in particular:

• Taking the lead on understanding the filtering and monitoring systems and processes in place on school devices and school networks

• Supporting the head of school in making sure that staff understand this policy and that it is being implemented consistently throughout the school

• Providing governors with assurance that filtering and monitoring systems are working effectively and reviewed regularly

• Working with HFL to make sure the appropriate systems and processes are in place

• Working with the head of school, HFL and other staff, as necessary, to address any online safety issues or incidents

• Updating and delivering staff training on online safety (appendix 4 contains a self-audit for staff on online safety training needs)

 

3.3 The designated safeguarding lead (DSL)

Details of the school’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputies are set out in our child protection and safeguarding policy, as well as relevant job descriptions.

The DSL takes lead responsibility for online safety in school, in particular:

• Working with the Executive Headteacher and governing board to review this policy annually and make sure the procedures and implementation are updated and reviewed regularly

• Managing all online safety issues and incidents in line with the school’s child protection policy

• Responding to safeguarding concerns identified by filtering and monitoring

• Making sure that any online safety incidents are logged (see appendix 3) and dealt with appropriately in line with this policy

• Making sure that any incidents of cyber-bullying are logged and dealt with appropriately in line with the school behaviour policy

• Liaising with other agencies and/or external services if necessary

• Providing regular reports on online safety in school to the executive headteacher and/or governing board

• Undertaking annual risk assessments that consider and reflect the risks pupils face

• Providing regular safeguarding and child protection updates, including online safety, to all staff, at least annually, in order to continue to provide them with relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard effectively 

This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

 

3.4 All staff and volunteers

All staff, including contractors and agency staff, and volunteers are responsible for:

• Maintaining an understanding of this policy

• Implementing this policy consistently

• Agreeing and adhering to the terms on acceptable use of the school’s ICT systems and the internet (appendix 1),

• Knowing that the DSL is responsible for the filtering and monitoring systems and processes, and being aware of how to report any incidents of those systems or processes failing by informing the Head of School.

• Working with the DSL to make sure that any online safety incidents are logged (see appendix 5) and dealt with appropriately in line with this policy

• Making sure that any incidents of cyber-bullying are dealt with appropriately in line with the school behaviour policy

• Responding appropriately to all reports and concerns about sexual violence and/or harassment, both online and offline, and maintaining an attitude of ‘it could happen here’

This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

 

3.5 Parents/carers

Parents/carers are expected to:

• Notify a member of staff or the headteacher of any concerns or queries regarding this policy

•          Parents/carers can seek further guidance on keeping children safe online from the following organisations and websites:

• What are the issues? – UK Safer Internet Centre

• Help and advice for parents/carers – Childnet

• Parents and carers resource sheet – Childnet

3.6 Visitors and members of the community

Visitors and members of the community who use the school’s ICT systems or internet will be made aware of this policy and expected to read and follow it. If appropriate, they will be expected to agree to the terms on acceptable use (appendix 3).

 

4. Educating pupils about online safety

 

4.1 Pupils will be taught about online safety as part of the curriculum.

All early years providers in England must follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS Statutory Framework)

• Providers must have regard to the government's statutory guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ 2018 and to the ‘Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales’ 2015

• Use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private

• Identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies

• Maintained nursery schools must have regards to ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (KCSIE) 2018 statutory guidance; other childcare providers may also find it helpful to refer to this guidance.

• Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly

The safe use of social media and the internet will also be covered in other subjects where relevant.

Where necessary, teaching about safeguarding, including online safety, will be adapted for vulnerable children, victims of abuse and some pupils with SEND.

 

4.2 Pupils will be taught practical cyber security skills

This section is based on the DfE’s non-statutory cyber security standards for schools and colleges.

All pupils will receive age-appropriate training on safe internet use, including:

• Methods that hackers use to trick people into disclosing personal information

• Password security

• Social engineering

• The risks of removable storage devices (e.g. USBs)

• Multi-factor authentication

• How to report a cyber incident or attack

• How to report a personal data breach

 

Pupils will also receive age-appropriate education on safeguarding issues such as cyberbullying and the risks of online radicalisation.

 

5. Educating parents/carers about online safety

The school will raise parents/carers’ awareness of internet safety in letters or other communications home, and in information via our website. This policy will also be shared with parents/carers.

The school will let parents/carers know:

• What systems the school uses to filter and monitor online use

• What their children are being asked to do online, including the sites they will be asked to access and who from the school (if anyone) their child will be interacting with online

If parents/carers have any queries or concerns in relation to online safety, these should be raised in the first instance with the head of school and/or the DSL.

Concerns or queries about this policy can be raised with any member of staff or the head of school.

 

6. Cyber-bullying

6.1 Definition

Cyber-bullying takes place online, such as through social networking sites, messaging apps or gaming sites. Like other forms of bullying, it is the repetitive, intentional harming of 1 person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. (See also the school behaviour policy.)

 

6.2 Artificial intelligence (AI)

Generative AI tools are now widespread and easy to access. Staff, pupils and parents/carers may be familiar with generative chatbots such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini.

Roots Federation recognises that AI has many uses to help pupils learn, but may also have the potential to be used to bully others. For example, in the form of 'deepfakes', where AI is used to create images, audio or video hoaxes that look real. This includes deepfake pornography: pornographic content created using AI to include someone’s likeness.

 

Staff should be aware of the risks of using AI tools while they are still being developed and should carry out a risk assessment where new AI tools are being used by Roots Federation, and where existing AI tools are used in cases which may pose a risk to all individuals that may be affected by them, including, but not limited to, pupils and staff.

Any use of artificial intelligence should be carried out in accordance with our AI usage policy.

 

7. Acceptable use of the internet in school

All staff, volunteers and governors are expected to sign an agreement regarding the acceptable use of the school’s ICT systems and the internet (appendix 1). Visitors will be expected to read and agree to the school’s terms on acceptable use, if relevant.

Use of the school’s internet must be for educational purposes only, or for the purpose of fulfilling the duties of an individual’s role. 

We will monitor the websites visited by staff, volunteers, governors and visitors (where relevant) to ensure they comply with the above and restrict access through filtering systems where appropriate.

More information is set out in the acceptable use agreements in appendix 1.

 

8. Staff using work devices outside school

All staff members will take appropriate steps to ensure their devices remain secure. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Keeping the device password-protected – strong passwords can be made up of 3 random words, in combination with numbers and special characters if required, or generated by a password manager

• Ensuring their hard drive is encrypted – this means if the device is lost or stolen, no one can access the files stored on the hard drive by attaching it to a new device

• Making sure the device locks if left inactive for a period of time

• Not sharing the device among family or friends

• Installing anti-virus and anti-spyware software

• Keeping operating systems up to date by promptly installing the latest updates

Staff members must not use the device in any way that would violate the school’s terms of acceptable use, as set out in appendix 1.

Work devices must be used solely for work activities.

If staff have any concerns over the security of their device, they must seek advice from Head of School.

 

9. How the school will respond to issues of misuse

Where a staff member misuses the school’s ICT systems or the internet, or misuses a personal device where the action constitutes misconduct, the matter will be dealt with in accordance with the disciplinary policy and staff code of conduct. The action taken will depend on the individual circumstances, nature and seriousness of the specific incident.

The school will consider whether incidents that involve illegal activity or content, or otherwise serious incidents, should be reported to the police.

 

10. Training for staff, governors and volunteers

All new staff members will receive training, as part of their induction, on safe internet use and online safeguarding issues, including cyber-bullying and the risks of online radicalisation.

All staff members will receive refresher training at least once each academic year as part of safeguarding training, as well as relevant updates as required (for example through emails, e-bulletins and staff meetings).

By way of this training, all staff will be made aware that:

• Technology is a significant component in many safeguarding and wellbeing issues, and that children are at risk of online abuse

• Children can abuse their peers online through:

• Abusive, threatening, harassing and misogynistic messages

• Non-consensual sharing of indecent nude and semi-nude images and/or videos, especially around chat groups

• Sharing of abusive images and pornography, to those who don’t want to receive such content

• Physical abuse, sexual violence and initiation/hazing type violence can all contain an online element 

Training will also help staff:

• Develop better awareness to assist in spotting the signs and symptoms of online abuse

• Develop the ability to ensure pupils can recognise dangers and risks in online activity and can weigh up the risks

• Develop the ability to influence pupils to make the healthiest long-term choices and keep them safe from harm in the short term 

The DSL and deputies will undertake child protection and safeguarding training, which will include online safety, at least every 2 years. They will also update their knowledge and skills on the subject of online safety at regular intervals, and at least annually.

Governors will receive training on safe internet use and online safeguarding issues as part of their safeguarding training.

Volunteers will receive appropriate training and updates, if applicable.

More information about safeguarding training is set out in our child protection and safeguarding policy.

 

11. Monitoring arrangements

The DSL logs behaviour and safeguarding issues related to online safety. An incident report log can be found in appendix 3.

This policy will be reviewed Gemma Williamson, Executive Headteacher. At every review, the policy will be shared with the governing board. The review will be supported by an annual risk assessment that considers and reflects the risks pupils face online. This is important because technology, and the risks and harms related to it, evolve and change rapidly.

 

12. Links with other policies

This online safety policy is linked to our:

• Child protection policy

• Behaviour policy

• Disciplinary policy and procedure

• Data protection policy and privacy notices

• Complaints policy

 

Appendices 1-3 can be supplied upon request.