FAGLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL AND CHILDRENS CENTRE

The Safe Use Of Technology Policy

Updated: September 2015
To be reviewed: September 2015
CONTENTS

PAGE

Statement of Intent

Policy Coverage

The Use of Schools Technology

The Use of Own Technology in School

Social Media and Other Web Presences

Breaches of Policy

Appendix 1: Use of Technology Agreement for Staff and Governors

Appendix 2: Use of Technology Agreement for Pupils

Appendix 3: Use of Technology Agreement for Visitors

Statement of Intent
Fagley Primary Schools Governing Body recognises the use of its technology
facilities as an important resource for teaching, learning and personal
development and as an essential aid to conduct business efficiently. It actively
encourages staff to take full advantage of the potential for technology to
enhance development in all areas of the curriculum and school administration. It
is also recognised by the Governing Body that along with these benefits there
are also responsibilities, especially for ensuring that children are protected from
contact with inappropriate material.
In addition to their normal access to the schools technology for work-related
purposes, the Governing Body permits staff limited reasonable personal use of
ICT equipment and e-mail and Internet facilities during their own time subject to
such use:
1. not depriving children of the use of the equipment
and/or
2. not interfering with the proper performance of the staff members
duties
Whilst the schools ICT systems may be used for both work-related and for sole
personal use, the Governing Body expects use of this equipment for any
purpose to be appropriate, courteous and consistent with the expectations of the
Governing Body at all times.
This policy document is issued to all staff and governors before they are
provided with passwords giving access to the ICT network.

Policy Coverage
This policy covers technology owned by school used both in and out of school
premises. It also covers the use of personal electronic devices (including but not
limited to: mobile phones, cameras and tablets) on school premises and during
directed school time.

The Use of Schools Technology

All staff and governors are expected to sign the Acceptable Use Policy
(Appendix 1) detailing acceptable use of technology within the school.
Staff are expected to discuss the use of technology with their class. Following
this all children are expected to sign the Acceptable Use Policy (Appendix 2)
along with their parents and teachers.

Visitors to the school are expected to read and sign the Visitors Acceptable Use
Policy (Appendix 3) to ensure they understand and comply with policy relating to
technology in school.
4

The Use of Own Technology in School

Personal electronic devices (including mobile phones) are not permitted to be
used anywhere except the staffroom and offices when children are present.
Exceptions can be sought from the Head Teacher.
The use of personal technology in the school is regulated by the relevant
Acceptable Use Policy.

Social Media and Other Web Presences

Introduction
The internet provides a range of social media tools that allow users to interact
with one another, for example from rediscovering friends on social networking
sites such as Facebook to keeping up with other peoples lives on Twitter and
maintaining pages on internet encyclopaedias such as Wikipedia.
While recognising the benefits of these media for new opportunities for
communication, this policy sets out the principles that Fagley Primary School
staff and contractors are expected to follow when using social media.
It is crucial that pupils, parents and the public at large have confidence in the
schools decisions and services. The principles set out in this policy are
designed to ensure that staff members use social media responsibly so that
confidentiality of pupils and other staff and the reputation of the school and the
Local Authority (LA) are safeguarded.
Principles
Members of staff must be conscious at all times of the need to keep their
personal and professional lives separate. Members of staff should not put
themselves in a position where there is a conflict between your work for the
school or LA and your personal interests.
Members of staff must not engage in activities involving social media which
might bring Fagley Primary School or the LA into disrepute.
Members of staff must not represent their personal views as those of Fagley
Primary School or the LA on any social medium.

Members of staff must not discuss personal information about pupils, Fagley
Primary School or LA staff and other professionals they interact with as part of
their job on social media.
Members of staff must not use social media and the internet in any way to
attack, insult, abuse or defame pupils, their family members, colleagues, other
professionals, other organisations, Fagley Primary School or the LA.
Members of staff must be accurate, fair and transparent when creating or
altering online sources of information on behalf of Fagley Primary School or the
LA.
Personal Use of Social Media
Staff members must not identify themselves as employees of Fagley Primary
School or LA or service providers for the school or LA in their personal
webspace.
Staff members must not have contact through any personal social medium with
any pupil, whether from Fagley Primary School or any other school, unless the
pupils are family members.
Staff members must not have any contact with pupils family members through
personal social media if that contact is likely to constitute a conflict of interest or
call into question their objectivity.
Staff members must decline friend requests from pupils they receive in their
personal social media accounts. Instead, if they receive such requests from
pupils who are not family members, they must discuss these in general terms in
class and signpost pupils to become friends of the official school site.
On leaving Fagley Primary School, staff members must not contact Fagley
Primarys pupils by means of personal social media sites. Similarly, staff
members must not contact pupils from their former schools by means of
personal social media.
Information staff members have access to as part of their employment, including
personal information about pupils and their family members, colleagues, LA staff
and other parties and school or LA corporate information must not be discussed
on their personal webspace.
Photographs, videos or any other types of image of pupils and their families or
images depicting staff members wearing school or LA uniforms or clothing with
school or LA logos or images identifying sensitive school or LA premises (eg
care homes, secure units) must not be published on personal webspace.
4

School or LA email addresses and other official contact details must not be used
for setting up personal social media accounts or to communicate through such
media.
Staff members must not edit open access online encyclopaedias such as
Wikipedia in a personal capacity at work. This is because the source of the
correction will be recorded as the employers IP address and the intervention
will, therefore, appear as if it comes from the employer itself.
Fagley Primary School or LA corporate, service or team logos or brands must
not be used or published on personal webspace.
Fagley Primary School only permits limited personal use of social media while at
work. Access to social media sites for personal reasons is not allowed between
8.30am and 3.15pm unless during break or lunch times, in the staffroom.
Caution is advised when inviting work colleagues to be friends in personal
social networking sites. Social networking sites blur the line between work and
personal lives and it may be difficult to maintain professional relationships or it
might be just too embarrassing if too much personal information is known in the
work place.
Staff members are strongly advised to ensure that they set the privacy levels of
their personal sites as strictly as they can and to opt out of public listings on
social networking sites to protect their own privacy. Staff members should keep
their passwords confidential, change them often and be careful about what is
posted online; it is not safe to reveal home addresses, telephone numbers and
other personal information. It is a good idea to use a separate email address just
for social networking so that any other contact details are not given away.
Using Social Media on Behalf of Fagley Primary School
Social media (including blogs and other official web presences) should be
created and/or edited in line with the Communications Policy. This should be at
the request of the head teacher.
6

Breaches of Policy
Breaches of this policy will be dealt with in line with the staff discipline policy.

Appendix 1 Acceptable Use Policy For Staff

FAGLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL AND CHILDRENS CENTRE

Use of Technology Agreement for Staff and Governors

Technology in this Acceptable Use Policy is deemed to be any electronic device used
on the school premises or within directed school time (such as school trips).
To ensure that staff and governors are fully aware of their responsibilities when using
technology, they are asked to sign this Acceptable Use Agreement. Staff and governors
should consult the schools Safe Use of Technology Policy for further information and
clarification.

I understand that it is a criminal offence to use a school ICT system for a purpose not
permitted by its owner, in this case the Head Teacher
I will only access school systems and online accounts using the usernames and
passwords provided by the ICT team. Any breaches should be reported to a member of
the ICT team
I will follow normal safeguarding procedures set out in the Safeguarding Policy if a Child
Protection issue becomes apparent when using technology
I will only use my personal mobile phone in the staffroom and school offices when children
are present in school, unless there is an exception given by the Head Teacher
I will not use any personal device (including cameras and mobile phones) to capture
images, videos or audio of children
I understand only members of the ICT team are permitted to install/alter software or
hardware
I understand technology provided by school should only be used for purposes that are
consistent with my professional role. For example, it would not be deemed appropriate to:
1. Access material which promotes radicalisation and/or extremism
2. Infringe copyright and/or intellectual property laws
3. Access libellous material that defames or degrades other
I will not attempt to gain unlawful access to other computer systems
I will take into account data security and ensure technology is secure when not used
I understand that if I become aware of any breaches or suspected breaches of policy I
should contact the Head Teacher
I am aware that the school monitors access of school owned devices and accounts both
on and off the premises

Signed

Name (print)

Signed

Date

Appendix 2 Acceptable Use Policy for Pupils

FAGLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL AND CHILDRENS CENTRE

Use of Technology Agreement for Children

The school has a variety of technology such as desktops, laptops and tablets
available to help our learning. These devices are able to access the Internet.
These rules will keep everyone safe and help us be fair to others.
I will only use technology in school including the internet with permission
I will use technology sensibly and appropriately
I will only use my own login and password which I will not share
I will not access other peoples files without permission
I will not bring memory sticks, CDs, DVDs or mobile phones into school
unless I have permission from my teacher
I will only message people I know, or my teacher has approved
The messages I send to others will be polite and sensible
I will not share my personal information with others, or arrange to meet
someone, unless my parents, carers or teachers have given me
permission
I will tell a teacher if I see anything I am unhappy with or I receive
messages I do not like
Signed
Parent/carer

Teacher

Child

Appendix 3 Acceptable Use Policy for Visitors

FAGLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL AND CHILDRENS CENTRE

Use of Technology Agreement for Visitors

Technology in this Acceptable Use Policy is deemed to be any electronic device (such
as mobile phones, laptops and tables) used on the school premises or within directed
school time (such as school trips).
Visitors are requested to sign this Acceptable Use Agreement when first entering the
school to ensure the school fulfills its duty in safeguarding children.

I understand that it is a criminal offence to use a school ICT system for a purpose not
permitted by its owner, in this case the Head Teacher
I will only access school systems and online accounts using the usernames and
passwords provided by the ICT team. Any breaches should be reported to a member of
the ICT team
I will follow normal safeguarding procedures set out in the Safeguarding Policy if a Child
Protection issue becomes apparent when using technology
I will only use my personal mobile phone in the staffroom and school offices when children
are present in school, unless there is an exception given by the Head Teacher
I will not use any personal device (including cameras and mobile phones) to capture
images, videos or audio of children
I understand only members of the ICT team are permitted to install/alter software or
hardware
I understand technology provided by school should only be used for purposes that are
directly related to the school. For example, it would not be deemed appropriate to:
1. Access material which promotes radicalisation and/or extremism
2. Infringe copyright and/or intellectual property laws
3. Access libellous material that defames or degrades other
I will not attempt to gain unlawful access to other computer systems
I will take into account data security and ensure technology is secure when not used
I understand that if I become aware of any breaches or suspected breaches of policy I
should contact the Head Teacher
I am aware that the school monitors access of school owned devices and accounts both
on and off the premises

Signed
9

Name (print)

Signed

Date

10