The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities offered by the school’s Internet resources in a safe and effective manner. Internet use and access is considered a school resource and privilege. Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions – as outlined in the AUP – will be imposed. This version of the AUP was created on 10th April 2017 by school staff.

School’s Strategy

The school employs a number of strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet. These strategies are as follows:

 

General

  • Internet sessions will always be supervised by a teacher.
  • Filtering software and/or equivalent systems will be used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
  • The school will regularly monitor pupils’ Internet usage.
  • Uploading and downloading of non-approved software will not be permitted.
  • Virus protection software will be used and updated on a regular basis.
  • The use of personal floppy disks, memory sticks, CD-ROMs, or other digital storage media in school requires a teacher’s permission.

World Wide Web

  • Pupils will not intentionally visit Internet sites that contain obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
  • Pupils will pupils report accidental accessing of inappropriate materials in accordance with school procedures.
  • Pupils will use the Internet for educational purposes only.
  • Pupils will not copy information into assignments and fail to acknowledge the source (plagiarism and copyright infringement).
  • Downloading materials or images not relevant to their studies, is in direct breach of the school’s acceptable use policy.
  • Pupils will be aware that any usage, including distributing or receiving information, school-related or personal, may be monitored for unusual activity, security and/or network management reasons.

Email

  • Pupils will not use email at school.

 

School Website

  • Pupils will be given the opportunity to publish projects, artwork or school work on the World Wide Web in accordance with clear policies and approval processes regarding the content that can be loaded to the school’s website
  • The website will be regularly checked to ensure that there is no content that compromises the safety of pupils or staff.
  • Website using facilities such as guestbooks, noticeboards or weblogs will be checked frequently to ensure that they do not contain personal details?
  • The publication of pupil work will be co-ordinated by a teacher.
  • Pupils’ work will appear in an educational context on Web pages with a copyright notice prohibiting the copying of such work without express written permission.
  • The school will endeavour to use digital photographs, audio or video clips focusing on group activities. Content focusing on individual pupils will not be published on the school website with out the parental permission. Video clips may be password protected.
  • Personal pupil information including home address and contact details will be omitted from school web pages.
  • The school website will avoid publishing the first name and last name of individuals in a photograph.
  • The school will ensure that the image files are appropriately named – will not use pupils’ names in image file names or ALT tags if published on the web.
  • Staff are permitted to take digital/video images for the school website but must follow this policy with regard to the uploading of such images onto the school website.
  • Staff will ensure that when taking digital/video images that pupils are appropriately dressed and are not participating in activities that might bring the individuals or the school into disrepute.
  • The publication of pupils’ work will be co-ordinated/supervised by a teacher.
    Images to be published on the website will be selected carefully and will comply with good practice on image use.
  • Staff will ensure that there is no content uploaded that compromises the safety of pupils, families or staff.
  • School website user facilities such as the “comment” section will be checked frequently to ensure that they do not contain personal details. Comments will only be uploaded when approved by the teachers who coordinate the website.
  • Pupils’ work will appear in an educational context on web pages.
    The school will endeavour to use digital photographs, audio or video clips focusing on group activities only.
  • Content focusing on individual students will not be published on the school website without written parental permission.
  • Pupils’ full names will not be used anywhere on the website, particularly in association with photographs.
    A pupil’s first name may be used.
  • Video clips of school activities are embedded onto the school website via YouTube. These clips, however, are “unlisted” on the YouTube website.
  • Pupils will continue, where relevant, to own the copyright on any work published.
  • Written permission will be obtained from parents/guardians (on the attached Permission Form) on enrolment to St. Joseph’s Primary School before any images of pupils or their work are published on the school website.

Personal Devices

Pupils are not allowed to use their own technology in school

 

Media
The school will make every reasonable effort to ensure that photographs or videos taken by parents on school property or of school events will be for personal use only and not for social websites (e.g. Facebook) or other public media of any description.
The school will make every reasonable effort to ensure that content recorded by pre-arranged / approved outside agencies (e.g. television companies, newspaper photographers) will only involve groups of children. Where individual / single children are photographed or recorded, we will always seek parental permission.
This policy will be made very clear to any individuals/companies who wish to use school photographs/recordings.

Legislation

The school will provide information on the following legislation relating to use of the Internet which teachers, pupils and parents should familiarise themselves with:

  • Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003
  • Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998
  • Interception Act 1993
  • Video Recordings Act 1989
  • The Data Protection Act 1988
  • Education Act 1998
  • Child Care Act 1991
  • Child Protection (Amendment) Act 2000
  • Video Recordings Act 1989

Support Structures

The school will inform pupils and parents of key support structures and organisations that deal with illegal material or harmful use of the Internet.

Sanctions

Misuse of the Internet may result in disciplinary action, including written warnings, withdrawal of access privileges and, in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion. The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.