E-Safety Policy
Introduction
The foundation of LF Online School is built on technology and the use of the internet. Ensuring the safe and responsible use of the internet and technology by our students is a top priority. E-safety covers internet technologies and electronic communications, including mobile devices and wireless technology. LF Online School is committed to educating students about the benefits and risks of using technology, providing safeguards, and raising awareness to help them manage their online experiences. Additionally, it is crucial that students know how to report unwanted online behavior and misuse of school platforms.
Purpose
At LF Online School, our educational establishment relies on online platforms accessed via the internet: Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams. These platforms facilitate communication, enhance educational standards, support professional work, and improve school management. Internet access is essential for participation in LF Online School, and responsible use is a key expectation.
Students need to be educated on evaluating online information and protecting their safety and security online. The goal is to empower students to build resilience and develop strategies to manage and respond to online risks.
The purpose of the LF Online School e-safety policy is to:
- Safeguard and protect all community members online.
- Educate and raise awareness of e-safety throughout the community.
- Enable staff to work safely and responsibly online, modeling positive behavior and managing professional standards.
- Provide clear procedures for responding to e-safety concerns.
LF Online School identifies four areas of e-safety risk:
- Content: Exposure to illegal, inappropriate, or harmful material.
- Contact: Harmful online interactions with other users.
- Conduct: Online behavior that increases the risk of harm.
- Commerce: Risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing, and financial scams.
Benefits of the Internet in Education
The internet benefits education by:
- Providing access to worldwide educational resources, including museums and art galleries.
- Facilitating educational and cultural exchanges between students globally.
- Connecting students and staff with experts in various fields.
- Supporting staff professional development through access to national and international educational materials and effective curriculum practices.
- Enabling collaboration across networks of schools, support services, and professional associations.
- Improving access to technical support, including remote network management and automatic system updates.
- Allowing access to learning at any time and place.
- Supporting student socialization outside of scheduled lessons.
Roles and Responsibilities
Senior Leaders
Senior leaders will:
- View e-safety as a safeguarding issue and ensure practices align with national recommendations.
- Maintain up-to-date e-safety policies, including acceptable use of school platforms.
- Recommend appropriate home filtering systems for students.
- Embed e-safety in the curriculum, enabling age-appropriate understanding.
- Ensure robust reporting channels for e-safety concerns.
- Audit and evaluate e-safety practices to identify strengths and areas for improvement.
- Act as points of contact on online safeguarding issues and liaise with staff and external agencies.
- Ensure staff receive up-to-date e-safety training.
- Recognize additional risks for students with SEN and disabilities.
- Keep up-to-date with e-safety research, legislation, and trends.
- Promote e-safety to parents, carers, and families.
- Maintain records of e-safety incidents and actions taken.
- Monitor and update policies in response to e-safety incidents.
Individual Staff Members
All staff members are responsible for:
- Reading and adhering to the e-safety policy.
- Ensuring only authenticated users access live lessons.
- Using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and regularly updating passwords.
- Securing school systems and data.
- Modeling good practice when using technology.
- Embedding e-safety education in the curriculum.
- Recognizing e-safety issues and taking appropriate action.
- Knowing when and how to escalate e-safety concerns.
- Taking responsibility for their professional development in e-safety.
Students
Students are responsible for:
- Engaging in age-appropriate e-safety education.
- Adhering to rules for using school platforms.
- Respecting others' feelings and rights online and offline.
- Seeking help from a trusted adult for any online concerns.
- Avoiding personal technology use during classes.
Parents and Carers
Parents and carers are responsible for:
- Reading school policies and encouraging their children to adhere to them.
- Supporting e-safety approaches and discussing e-safety issues with their children.
- Modeling safe and appropriate technology use.
- Adhering to the 'Social Media Conduct for Parents' policy.
- Identifying behavior changes that may indicate online risk.
- Seeking help from the school and appropriate agencies for online concerns.
- Using school systems safely and appropriately.
- Staying informed about new and emerging technologies.
Safer Use of Technology
Classroom Use
LF Online School requires students to use technology for schooling, including Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, email, educational websites, and digital devices. Platforms will be used according to behavior, safeguarding, and teacher standards policies, with appropriate safety measures. Staff will supervise platform use but cannot oversee other websites or applications accessed during lesson time.
Managing Access
LF Online School will maintain records of platform users and expect adherence to policies. Access may be suspended or revoked for policy breaches. Departing students and staff will be removed from platforms.
Filtering and Monitoring
LF Online School relies on parents and carers to monitor online activities at home. The school will use age-appropriate websites and applications and recommend home filtering and monitoring.
Managing Personal Data Online
Personal data will be managed in accordance with GDPR and data protection laws.
Security and Management of Information Systems
LF Online School will ensure platform security through measures such as encryption, up-to-date virus protection, cloud storage, and strong passwords. Staff and students must follow security protocols.
Password Policy
LF Online School requires strong, regularly updated passwords for platform access. Passwords should not be shared or written down.
Managing the Safety of the LF Online School Community
Personal information will not be published on the website. Staff photographs and bios will be available for community viewing. Administrator accounts will be secured with strong passwords, and safeguarding information will be posted online.
Publishing Images and Videos Online
Images and videos will be used according to policies and only with parental permission.
Managing Email
Emails will be managed according to data protection legislation. Offensive communications will be reported and recorded. Staff should balance work and personal email use.
Use of Video Conferencing (Zoom)
Zoom will be used for live lessons with authenticated users only. Teachers will control class entry and have the ability to manage webcams, microphones, and screen sharing. Lesson recordings will be accessible only to authenticated users.
Management of Databases Storing Pupil Data and Records
Only authorized staff will have access, and two-factor authentication will be used.
Sharing Pupil Images or Work Online
LF Online School will seek parental permission before sharing pupil work or images. Names and year groups will only be used with permission.
Social Media
Expectations
All community members are expected to use social media responsibly. Concerns about online conduct should be reported to senior leadership.
Use of Social Media by Staff
Staff will be advised on safe social media use during induction and training. Staff should safeguard their privacy and avoid sharing personal views as those of the school.
Communicating with Students and Parents/Carers
Staff should not engage with students on personal social media. Professional boundaries must be maintained.
Use of Social Media by Students
Students will be taught safe social media use and encouraged to report concerns. The school will respond to concerns according to policies.
Social Media Use by Parents and Carers
Parents and carers should follow the Social Media Code of Conduct. Breaches may lead to student expulsion or legal action.
Official Use of Social Media
Official social media use will have clear objectives and be open to scrutiny. Staff participating in official social media activity will act professionally and within legal frameworks.
Use of Personal Devices and Mobile Devices
Students are expected to keep personal devices aside during lessons unless approved for curriculum-based activities. Inappropriate use will be addressed according to policies.
Responding to E-Safety Incidents and Concerns
Online safety concerns should be reported to senior leadership. Incidents will be recorded, and parents will be informed as necessary. The school will work with the community to resolve issues and implement lessons learned.
Procedures for Responding to Specific Online Incidents or Concerns
Online Sexual Violence and Harassment Between Children and Young People
LF Online School has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual violence and harassment. Concerns will be reported to the DSL and managed according to policies.
Youth Produced Sexual Imagery
Youth produced sexual imagery is a safeguarding issue. Concerns will be reported to the DSL and managed according to national guidance.
Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation
Online sexual abuse and exploitation are safeguarding issues. Concerns will be reported to the DSL and managed according to policies. The school will implement preventative education and provide support.
Indecent Images of Children (IIOC)
Concerns about IIOC will be reported to the appropriate authorities. The school will follow policies to manage such incidents and support affected individuals.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is not tolerated. The school will respond according to anti-bullying and safeguarding policies.
Online Hate
Online hate content will be addressed according to anti-bullying and behavior policies. The police may be contacted if a criminal offence is suspected.
Online Radicalisation and Extremism
LF Online School will take precautions to prevent access to extremist material and will respond to concerns according to safeguarding policies. Parents are advised to monitor online activity at home.
