Management responsibilities in schools
A designated role with first-line responsibility for a safe and effective use policy should be assigned to a senior manager. This may be a Safety Coordinator, Information Officer, Designated Teacher for Child Protection, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Coordinator or teacher in a sufficiently senior role.
The former British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) published guidance on the management roles and responsibilities of staff across the school and of the Board of Governors, notes on incident management and on securing and preserving evidence in the case of abuse.
Becta described these roles and responsibilities as including:
- The Principal, with the support of governors, should take a lead in embedding safe Internet practices into the culture of the school.
- A designated senior management role of Internet Safety Co-ordinator, with day to day responsibility for all Internet safety issues within the school: ensuring that policies are in place, current and adhered to; instances of breaches and misuse are monitored and reported, and that all staff receive relevant information about emerging issues.
- A school Internet safety policy team to review and advise on Internet safety policies with membership including, for example, the ICT co-ordinator, network manager and pastoral care staff as well as governor, pupil and parent representatives. The knowledge and relevant perspective of each team member will contribute to the depth and breadth of the school’s Internet safety policies and programme.
A whole-school safe and effective use policy
Ensuring that children and young people are able to use the Internet and digital communications technologies appropriately, effectively and safely is part of the wider duty of care to which all who work in schools are bound. A policy for safe and effective use that is understood and acted upon by the whole school community can help to ensure a safe learning environment.
That duty of care relates to all those involved in the education of children and young people with regard to Internet and digital technologies. Those involved include the principal and governing body, senior managers and pastoral care / form teachers and classroom teachers, child protection and guidance staff, librarians, ICT coordinators and parents, and the pupils themselves.
The scope of the responsibility for safe and effective use includes:
- whole-school awareness, with designated responsibilities, a policy and appropriate procedures – including a Code of Practice;
- an appropriate range of technological tools;
- the knowledge, skills and techniques necessary to use technology effectively as an educational tool;
- an Internet and digital technology safety education programme for the whole school community.
More advice on an appropriate Code of Practice and on education programmes follows in the next sections.
Some useful information is available in the Kent e-Safety policy template which has been updated for 2012.
Managing and reporting incidents and securing evidence of misuse
To deal with any incidents of technology misuse which arise, schools are advised to have procedures which are based on existing school behaviour policy, rules, regulations and established practices. This may require schools to audit their existing policies and procedures to ensure that coverage and language is appropriate to incidents which may arise from technology misuse and amend where necessary.
Most of these incidents are minor (see below) and should be dealt with by the person in the role of the Internet safety coordinator, others may be illegal, more serious and involve other responsible staff.
The majority involve pupils, but on occasion it may be a teaching or non-teaching member of staff whose conduct is in question.
Incidents which might be described as minor, involve plagiarism or copyright infringement, downloading materials or images not relevant to the subject, using someone else’s password or sending nuisance text messages,
More serious examples might involve soft-core pornography, hate material, drug or bomb-making recipes, or material that others may find offensive such as sexist or racist jokes and cartoons or material which is libellous or intended to harass.
Where the incident involves child abuse, the Designated Teacher for Child Protection in the school must also be notified and schools must follow the local reporting procedures as set out in the Child Protection Policy.
Advice on responding to Internet safety incidents in school is available in the Becta archive.
Harassment of another person using technology, or breaching their right to privacy (e.g. reading their mail, accessing their files, using their computer account or electronic mail address), poses a threat to their physical and emotional safety, and may have legal consequences.
For these purposes, it is also essential that evidence of misuse is secured. If the school identifies a suspect computer (containing for instance indecent images or offences concerning child protection), it should not be used or viewed and advice can be sought from the local police hi-tech crime unit via their local police station.
Schools should isolate any devices concerned and take advice from local Police rather than commence their own investigations as to do so may result in the loss of valuable evidence both on and off the premises if suspects inadvertently become aware of raised suspicions. In some circumstances such interference may also constitute a criminal offence.
In the school context, major or very serious incidents tend to involve illegal materials (particularly the viewing, possession, making and distribution of indecent images of children) or serious stalking or harassment facilitated by communication technologies.
If police involvement is necessary, it is advisable for the principal and Board of Governors to seek legal advice, via their normal sources, as soon as possible.
After a minor or major incident a comprehensive debriefing should occur to review school policy and procedures, to make and monitor any necessary changes and to maximise what can be learnt.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) provides information on dealing with illegal content.
Download the IWF best practice guide on handling potentially illegal images of children.
Any Internet content you believe to be potentially illegal, indecent (including images of child abuse), criminally obscene or of an incitement or racial hatred nature should be reported to the Internet Watch Foundation.
Any inappropriate or potentially illegal activity with or towards a child online should be reported to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.
If a child is in immediate danger or an urgent response is required, contact your local Police.
