Updated January 2019
Acceptable Use Policy for Computers and Internet
For Cregmore Primary School
Introduction:
This Acceptable Use Policy for Computers and the
Internet is a guide to the use of computers, RTs, IPADs and labtops in Cregmore
Primary School. It is intended that readers of the policy will understand the
circumstances in which students and staff are provided with access to computers
for educational purposes.
Scope:
This Policy applies to all students who will be in contact with
school computers and the Internet.
The Policy also offers support and guidelines to staff using computers
with their students.
Aims of this
Acceptable Use Policy:
The main aim of this Acceptable Use
Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities
offered by the schools computers and Internet resources in a safe and effective
manner. Internet use and access is considered an essential school resource and
privilege. Appropriate sanctions will be imposed on any student who abuses the
resource and fails to comply with this policy.
It is envisaged that school management,
staff and parent representatives will revise the A.U.P. regularly. Parents / guardians and pupils will agree to
abide by the terms of the school’s “Code of Practice for Students in Cregmore
Primary School” and inform the school in the enrolment form regarding
permission for internet usage.
School’s
Strategy:
The school will employ a number of
strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities with computers and reduce
risks associated with the Internet / Net.
These strategies are as follows:
General:
·
Students will notbe permitted to use computers where
there is a computer / internet access unsupervised.
·
Changing of computers’ settings will not be
permitted.
·
The use of memory sticks or other digital storage
media requires a teacher’s permission.
·
Students will normally save all work into personal
folders on the computer or onto
a memory stick.
·
Internet sessions will always be supervised by a
teacher in school. Parents / guardians will be the responsible party for school
laptops used at home.
·
Filtering software and / or equivalent systems will
be used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
·
The school will regularly monitor pupils’ Internet
usage.
·
Uploading and downloading of non-approved software
will not be permitted.
·
Virus protection software will be used and updated
on a regular basis.
·
Downloading of music will not be permitted.
·
Students will observe good “netiquette” (i.e. etiquette
on the Internet) at all times and will not undertake any actions that may bring
the school into disrepute.
World Wide Web:
·
Students will not intentionally visit sites that
contain obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
·
Students will report accidental accessing of
inappropriate materials in accordance with school procedures.
·
Students will use the Internet for educational
purposes only.
·
Students will be familiar with copyright issues
relating to online learning.
·
Students will not copy information into assignments
and fail to acknowledge the source (plagiarism and copyright infringement).
·
Downloading materials or images not relevant to
their studies is in direct breach of the school’s Acceptable Use Policy.
·
Students will never disclose or publicise personal
information.
·
Students 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.
EMail:
·
Students will not send or receive any material that
is illegal, obscene and defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate
another person.
·
Students will not reveal their own or other
people’s personal details, such as addresses or telephone numbers or pictures.
·
Students will never arrange a face-to-face meeting
with someone through email or the Internet.
·
Students will note that sending and receiving email
attachments is strictly subject to prior permission from their teacher.
Internet Chat:
·
Students will only have access to chat rooms,
discussion forums or other electronic communication forums that have been
approved by the school.
·
Chat rooms, discussion forums and other electronic
communication forums will be only used for educational purposes and will always
be supervised.
·
Usernames will be used to avoid disclosure of
identity.
·
Face-to-face meetings with someone organised via
Internet chat will be forbidden.
All
School IT equipment
e.g. tablets, IPADS, RTs, Microsoft tablets
·
Students
should never leave their tablets or equipment unattended when in use
·
Students
should follow teacher’s instructions accessing only the applications to which
the teacher has agreed.
·
Students
require permission before sending any form of electronic message.
·
Audio
or vision taken at school cannot be transmitted, broadcast or transferred
without the teachers permission. •
·
The
camera and audio recording functions may only be used under the teachers’
direction.
·
Identity
theft (Pretending to be someone else) is in direct breach of the school’s
acceptable use policy.
·
In
the event of a child accidently accessing inappropriate material or images
during a lesson, the student will immediately minimize the page and report the
incident to the class teacher without attracting the attention of other
students.
·
iPads,
Tablets and equipment must be handled with care at all times.
·
Any
damage to the device must be reported immediately to the teacher.
Personal
Folders:
·
Students will use their personal folders for
educational purposes only.
·
Students will not send / save any material that is
illegal, obscene and defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate
another person.
·
Students will be aware that personal folders may be
monitored for unusual activity.
See
Saw
·
Students will use their personal SEE SAW folders
for educational purposes only.
·
Students only have permission to access their own
files
·
All work should be approved by the class teacher
Legislation:
The school fully subscribes to and
can help interested parties in accessing the relevant legislation listed below.
Teachers, students and parents should familiarise themselves with the
legislation listed: Child Trafficking and Pornography Bill 1997;Interception
Act 1993;Video Recordings Act 1989 and The Data Protection (Amendment) Act 1988.
Support
Structures:
The school will inform students and
parents / guardians, as appropriate, of key support structures and organisations
that deal with illegal material or harmful use of the Internet. Regular training seminars will be put in
place for parents to inform them about internet and computer safety. The school
will run an annual Internet Safety Day to raise awareness of Internet safety
within the school
Sanctions:
Misuse of computers and / or
Internet may result in disciplinary action and the School Code of Conduct
applies. Sanctions may be applied as
follows:
·
Verbal warning;
·
Written warning;
·
Suspension from the specific subject for a named
short period of time;
·
Exclusion from the specific subject for a named long
period of time;
·
For serious breaches of the Policy, suspension /
expulsion from school can be applied in accordance with existing policy.
·
The school also reserves the right to report any
illegal activities to the appropriate authorities.In the event of this being
deemed necessary, parents / guardians will be contacted.
Conclusion:
The Board of Management of Cregmore
School, in devising and approving this Acceptable Use Policy, is determined to
ensure that the use of computers and the Internet by all within the school
community is conducted within a broad educational, multi-disciplinary framework
and in a healthy, safe and secure setting.