The development of this policy involved: School management, the Digital Schools Team, teachers, parents/carers, and representatives of the Board of Management.

Date of Commencement: 11/05/2020

General Approach

The aim of this Internet Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is to ensure that pupils will benefit from the learning opportunities offered by the school’s internet resources in a safe and effective manner.

This Acceptable Use Policy applies to members of staff, volunteers, parents/carers, pupils and others who have access to and are users of the internet in Ravenswell Primary School, or avail of online activities as a representative of Ravenswell Primary School.

When using the internet pupils, parents and staff are expected:

• To treat others with respect at all times.
• Not undertake any actions that may bring the school into disrepute.
• Respect the right to privacy of all other members of the school community.
• Respect copyright and acknowledge creators when using online content and resources.

Internet Safety

Ravenswell Primary School implements the following strategies on promoting safer use of the internet:

• Pupils will be provided with education in the area of internet safety as part of our implementation of the SPHE curriculum.
• Teachers will be provided with continuing professional development opportunities in the area of internet safety.
• Ravenswell Primary School participates in Safer Internet Day activities to promote safer more effective use of the internet.

Content Filtering

Ravenswell Primary School has chosen to implement the following level on content filtering on the Schools Broadband Network:

Level 4: This level allows access to millions of websites including games and YouTube but blocks access to websites belonging to the personal websites category and websites such as Facebook belonging to the Social Networking category.

Pupils taking steps to by-pass the content filter by using proxy sites or other means may be subject to disciplinary action, including written warnings, withdrawal of access privileges, detention and, in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion.

Web Browsing and Downloading

The following rules apply to web browsing and downloading of digital material.

• 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 the classroom to their teacher.
• Pupils will report accidental accessing of inappropriate materials in school but outside the classroom to their class teacher.
• Pupils and staff will not copy information from the internet without acknowledging the creator and referencing the source of the content.
• Pupils and staff will be aware that any usage, including distributing or receiving information, school-related or personal, may be monitored for unusual activity, security and/or network management reasons.
• Pupils will use the school’s internet connection only for educational activities.
• Pupils will not engage in online activities such as uploading or downloading large files that result in heavy network traffic which impairs the service for other internet users.
• Pupils will not download or view any material that is illegal, obscene, and defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person.

• Use of file sharing and torrent sites is allowed with staff permission.
• Downloading by pupils of materials or images not relevant to their studies is not allowed.

Email and Messaging

The following rules and restrictions apply to e-mail and messaging services:

• The use of personal email accounts is only allowed at Ravenswell Primary School with expressed permission from members of the teaching staff.
• Pupils should not under any circumstances share their email/google account login details with other pupils.
• Pupils should not use school email/google accounts to register for online services such as social networking services, apps, and games.
• Pupils will use approved class email/google accounts only under supervision by or permission from a teacher.
• Pupils should be aware that email/google communications are monitored.
• Pupils will not intentionally send any material that is illegal, obscene, and defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person.
• Pupils should immediately report the receipt of any communication that makes them feel uncomfortable, is offensive, discriminatory, threatening or bullying in nature and must not respond to any such communication.
• Pupils should avoid opening emails that appear suspicious. If in doubt, pupils should ask their teacher before opening emails from unknown senders.

Social Media

The following statements apply to the use of social media services (including messaging, blogging and video streaming) in Ravenswell Primary School:

• Use of instant messaging services, by pupils, is not allowed in Ravenswell Primary School.
• Use of blogs such as Word Press, Tumblr etc. is allowed in Ravenswell Primary School with express permission from teaching staff.
• Use of video streaming sites such as YouTube and Vimeo etc. is allowed with express permission from teaching staff.

Staff, parents and pupils must not:

• Use social media and the internet in any way to harass, insult, abuse or defame pupils, their family members, staff, other members of the Ravenswell Primary School community
• Discuss personal information about pupils, staff and other members of the Ravenswell Primary School community on social media.
• Use school email addresses for setting up personal social media accounts or to communicate through such media.
• Engage in activities involving social media which might bring Ravenswell Primary School into disrepute.
• Represent their personal views as those of Ravenswell Primary School’s on any social medium.

Personal Devices

Pupils using their own technology in school should follow the rules set out in this agreement, in the same way as if they were using school equipment.  The school does not take any responsibility for any damage to personal devices while on school property.

The following statements apply to the use of internet-enabled devices such as tablets, gaming devices, and digital music players in Ravenswell Primary School:

• Pupils are only allowed to bring personal internet-enabled devices into Ravenswell Primary School with expressed permission from staff.
• Pupils are only allowed to use personal internet-enabled devices during lessons with expressed permission from teaching staff.
• Pupils are not allowed to use personal internet-enabled devices during social time.

Images & Video

• Care should be taken when taking photographic or video images that staff, parents and pupils are appropriately dressed and are not participating in activities that might bring the individuals or the school into disrepute.
• At Ravenswell Primary School staff, parents and pupils must not take, use, share, publish or distribute images of others without their permission.
• Taking photos or videos on school grounds or when participating in school activities is only allowed with expressed permission from staff.
• Written permission from parents or carers will be obtained before photographs of pupils are published on the school website.
• Staff, parents and pupils must not share images, videos or other content online of any other member of the school community, without prior permission, regardless of whether this happens in school or outside.
• Sharing explicit images and in particular explicit images of pupils and/or minors is an unacceptable and absolutely prohibited behaviour, with serious consequences and sanctions for those involved. Sharing explicit images of other pupils automatically incurs suspension as a sanction.

School Websites and Digital Communication Platforms (e.g. Google Classroom, Facebook, Twitter, Class Dojo, Aladdin Connect, G-Suite…etc)

Pupils will be given the opportunity to publish projects, artwork or school work on the internet, or school digital platforms, in accordance with clear policies and approval processes regarding the content that can be loaded to the school’s website.   The publication of pupil work will be coordinated by a teacher.

The platforms will be regularly checked to ensure that there is no content that compromises the safety, privacy, or reputation of students or staff.

Webpages allowing comments or user-generated content will be pre-moderated and checked frequently to ensure that they do not contain any inappropriate or offensive content.

Ravenswell Primary School will use only digital photographs, audio or video clips focusing on group activities. Digital content focusing on individual students will only be published by the school with parental permission.

Personal student information including home address and contact details will not be published on Ravenswell Primary School web pages.

Ravenswell Primary School will avoid publishing the first name and last name of pupils in video or photograph captions published online.

Cyberbullying

When using the internet pupils, parents and staff are expected to treat others with respect at all times.

Engaging in online activities with the intention to harm, harass, or embarrass another pupil or member of staff is an unacceptable and absolutely prohibited behaviour, with serious consequences and sanctions for those involved, in line with the school Code of Behaviour.

Measures are taken by Ravenswell Primary School  to ensure that staff and pupils are aware that bullying is defined as unwanted negative behaviour, verbal, psychological or physical, conducted by an individual or group against another person (or persons) and which is repeated over time. This definition includes cyber-bullying even when it happens outside the school or at night.

Isolated or once-off incidents of intentional negative behaviour, including a once-off offensive or hurtful text message or other private messaging, do not fall within the definition of bullying and will be dealt with, as appropriate, in accordance with the school’s code of behaviour.

The prevention of cyber bullying is an integral part of the anti-bullying policy of our school.

Misuse and Sanctions

Internet use and access is considered a school resource and privilege. If the school AUP is not adhered to this privilege may be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions will be imposed.

Misuse of the internet may result in disciplinary action, including:

• written warnings
• withdrawal of access privileges
• detention
• in extreme cases, suspension or expulsion.
• The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.

Ravenswell Primary School will deal with incidents that take place outside the school that impact on the wellbeing of pupils or staff under this policy and associated codes of behaviour and anti-bullying policies. In such cases Ravenswell Primary School will, where known, inform parents/carers of incidents of inappropriate online behaviour that take place out of school and impose the appropriate sanctions, and where necessary the relevant authorities.

Legislation:

The school website will provide information on the following legislation relating to use of the Internet which teachers, students and parents should familiarise themselves with:

• Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2003, http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2003/act/6/enacted/en/html
• The Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998:  This Act legislates against anyone who knowingly produces, prints, publishes, distributes, exports, imports, shows, possesses or sells child pornography.  

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1998/act/22/enacted/en/html

• 1993 Interception Act: (The Interception of Postal Packets and Telecommunications Messages Regulation Act 1993).  This Act stipulates that telecommunication messages can be intercepted for the purpose of an investigation of a serious offence.  Authorisations are subject to certain conditions.  http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1993/act/10/enacted/en/html
• Video Recordings Act 1989: The 1989 Video Recordings Act prohibits the distribution of videos which contain obscene or indecent material which may lead to the depravation or corruption of the viewer.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1989/act/22/enacted/en/html

• The Data Protection Act 1988: This Act was passed in order to deal with privacy issues arising from the increasing amount of information kept on computer about individuals.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/1988/act/25/enacted/en/html

Implementation and Review

The implementation of this Internet Acceptable Use policy will be monitored by the Digital Schools Team.

The school will monitor the impact of the policy using:

• Logs of reported incidents.
• Surveys and/or questionnaires of pupils, parents, and teaching staff.

This policy and its implementation will be reviewed annually by the Board of Management, school management, the Digital Learning Team, teaching staff, support staff, pupils, and parents

This policy was ratified by the Ravenswell Board of Management on
Ravenswell Primary School

Ravenswell, Bray

Co. Wicklow

Internet Acceptable Use Policy Permission Form

Once you have reviewed the school’s Internet Acceptable Use Policy, please sign and

return this permission form to the Principal.

Name of Student:______________________            Date of Birth: _____________________

Pupil Agreement:

I agree to follow the school’s Acceptable Use Policy on the use of the Internet. I will use the Internet in a responsible way and obey all the rules explained to me by the school.

Pupil’s Name: ____________________         Pupil’s Signature: _________________________ 

Parent/Guardian : __________________________               Date: ___________________

Parent/Guardian Agreement:

Please tick that you agree with the following elements of the Acceptable Use Policy:

As the parent or legal guardian of the above student, I have read the Acceptable Use Policy and grant permission for my son or daughter or the child in my care to access the Internet. I understand that Internet access is intended for educational purposes. I also understand that every reasonable precaution has been taken by the school to provide for online safety but the school cannot be held responsible if students access unsuitable websites.
In relation to the school website, I accept that, if the school considers it appropriate, my child’s schoolwork, may be chosen for inclusion on the website. I understand and accept the terms of the Acceptable Use Policy relating to publishing students’ work on the school website.
In relation to the school website, I accept that, if the school considers it appropriate, digital photographs, audio or video clips of group activities including my child, may be chosen for inclusion on the website

Signature: _____________________________ Date: ___________________