Whole School ICT

Policies

September 2015

Whole School ICT

The following booklet includes all of the policies included under the umbrella

of ICT including:

1. Internet e-safety Policy

2. ICT Acceptable Use Policy

3. BYOD Policy

4. Staff/Visitor ICT Acceptable Use Policy

INTERNET POLICY

St Mark's High School Policy for the Acceptable Use of the Internet

Rationale for pupil use of the Internet

St Mark's High School encourages use by pupils of the rich information sources available on the Internet, together with the development of appropriate skills to analyse and evaluate such resources. On-line resources offer a broader range of up-to-date resources to pupils; provide an independent research facility; facilitate a variety of learning styles and abilities and encourage students to take responsibility for their own learning. Internet and e-mail literacy are fundamental requirements for all pupils as preparation for the Information Age - an era where ICT is a dominant factor in work and home life.

Network Access to Internet

In recognition of these benefits, St Mark's High School has invested in providing Broadband Internet Access at 200+ computer stations on the school network, and has also recently installed a fully wireless system within school to access the internet. St. Mark’s is determined to meet the needs of our 21st century learners. All pupils receive appropriate training and guidance on how to use the Internet and e-mail and access to the internet is not permitted without logging into a secure network using a school issued username and password.

Are there any dangers in using the Internet?

Since the Internet is composed of information from a vast array of sources worldwide, it

includes some material that is not of educational value in the context of the school. This

material includes information that may be inaccurate, abusive, profane, sexually orientated,

racist or illegal. In order to guard young people from any inherent dangers, it is the joint

responsibility of school staff and the parent or guardian of each pupil to educate the pupil

about his or her responsibility when using the Internet. All internet access in St. Mark’s is

filtered via C2K and any unsuitable websites are blocked. The following sets out the policy

for Acceptable use of the Internet at St Mark's High School.

ST MARK'S HIGH SCHOOL

POLICY FOR THE ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE INTERNET

1. For Staff and Pupils

Pupils are responsible for good behaviour on the Internet just as they are in the classroom

or a school corridor. General school rules apply. In addition, a number of rules relating to

use of the Internet also apply.

St Mark's High School implements a filtered Internet and e-mail service provided by C2K (NI

managed service).

Staff and students at St Marks High School know and understand that no Internet user is

permitted to:

Create, retrieve, send, copy or display offensive messages or pictures;

Use obscene or racist language

Harass, insult or attack others;

Damage computers, computer systems or computer networks

Violate copyright laws

Use another user's password

Trespass in another user's folder, work or files;

Intentionally waste resources (such as on-line time and consumables);

Access websites that are blocked through the C2K filtering service.

Access to the Internet requires parental permission and a signed declaration by pupils

agreeing to the school rules for use of the Internet.

St Mark's High School ensures that all pupils understand how they are to use the Internet

appropriately and why the rules exist.

The Internet is provided for pupils to conduct research and communicate with others.

While the use of information and communication technologies is a required aspect of the

statutory Northern Ireland Curriculum, access to the Internet and email remains a privilege

and not a right. It is given to pupils who act in a considerate manner, and will be withdrawn

if they fail to maintain acceptable standards of use.

During school hours teachers will guide pupils towards appropriate materials. Outside

school hours families bear responsibility for such guidance, as they must also exercise

caution with information sources such as television, telephones, movies, radio, and other

potentially offensive media.

When using the Internet at St Mark's High School, all users must comply with all copyright,

libel, fraud, discrimination and obscenity laws. Non compliance with the school AUP will

result in disciplinary action and could involve police action.

2. Examples of Acceptable and Unacceptable Use

a. On-line activities, which are encouraged, include, for example:

The use of email and computer conferencing for communication between colleagues, between pupil(s) and teacher(s), between pupil(s) and pupil(s), between schools and industry;

Use of the Internet to investigate and research school subjects, cross-curricular themes and topics related to social and personal development;

Use of the Internet to investigate careers and Further and Higher Education;

The development of pupils' competence in ICT skills and their general research skills.

Access to the school Virtual Learning Environment.

b. On-line activities, which are not permitted, include, for example:

Searching, viewing and/or retrieving materials that are not related to the aims of the curriculum or future careers;

Copying, saving and/or redistributing copyright protected material, without approval;

Subscribing to any services or ordering any goods or services, unless specifically approved by the school;

Playing computer games or using interactive 'chat' sites, unless specifically assigned by the teacher;

Publishing, sharing or distributing any personal information (such as: home address; email address; phone number, etc);

Using or sending bad, threatening or annoying language which may incite hatred against ethnic, religious or other minorities.

Attempting to search for or gain access to inappropriate material.

Accessing social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and any other non-educational page.

Any activity that violates a school rule.

Remember, all online activity is traceable and a record is kept.

3. Sanctions

Violation of the above rules will result in a temporary or permanent ban on Internet use.

Additional disciplinary action may be added in line with existing school rules on

inappropriate language or behaviour.

Where applicable, police or local authorities may be involved.

4. Location and Supervision

Internet access for pupils at St Mark's High School is located in the highly used ICT

classrooms, laptop trolleys, the library and in subject departments around the school. All

such machines are in full view of people circulating in the area.

While using the Internet at school, pupils should, where possible, be supervised directly by

a member of staff or indirectly by the technician or librarian. In all cases, pupils should be

reminded of their responsibility to use these resources in line with the school policy on

acceptable use.

Users will be made aware that the ICT department has the ability to review files and

communications to ensure that users are using the system responsibly. While normal

privacy is respected and protected by password controls, as with the Internet itself, users

must not expect files stored on school servers to be absolutely private.

5. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

St. Mark’s hosts a fully wireless network system throughout the entire school building. To

maximize the use of this resource, and to ensure that pupils are able to access up to date

resources and information, 6th form pupils are permitted to bring their own device to school

to use on our wireless network system.

Pupils and parents must sign a BYOD agreement before any 6th form pupil will be given

access to the wireless network.

Pupils must only use devices in a classroom where there is an adult present. Access to the

internet is filtered and all of Internet acceptable rules are still in place. Pupils are

responsible for their own devices and any misplaced devices or damages will not be covered

by the school.

Suitable devices include ipads, tablets and laptops. Mobile phones are not permitted to be

used to access the school network.

Information for Parents

Parents are informed in writing of the school policy on acceptable use of the Internet, and

asked for permission for their children to use the Internet. Students are also required to

sign an undertaking agreeing to their proper use of the Internet. Details of the letter sent to

parents and additional guidance information is included below. In addition to the above,

parents are given the following guidance by St Mark's High School.

A home computer with Internet access should be situated in a location where parents can

monitor access to the Internet.

Parents should agree with their children suitable days/times for accessing the Internet.

Internet usage can add significantly to your phone bill if using dial-up. Off-peak calls (after

6pm daily and weekends) are cheaper, but the cost of Internet access still needs to be

carefully considered.

Parents should discuss with their children the school rules for using the Internet and

implement these at home. Parents and children should decide together when, how long,

and what comprises appropriate use;

Parents should get to know the sites their children visit, and talk to them about what they

are learning;

Parents should consider using appropriate Internet filtering software for blocking access to

inappropriate materials. Further information is available from the link below.

It is not recommended that any child under 16 should be given unmonitored access to

newsgroups or chat facilities;

Parents should ensure that they have given agreement before their children give out

personal identifying information in any electronic communication on the Internet, such as a

picture, an address, a phone number, the school name, or financial information such as

credit card or bank details. In this way they can protect their children and themselves from

unwanted or unacceptable overtures from strangers, from unplanned expenditure and

fraud.

Parents should encourage their children not to respond to any unwelcome, unpleasant or

abusive messages, and to tell them if they receive any such messages or images.

Parents should be aware that ‘Smart Phones’ such as iphones, Samsung Galaxy, HTC and

many others have internet access. These devices can be more difficult to monitor, but

parents should take an active interest in what their children use their mobiles for.

Online safety and advice can be found at the following addresses:

http://www.ceop.gov.uk

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Yourchildshealthandsafety/Internetsafety/index.htm

http://www.internetsafetyzone.co.uk/

http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/usingcomputersandtheinternet/internetsafetypresentati

on/

http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/Default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

This policy acknowledges and complies with DENI circular 1999/25 on the subject of

Acceptable Use of the Internet for Schools and the Acceptable Use Policy developed by

National Association of Co-coordinators and Teachers of IT.

Internet Permission Form

Dear Parent/Guardian,

As part of the school's delivery of the curriculum we encourage the use of the Internet for a variety

of purposes. Before being allowed to use the Internet, all pupils and parents must read and accept

the school policy on Internet access.

The school’s internet connection is provided for and managed by C2K. There is appropriate filtering

software in operation and different levels of access are granted to various year groups according to

pupil needs.

Whilst our aim for Internet use is to further educational goals and objectives, pupils may find ways

to access other materials as well. We believe that the benefits to pupils from access to the Internet,

in the form of information resources and opportunities for collaboration, exceed any disadvantages.

But ultimately, parents and guardians of pupils are responsible for setting and conveying the

standards that their children should follow when using media and information sources. To that end,

the school supports and respects each family's right to decide whether or not to apply for access.

During school, teachers will guide pupils towards appropriate materials.

The School Internet Policy will be explained to all pupils before they can gain access to the Internet

or use Email. You can access this policy from the school website: www.stmarkswarrenpoint.org.

Alternatively, if you prefer a hard copy, please contact the school and we will post one out to you.

We would be grateful if you could read the current policy and then complete the permission form

which follows.

Yours faithfully

Mr C Rodgers

ICT Co-ordinator

Mrs U McNulty

Principal

Please complete and return this form to your ICT Teacher

Internet Permission Form

Name of Pupil: __________________________

Form Class: ____________________________

Pupil

As a school user of the Internet, I agree to comply with the school rules on its use. I will use

the network in a responsible way and observe all the restrictions explained to me by the

school.

Pupil Signature: _____________________________________ Date: ______________

Parent

As the parent or legal guardian of the pupil named above, I grant permission for my

son/daughter to use electronic mail and the Internet. I understand that pupils will be held

accountable for their own actions. I also understand that some materials on the Internet

may be objectionable and I accept responsibility for setting standards for my son/daughter

to follow when selecting, sharing and exploring computer information and media.

Parent Signature: __________________________________ Date: __________________

September 2015

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Over the past year St. Mark’s has received an upgrade to the internet provision and is now operating

from a fully wireless system. The wireless system comes as part of the major upgrades implemented

by C2K in all schools across Northern Ireland.

As a result of this upgrade, I wish to inform you that we will be allowing 6th form pupils to bring a

mobile device (iPad, tablet or laptop) into school to use in class or study during the school day. Your

son/daughter would have access to the internet to complete important tasks. The internet would

still be filtered by C2K.

In order to access this facility you must read the ‘Acceptable Use of Mobile Devices’ policy and sign

the agreement form included stating that you agree to the terms and conditions as described. Your

son/daughter has been given a hard copy of this document.

The policy can be found in the ‘Information for Parents’ section of the school website. The rules

surrounding use of these devices are laid out in this policy. Please make yourself familiar with this

document before you sign the agreement form. Once the form is returned, access to the internet

from a mobile device will be permitted.

This facility does not extend to mobile phones. Any pupil using a mobile phone will be subject to the

school discipline policy.

Regards,

Mr Conor Rodgers

ICT Coordinator

Mrs Una McNulty

Principal

BYOD Acceptable Use Policy

6th form pupils are permitted to bring their own electronic device to school to access the school

wireless system to support their learning. In accordance with school rules, 6th form pupils must agree

to the following:

(Pupils should be aware that reference to ‘Mobile Device’ includes ipad, tablet or laptop. Mobile

phones are not permitted)

Use of your mobile device should be considered the same as any other computer in the

school;

Pupils must abide by the schools Internet Acceptable Use Policy;

Mobile devices are only to be used in classrooms with a staff member present and with

permission from said staff member;

Pupils must enter their school username and password on their mobile device to access the

internet and should not share this with any other pupil;

Mobile devices must only be used for educational purposes;

Camera facilities on mobile devices must never be used to take photos or videos of other

pupils or teachers in line with Child Protection laws;

Pupils should be aware that senior staff have the ability to review files and websites

accessed in school by pupils on school computers and mobile devices to ensure that all

systems are being used responsibly;

Mobile devices are the responsibility of the pupil. The school will not be held responsible for

the loss or damage of a mobile device on school premises;

When using the internet in St. Mark’s, all users must comply with all copyright, libel, fraud,

discrimination and obscenity laws. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action and could

involve police action.

Access to the wireless system is a privilege, not a right. It is given to pupils who act in a

considerate manner, and will be withdrawn if they fail to maintain acceptable standards of use.

Name of pupil: …………………………..

Signature: …………………………………..

Parental signature: …………………….

Date: ………………………………………….

St. Mark’s High School

Staff and Visitor

Acceptable Use Agreement

ICT and the related technologies such as email, the internet and mobile devices are an expected part

of our daily working life in school. This policy is designed to ensure that all staff are aware of their

professional responsibilities when using any form of ICT. All staff are expected to sign this policy and

adhere at all times to its contents. Any concerns or clarification should be discussed with Mrs

McNulty, Principal.

I will only use the school’s email / Internet access and any related technologies for professional purposes or for uses deemed ‘reasonable’.

I will comply with the ICT system security and not disclose any passwords provided to me by the school or other related authorities.

I will ensure that all electronic communications with pupils and staff are compatible with my professional role.

I will not give out my own personal details, such as mobile phone number and personal email address, to pupils.

I will only use the approved, secure email system(s) for any school business. I will ensure that personal data (such as data held on SIMS) is kept secure and is used

appropriately, whether in school, taken off the school premises or accessed remotely. I will not install any hardware or software without permission of the ICT technician. I will not browse, download, upload or distribute any material that could be considered

offensive, illegal or discriminatory. Images of pupils and/ or staff will only be taken, stored and used for professional purposes inline

with school policy and with written consent of the parent, carer or staff member. Images will not be distributed outside the school network without the permission of the parent/ carer, member of staff or Headteacher.

I understand that all my use of the school Internet and other related school technologies can be monitored and logged and can be made available, on request, to Mrs McNulty.

I will support the school approach to online safety and not deliberately upload or add any images, video, sounds or text that could upset or offend any member of the school community

I will respect copyright and intellectual property rights. I will ensure that my online activity, both in school and outside school, will not bring my

professional role into disrepute. I will support and promote the school’s e-Safety policy and help pupils to be safe and responsible

in their use of ICT and related technologies. I am aware that I am responsible for any personal device I bring to school such as an ipad, tablet

or laptop. User Signature I agree to follow this code of conduct and to support the safe use of ICT throughout the school

Signature …….………………….………… Date ……………………

Full Name ………………………………….........................................(printed)