Have robust processes in place to ensure the online safety of pupils, staff, volunteers and governors
Deliver an effective approach to online safety, which empowers us to protect and educate the whole of our community in its use of technology, including mobile and smart technology (mobile phones)
Establish clear mechanisms to identify, intervene and escalate an incident, where appropriate

The 4 key categories of risk

Our approach to online safety is based on addressing the following categories of risk:

Content – being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content, such as pornography, fake news, racism, misogyny, self-harm, suicide, anti-Semitism, radicalisation and extremism
Contact – being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users, such as peer-to-peer pressure, commercial advertising and adults posing as children or young adults with the intention to groom or exploit them for sexual, criminal, financial or other purposes
Conduct – personal online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm, such as making, sending and receiving explicit images (e.g. consensual and non-consensual sharing of nudes and semi-nudes and/or pornography), sharing other explicit images and online bullying; and
Commerce – risks such as online gambling, inappropriate advertising, phishing and/or financial scam

2. Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on the Department for Education’s (DfE) statutory safeguarding guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022, and its advice for schools on:

It also refers to the DfE’s guidance on protecting children from radicalisation.

It reflects existing legislation, including but not limited to the Education Act 1996 (as amended), the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and the Equality Act 2010. In addition, it reflects the Education Act 2011, which has given teachers stronger powers to tackle cyber-bullying by, if necessary, searching for and deleting inappropriate images or files on pupils’ electronic devices where they believe there is a ‘good reason’ to do so.

The policy also takes into account the National Curriculum computing programmes of study.

3. Roles and responsibilities

3.1 The governing board

The governing board has overall responsibility for monitoring this policy and holding the headteacher to account for its implementation.

The governing board will coordinate regular meetings with appropriate staff to discuss online safety, and monitor online safety logs as provided by the designated safeguarding lead (DSL).

All governors will:

Ensure that they have read and understand this policy
Agree and adhere to the terms on acceptable use of the academy’s ICT systems and the internet (appendix 3)
Ensure that, where necessary, teaching about safeguarding, including online safety, is adapted for vulnerable children, victims of abuse and some pupils with SEND because of the importance of recognising that a ‘one size fits all’ approach may not be appropriate for all children in all situations, and a more personalised or contextualised approach may often be more suitable

3.2 The headteacher

The headteacher is responsible for ensuring that staff understand this policy and that it is being implemented consistently throughout the academy.

3.3 The designated safeguarding lead

Details of the academy’s DSL and DDSL are set out in our child protection and safeguarding policy.

The DSL is the headteacher and takes lead responsibility for online safety in the academy, in particular:

Ensuring that staff understand this policy and that it is being implemented consistently throughout the academy
Working with the computing lead and other staff, as necessary, to address any online safety issues or incidents
Managing all online safety issues and incidents in line with the academy child protection policy
Ensuring that any online safety incidents are logged on CPOMS and dealt with appropriately in line with this policy
Ensuring that any incidents of cyber-bullying are logged and dealt with appropriately in line with the academy behaviour policy
Updating and delivering staff training on online safety (appendix 4 contains a self-audit for staff on online safety training needs)
Liaising with other agencies and/or external services if necessary
Providing regular reports on online safety in academy to the governing board

This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

3.4 The IT support and Computing Lead

The Headteacher, Computing Lead and IT support must liaise to:

Put in place an appropriate level of security protection procedures, such as filtering and monitoring systems, which are reviewed and updated on a regular basis to assess effectiveness and ensure pupils are kept safe from potentially harmful and inappropriate content and contact online while at school, including terrorist and extremist material
Ensuring that the academy’s ICT systems are secure and protected against viruses and malware, and that such safety mechanisms are updated regularly
Conducting a full security check and monitoring the academy’s ICT systems on a fortnightly basis
Blocking access to potentially dangerous sites and, where possible, preventing the downloading of potentially dangerous files
Ensuring that any online safety incidents are logged on CPOMS and dealt with appropriately in line with this policy
Ensuring that any incidents of cyber-bullying are dealt with appropriately in line with the academy behaviour policy

This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

3.5 All staff and volunteers

All staff, including contractors and agency staff, and volunteers are responsible for:

Maintaining an understanding of this policy
Implementing this policy consistently
Agreeing and adhering to the terms on acceptable use of the academy’s ICT systems and the internet (appendix 3), and ensuring that pupils follow the academy’s terms on acceptable use (appendices 1 and 2)
Working with the DSL to ensure that any online safety incidents are logged on CPOMS and dealt with appropriately in line with this policy
Ensuring that any incidents of cyber-bullying are dealt with appropriately in line with the academy behaviour policy
Responding appropriately to all reports and concerns about sexual violence and/or harassment, both online and offline and maintaining an attitude of ‘it could happen here’

This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

3.6 Parents

Parents are expected to:

Notify a member of staff or the headteacher of any concerns or queries regarding this policy
Ensure their child has read, understood and agreed to the terms on acceptable use of the academy’s ICT systems and internet (appendices 1 and 2)

Parents can seek further guidance on keeping children safe online from the following organisations and websites:

What are the issues? – UK Safer Internet Centre
Hot topics – Childnet International
Parent resource sheet – Childnet International
Healthy relationships – Disrespect Nobody
National Online Safety - https://nationalonlinesafety.com/
The Academy Newsletter - https://friarswood.coopacademies.co.uk/stories/

3.7 Visitors and members of the community

Visitors and members of the community who use the academy’s ICT systems or internet will be made aware of this policy, when relevant, and expected to read and follow it. If appropriate, they will be expected to agree to the terms on acceptable use (appendix 3).

4. Educating pupils about online safety

Pupils will be taught about online safety as part of the curriculum:

In Key Stage 1, pupils will be taught to:

Use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private
Identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies

Pupils in Key Stage 2 will be taught to:

Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly
Recognise acceptable and unacceptable behaviour
Identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact

By the end of primary school, pupils will know:

That people sometimes behave differently online, including by pretending to be someone they are not
That the same principles apply to online relationships as to face-to-face relationships, including the importance of respect for others online including when we are anonymous
The rules and principles for keeping safe online, how to recognise risks, harmful content and contact, and how to report them
How to critically consider their online friendships and sources of information including awareness of the risks associated with people they have never met
How information and data is shared and used online
What sorts of boundaries are appropriate in friendships with peers and others (including in a digital context)
How to respond safely and appropriately to adults they may encounter (in all contexts, including online) whom they do not know

The safe use of social media and the internet will also be covered in other subjects where relevant.

Where necessary, teaching about safeguarding, including online safety, will be adapted for vulnerable children, victims of abuse and some pupils with SEND.

5. Educating parents about online safety

The academy will raise parents’ awareness of internet safety in letters or other communication, and in information via our website.. This policy will also be shared with parents.

If parents have any queries or concerns in relation to online safety, these should be raised in the first instance with the headteacher..

Concerns or queries about this policy can be raised with any member of staff or the headteacher.

6. Cyber-bullying

6.1 Definition

Cyber-bullying takes place online, such as through social networking sites, messaging apps or gaming sites. Like other forms of bullying, it is the repetitive, intentional harming of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power

6.2 Preventing and addressing cyber-bullying

To help prevent cyber-bullying, we will ensure that pupils understand what it is and what to do if they become aware of it happening to them or others. We will ensure that pupils know how they can report any incidents and are encouraged to do so, including where they are a witness rather than the victim.

The academy will actively discuss cyber-bullying with pupils, explaining the reasons why it occurs, the forms it may take and what the consequences can be. Teachers will discuss cyber-bullying with their classes in RSHE lessons, Computing lessons and other subjects where appropriate..

All staff, governors and volunteers (where appropriate) receive training on cyber-bullying, its impact and ways to support pupils, as part of safeguarding training (see section 11 for more detail).

The academy also sends information on cyber-bullying to parents.

In relation to a specific incident of cyber-bullying, the academy will follow the processes set out in the academy behaviour policy. Where illegal, inappropriate or harmful material has been spread among pupils, the academy will use all reasonable endeavours to ensure the incident is contained.

The DSL will consider whether the incident should be reported to the police if it involves illegal material, and will work with external services if it is deemed necessary to do so.

6.3 Examining electronic devices

Academy staff have the specific power under the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (which has been increased by the Education Act 2011) to search for and, if necessary, delete inappropriate images or files on pupils’ electronic devices, including mobile phones, iPads and other tablet devices, where they believe there is a ‘good reason’ to do so.

When deciding whether there is a good reason to examine or erase data or files on an electronic device, staff must reasonably suspect that the data or file in question has been, or could be, used to:

Cause harm, and/or
Disrupt teaching, and/or
Break any of the academy rules

If inappropriate material is found on the device, it is up to the staff member in conjunction with the DSL or other member of the senior leadership team to decide whether they should:

Delete that material, or
Retain it as evidence (of a criminal offence or a breach of academy discipline), and/or
Report it to the police*

* Staff may also confiscate devices for evidence to hand to the police, if a pupil discloses that they are being abused and that this abuse includes an online element.

Any searching of pupils will be carried out in line with:

The DfE’s latest guidance on screening, searching and confiscation
UKCIS guidance on sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people
The academy’s COVID-19 risk assessment (when appropriate)

Any complaints about searching for or deleting inappropriate images or files on pupils’ electronic devices will be dealt with through the academy complaints procedure.

7. Acceptable use of the internet in school

All pupils, parents, staff, volunteers and governors are expected to sign an agreement regarding the acceptable use of the academy’s ICT systems and the internet (appendices 1-3). Visitors will be expected to read and agree to the academy’s terms on acceptable use if relevant.

Use of the academy’s internet must be for educational purposes only, or for the purpose of fulfilling the duties of an individual’s role.

We will monitor the websites visited by pupils, staff, volunteers, governors and visitors (where relevant) to ensure they comply with the above.

More information is set out in the acceptable use agreements in appendices 1, 2 and 3.

8. Pupils using mobile devices in school

With permission from the headteacher, pupils may bring mobile devices into the academy, but are not permitted to use them during school hours or on the school premises at any time. Mobile devices are to be turned off and handed to the member of staff in charge of the class at the beginning of the day. They will be stored safely and returned to the pupil at the end of the day.

Any use of mobile devices in the academy by pupils must be in line with the acceptable use agreement (see appendices 1 and 2).

Any breach of the acceptable use agreement by a pupil may trigger disciplinary action in line with the academy behaviour policy, which may result in the confiscation of their device.

9. Staff using work devices off academy premises

All staff members will take appropriate steps to ensure their devices remain secure. This includes, but is not limited to:

Keeping the device password-protected – strong passwords are at least 8 characters, with a combination of upper and lower-case letters, numbers and special characters (e.g. asterisk or currency symbol)
Making sure the device locks if left inactive for a period of time
Not sharing the device among family or friends
Keeping operating systems up to date – always install the latest updates

Staff members must not use the device in any way which would violate the academy’s terms of acceptable use, as set out in appendix 3.

Work devices must be used solely for work activities.

If staff have any concerns over the security of their device, they must seek advice from the Headteacher or Computing Lead

10. How the academy will respond to issues of misuse

Where a pupil misuses the academy’s ICT systems or internet, we will follow the procedures set out in our policies on safeguarding, behaviour internet acceptable use and the behaviour policy. The action taken will depend on the individual circumstances, nature and seriousness of the specific incident, and will be proportionate.

Where a staff member misuses the academy’s ICT systems or the internet, or misuses a personal device where the action constitutes misconduct, the matter will be dealt with in accordance with the staff code of conduct. The action taken will depend on the individual circumstances, nature and seriousness of the specific incident.

The academy will consider whether incidents which involve illegal activity or content, or otherwise serious incidents, should be reported to the police.

11. Training

All staff members will receive training at least once each academic year as part of safeguarding training, as well as relevant updates as required (for example through emails, e-bulletins and staff meetings).

By way of this training, all staff will be made aware that:

Technology is a significant component in many safeguarding and wellbeing issues, and that children are at risk of online abuse
Children can abuse their peers online through:

Abusive, harassing, and misogynistic messages
Non-consensual sharing of indecent nude and semi-nude images and/or videos, especially around chat groups
Sharing of abusive images and pornography, to those who don’t want to receive such content

Physical abuse, sexual violence and initiation/hazing type violence can all contain an online element

Training will also help staff:

develop better awareness to assist in spotting the signs and symptoms of online abuse
develop the ability to ensure pupils can recognise dangers and risks in online activity and can weigh the risks up
develop the ability to influence pupils to make the healthiest long-term choices and keep them safe from harm in the short term

The DSL/DDSL will undertake child protection and safeguarding training, which will include online safety, at least every 2 years. They will also update their knowledge and skills on the subject of online safety at regular intervals, and at least annually.

Governors will receive training on safe internet use and online safeguarding issues as part of their safeguarding training.

Volunteers will receive appropriate training and updates, if applicable.

12. Monitoring arrangements

The DSL/DDSL logs behaviour and safeguarding issues related to online safety. Incidents should be reported on CPOMS..

This policy will be reviewed every year by the Headteacher. At every review, the policy will be shared with the governing board. The review (such as the one available here) will be supported by an annual risk assessment that considers and reflects the risks pupils face online. This is important because technology, and the risks and harms related to it, evolve and change rapidly.

13. Links with other policies

This online safety policy is linked to our:

Child protection and safeguarding policy
Behaviour policy
Staff disciplinary procedures
Data protection policy and privacy notices
Complaints procedure
ICT and internet acceptable use policy

All people will be treated equally including those within the nine protected characteristics.

Co-op Academy Friarswood is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people / vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, visitors and volunteers to share this commitment.

Appendix 1: EYFS and KS1 acceptable use agreement (pupils and parents/carers)

ACCEPTABLE USE OF CO-OP ACADEMY FRIARSWOOD’’S ICT SYSTEMS AND INTERNET: AGREEMENT FOR PUPILS AND PARENTS/CARERS
Name of pupil:
When I use the academy’s ICT systems (like computers) and get onto the internet in school I will: Ask a teacher or adult if I can do so before using them Only use websites that a teacher or adult has told me or allowed me to use Tell my teacher immediately if: I click on a website by mistake I receive messages from people I don’t know I find anything that may upset or harm me or my friends Use school computers for school work only Be kind to others and not upset or be rude to them Look after the academy ICT equipment and tell a teacher straight away if something is broken or not working properly Only use the username and password I have been given Try my hardest to remember my username and password Never share my password with anyone, including my friends. Never give my personal information (my name, address or telephone numbers) to anyone without the permission of my teacher or parent/carer Check with my teacher before I print anything Log off or shut down a computer when I have finished using it I agree that the academy will monitor the websites I visit and that there will be consequences if I don’t follow the rules.
Signed (pupil):	Date:
Parent/carer agreement: I agree that my child can use the academy’s ICT systems and internet when appropriately supervised by a member of academy staff. I agree to the conditions set out above for pupils using the academy’s ICT systems and internet, and will make sure my child understands these.
Signed (parent/carer):	Date:

Appendix 2: KS2 acceptable use agreement (pupils and parents/carers)

ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE CO-OP ACADEMY FRIARSWOOD’S ICT SYSTEMS AND INTERNET: AGREEMENT FOR PUPILS AND PARENTS/CARERS
Name of pupil:
When I use the academy’s ICT systems (like computers) and get onto the internet in school I will: Always use the academy’s ICT systems and the internet responsibly and for educational purposes only Only use them when a teacher is present, or with a teacher’s permission Keep my username and passwords safe and not share these with others Keep my private information safe at all times and not give my name, address or telephone number to anyone without the permission of my teacher or parent/carer Tell a teacher (or sensible adult) immediately if I find any material which might upset, distress or harm me or others Always log off or shut down a computer when I’m finished working on it I will not: Access any inappropriate websites including: social networking sites, chat rooms and gaming sites unless my teacher has expressly allowed this as part of a learning activity Open any attachments in emails, or follow any links in emails, without first checking with a teacher Use any inappropriate language when communicating online, including in emails Log in to the school network using someone else’s details Arrange to meet anyone offline without first consulting my parent/carer, or without adult supervision If I bring a personal mobile phone or other personal electronic device to school:: I will get written permission from the headteacher before I bring it in I will turn it off as soon as I arrive at school and hand it to the adult in charge of my class who will keep it safe until hometime Will not turn the device on until I have completely left the academy grounds I agree that the academy will monitor the websites I visit and that there will be consequences if I don’t follow the rules.
Signed (pupil):	Date:
Parent/carer’s agreement: I agree that my child can use the academy’s ICT systems and internet when appropriately supervised by a member of academy staff. I agree to the conditions set out above for pupils using the academy’s ICT systems and internet, and for using personal electronic devices in school, and will make sure my child understands these.
Signed (parent/carer):	Date:

Appendix 3: acceptable use agreement (staff, governors, volunteers and visitors)

ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE CO-OP ACADEMY FRIARSWOOD’’S ICT SYSTEMS AND INTERNET: AGREEMENT FOR STAFF, GOVERNORS,VOLUNTEERS AND VISITORS
Name of staff member/governor/volunteer/visitor:
When using the academy’s ICT systems and accessing the internet in school, or outside school on a work device (if applicable), I will not: Access, or attempt to access inappropriate material, including but not limited to material of a violent, criminal or pornographic nature (or create, share, link to or send such material) Use them in any way which could harm the academy’s reputation Access social networking sites or chat rooms Use any improper language when communicating online, including in emails or other messaging services Install any unauthorised software, or connect unauthorised hardware or devices to the academy’s network Share my password with others or log in to the academy’s network using someone else’s details Take photographs of pupils without checking with teachers first Share confidential information about the academy, its pupils or staff, or other members of the community Access, modify or share data I’m not authorised to access, modify or share Promote private businesses, unless that business is directly related to the academy
I will only use the academy’s ICT systems and access the internet in school, or outside school on a work device, for educational purposes or for the purpose of fulfilling the duties of my role. I agree that the academy will monitor the websites I visit and my use of the academy’s ICT facilities and systems. I will take all reasonable steps to ensure that work devices are secure and password-protected when using them outside the academy, and keep all data securely stored in accordance with this policy and the academy’s data protection policy. I will let the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) or Deputy designated safeguarding lead (DDSL) know if a pupil informs me they have found any material which might upset, distress or harm them or others, and will also do so if I encounter any such material. I will always use the academy’s ICT systems and internet responsibly, and ensure that pupils in my care do so too.
Signed (staff member/governor/volunteer/visitor):	Date:

Appendix 4: online safety training needs – self audit for staff

ONLINE SAFETY TRAINING NEEDS AUDIT
Name of staff member/volunteer:	Date:
Question	Yes/No (add comments if necessary)
Do you know the name of the person who has lead responsibility for online safety in the academy?
Are you aware of the ways pupils can abuse their peers online?
Do you know what you must do if a pupil approaches you with a concern or issue?
Are you familiar with the academy’s acceptable use agreement for staff, volunteers, governors and visitors?
Are you familiar with the academy’s acceptable use agreement for pupils and parents?
Do you regularly change your password for accessing the academy’s ICT systems?
Are you familiar with the academy’s approach to tackling cyber-bullying?
Are there any areas of online safety in which you would like training/further training?
Are you aware of the academy's subscription to National Online Safety and do you know how to access your account?