Internet Acceptable Use Policy
The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) 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 Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to, this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions (as outlined in the Code of Behaviour) will be imposed.
Before signing, parents (and pupils if age appropriate) should read the AUP carefully to ensure that the conditions of use are accepted and understood.
School’s Strategy
The school takes every reasonable precaution to ensure online safety while the school’s internet facilities are being used by pupils. It employs a number of strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet. These strategies are as follows:
General
Pupil internet usage
It is expected that when using school internet facilities:
External internet usage
The school will inform pupils and parents of key support structures and organisations that deal with illegal material or harmful use of the Internet, should this be necessary.
Sanctions
Misuse of the Internet may result in disciplinary action, including written warnings, withdrawal of access privileges and, in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion (See Code of Behaviour). The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.
Parents/Guardians
By accepting the school’s Internet Acceptable Use Policy on enrolment, parents grant permission for children in their care to access the school internet facility. They indicate their understanding that internet access in the school is intended for educational purposes. They further indicate their understanding that the school cannot be held responsible if pupils access unsuitable websites.
Non-acceptance of the Internet Acceptable Use Policy by parents means that their children will not be able to use the school’s internet facilities.
This Internet Acceptable Use Policy was ratified by the Board of Management of St Patrick’s NS Clonbullogue on February 4th, 2021.
Signed: Fr Sean Hyland, Chair, Board of Management
Brigid Bennett, Principal/Secretary Board of Management.
The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) 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 Code of Behaviour) will be imposed.
Before signing, parents (and pupils if age appropriate) should read the AUP carefully to ensure that the conditions of use are accepted and understood.
School’s Strategy
The school takes every reasonable precaution to ensure online safety while the school’s internet facilities are being used by pupils. It employs a number of strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet. These strategies are as follows:
General
- Filtering software and /or equivalent systems are used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
- The school’s wifi is password protected and pupils are not provided with the password.
- The school monitors pupils’ internet usage and supervises, in so far as practicable, internet sessions.
- Pupils and staff members are provided with training in the area of Internet Safety
- Uploading and downloading of non-approved software or content is not permitted.
- Teachers take due care in selecting and downloading appropriate educational applications onto school devices.
- Virus protection software is used and updated on a regular basis.
- The use of personal memory sticks or other digital storage media in school requires a teacher’s permission.
- Pupils and staff are expected to treat others with respect at all times and not to undertake any actions that may bring the school into disrepute.
- Pupils are not permitted to connect personal devices to the school wifi system (except in exceptional circumstances with explicit permission e.g. personal communication devices for pupils with SEN).
Pupil internet usage
It is expected that when using school internet facilities:
- Pupils will not intentionally visit internet sites that contain obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
- Pupils will report accidental accessing of inappropriate materials in accordance with school procedures.
- Pupils will use the facility for educational purposes only.
- Pupils will not copy information into assignments and fail to acknowledge the source (plagiarism and copyright infringement).
- Pupils will never disclose or publicise personal information (including photographs), relating to themselves or others.
- Pupils will not visit or post on any social media sites.
- Uploading or downloading materials or images not relevant to their studies is in direct breach of the school’s AUP.
- Pupils will be aware that any usage of the school internet facility, including distributing or receiving information, school-related or personal, may be monitored for unusual activity, security and/or network management reasons.
- Pupils treat school computers, tablets and other devices with care, following instructions with regard to their handling and storage etc.
- Parents consent to allowing their children’s photographs /audio visual recordings etc. be posted on the school website at the time of enrolment.
- The posting of content to the school website (including pupil artwork and schoolwork) is overseen by the principal or other appropriate delegated person.
- Personal pupil information including home address and contact details is omitted from school web pages.
- The school will ensure that image files etc. are appropriately named
- Pupils will continue to own the copyright on any work published.
- Mobile phones/tablets or other private internet accessible devices may not be used by pupils of the school during school hours or during school arranged activities, unless specific permission is given by the principal.
- Teachers check all the online links they recommend to ensure that they are suitable for the children. Children need to be supervised and/or have parental controls installed on devices to prevent them accessing unsuitable materials online, and the school can take no responsibility for what children might access online at home themselves.
- Parents consent to their children registering and using the Seesaw Platform. Each teacher ensures that the privacy settings on his/her Seesaw account ensure that the children cannot see each others’ work or feedback, and cannot communicate directly with each other via the app. Communications on the app between teachers and pupils take place within the context of the school’s Code of Behaviour and the Teaching Council Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers.
- Parents consent to their children accessing remote online teaching sessions (e.g. such as Zoom). The school’s Code of Behaviour and the Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers apply to all live online interactions, as they would in the physical school setting. A ‘Code of Etiquette’ specifies expected behaviour during such sessions. Participation in remote online learning sessions is dependent on pupils obeying the Code of Behaviour.
- In order to secure the online space, invitations are sent to parents the day before the meeting and are password-protected. Teachers use the waiting room function to admit children individually, and only teachers are permitted to screen-share.
- Sharing a password/link outside of the relevant group is not permitted. Parents are asked to provide a quiet space for their children to access zoom calls, without other people present (except for one adult to set them up/support them if necessary etc), to protect the privacy of other children on the call. For one-to-one live sessions, a parent/nominated adult must remain with the child.
- Should an unacceptable breach of the online space occur, the hosting teacher will immediately terminate the call, contact will be made with parents to explain what happened and the principal will be informed. If necessary the guards or other relevant bodies will be contacted. Any facilitation of a breach of the online space (e.g. by deliberately sharing link/password with a third party) will be regarded as a very serious breach of the Code of Behaviour, and will be dealt with accordingly.
External internet usage
- The school takes no responsibility for content posted by pupils, parents or teachers in a private capacity, outside of school hours/ activities or outside of the school’s internet facilities.
The school will inform pupils and parents of key support structures and organisations that deal with illegal material or harmful use of the Internet, should this be necessary.
Sanctions
Misuse of the Internet may result in disciplinary action, including written warnings, withdrawal of access privileges and, in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion (See Code of Behaviour). The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.
Parents/Guardians
By accepting the school’s Internet Acceptable Use Policy on enrolment, parents grant permission for children in their care to access the school internet facility. They indicate their understanding that internet access in the school is intended for educational purposes. They further indicate their understanding that the school cannot be held responsible if pupils access unsuitable websites.
Non-acceptance of the Internet Acceptable Use Policy by parents means that their children will not be able to use the school’s internet facilities.
This Internet Acceptable Use Policy was ratified by the Board of Management of St Patrick’s NS Clonbullogue on February 4th, 2021.
Signed: Fr Sean Hyland, Chair, Board of Management
Brigid Bennett, Principal/Secretary Board of Management.