• 1.1 The growing use of electronic communication in and beyond school requires that children and staff are safeguarded from any threats this may pose.
• 1.2 This e-Safety Policy builds on the Kent e-Safety Policy and other government guidance and relates to the school’s overall Health and Safety Policy.
• 1.3 The Headteacher (supported by both the ICT co-ordinator and IT technicians) is the school’s e-Safety Coordinator.

• 2.1 Why Children Have Internet Access in School
• 2.1.1 The Internet is an essential element in 21st century life for education, business and social interaction. The school has a duty to provide students with quality Internet access as part of their learning experience.
• 2.1.2 Internet use is a part of the statutory curriculum and a necessary tool for staff and pupils.
• 2.1.3 Pupils need to be educated in the effective use of the Internet in research, including the skills of knowledge location, retrieval and evaluation
• 2.2 Internet Access to Enhance Learning
• 2.2.1 The school’s Internet access is designed expressly for pupil use and includes filtering software appropriate to the age of pupils.
• 2.2.2 Pupils will be taught what Internet use is acceptable and what is not and given clear objectives for Internet use.
• 2.2.3 Pupils will be taught how to evaluate Internet content
• 2.2.4 Pupils will be taught to be critically aware of the materials they read and shown how to validate information before accepting its accuracy.
• 2.2.5 The school will ensure that the use of Internet derived materials by staff and pupils complies with copyright law.

• 3.1 Information system security
• 3.1.1 The school’s ICT systems, capacity and security will be reviewed regularly.
• 3.1.2 Virus protection will be updated regularly.
• 3.1.3 The ICT Co-ordinator will keep aware of security strategies that might be promoted and supported by Kent LA.
• 3.2 E-mail
• 3.2.1 The use of e-mail by pupils is restricted to within curriculum (teacher supervised) time and its overall use by pupils is limited.
• 3.2.2 Pupils may only use approved e-mail accounts on the school’s “Easymail” system.
• 3.2.3 Pupils must immediately tell a teacher if they receive offensive e-mail.
• 3.2.4 Pupils must not reveal personal details of themselves or others in e-mail communication.
• 3.2.5 E-mail sent to an external organisation should be written carefully and authorised before sending, in the same way as a letter written on school headed paper.
• 3.2.6 The forwarding of chain letters is not permitted.
• 3.3 Published Content - School Website
• 3.3.1 The contact details on the Web site will be the school address, e-mail and telephone number. Staff or pupils’ personal information will not be published.
• 3.3.2The Headteacher will take overall editorial responsibility and ensure that website content is accurate and appropriate.
• 3.4 Publishing Pupil’s Images and Work
• 3.4.1 The school has a system for gaining parental consent for the publication of pupils’ images, including those on the web.
• 3.4.2 Photographs that include pupils will be selected carefully and will not enable individual pupils to be clearly identified.
• 3.4.3 Pupils’ full names will not be used anywhere on the website.
• 3.5  Social Networking and Personal Publishing
• 3.5.1 Access is blocked to social networking sites.
• 3.5.2 Pupils will be advised never to give out personal details of any kind which may identify them or their location.
• 3.5.3 Pupils and parents will be advised that the use of social network spaces outside school is inappropriate for primary aged pupils.
• 3.6 Managing Filtering
• 3.6.1 The school will work with the LA, DCFS and the Internet Service Provider to ensure systems to protect pupils are reviewed and improved.
• 3.6.2 If staff or pupils discover an unsuitable site, it must be reported to the ICT Coordinator and Headteacher.
• 3.6.3 The Headteacher working with the school’s IT Technicians will ensure that regular checks are made to ensure that the filtering methods selected are appropriate, effective and reasonable.
• 3.7 Managing Emerging & Existing Technologies
• 3.7.1 Emerging technologies will be examined for educational benefit and a risk assessment will be carried out before their use is allowed in school.
• 3.7.2 Cyber-bullying is dealt with within the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy.  Mobile phones will not be used during lessons or formal school time. The sending of abusive or inappropriate text messages is forbidden.  (The use of mobile phones is dealt with in the school’s Anti-Bullying Policy.)
• 3.8 Protecting Personal Data
• 3.8.1 Personal data will be recorded, processed, transferred and made available according to the Data Protection Act 1998.

• 4.1 Authorising Internet Access
• 4.1.1 All staff will be issued with an ‘Acceptable ICT Use Agreement’.
• 4.1.2 The Headteacher will agree with the ICT Co-ordinator and IT Technicians which staff and pupils are to be granted Internet access.
• 4.1.3 At Key Stage 1, access to the Internet will be by adult demonstration with occasional directly supervised access to specific, approved on-line materials.
• 4.1.4 No child should be accessing the internet without an adult being accessible.
• 4.1.5 Parents will be asked to sign and return a consent form.
• 4.2 Assessing Risks
• 4.2.1 The school will take all reasonable precautions to ensure that users access only appropriate material. However, due to the international scale and linked nature of Internet content, it is not possible to guarantee that unsuitable material will never appear on a school computer. Neither the school nor KCC can accept liability for the material accessed, or any consequences of Internet access.
• 4.2.2 As part of self-evaluation processes the school will audit ICT provision to establish if the e-safety policy is adequate and that its implementation is effective.

• 5.1 Complaints of Internet misuse will be dealt with by the class-teacher in the first instance who will report the misuse to the Headteacher.
• 5.2 Any complaint about staff misuse of the Internet must be referred to the Headteacher.
• 5.3 Complaints of a child protection nature must be dealt with in accordance with school child protection procedures.
• 5.4 Appropriate discussions will be held with the Police Youth Crime Reduction Officer to establish procedures for handling potentially illegal issues.

• 6.1  Introducing the e-Safety Policy to Pupils
• 6.1.1    E-safety rules will be posted in all networked rooms and discussed with the pupils at the start of each year.
• 6.1.2 Pupils will be informed that network and Internet use will be monitored.
• 6.2 Staff and the e-Safety Policy
• 6.2.1 All staff will be given the school’s e-Safety Policy and its importance will be explained.
• 6.2.2 Staff should be aware that Internet traffic can be monitored and traced to the individual user. Discretion and professional conduct is essential.
• 6.3 Enlisting parents’ support
• 6.3.1 Parents’ attention will be drawn to the School e-Safety Policy in newsletters, the school brochure and on the school Web site.

Borough Green Primary School is committed to the principle of respecting diversity and fostering equality in everything it does. All policies will be developed and implemented throughout the school based on that principle.

The five outcomes found within the Every Child Matters framework will be evident in the distinctive ethos of our school. Being healthy, staying safe, enjoying and achieving, and making a positive contribution to our school community and beyond are particularly important aspects of our children’s schooling. These aspects will only be achieved if our children feel secure within a fair and consistently applied and positively framed approach to behaviour and discipline. This policy reflects these aims.