Digital Safety in School
Pupils at The Levels School are taught about online safety, social media and being a digital citizen as part of the ICT curriculum, PSHE and through assemblies and the tutor programme.
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By the end of secondary school, students will know:
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Their rights, responsibilities and opportunities online, including that the same expectations of behaviour apply in all contexts, including online.
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About online risks, including that any material someone provides to another has the potential to be shared online and the difficulty of removing potentially compromising material placed online.
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Not to provide material to others that they would not want shared further and not to share personal material which is sent to them.
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What to do and where to get support to report material or manage issues online.
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The impact of viewing harmful content.
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That specifically sexually explicit material (e.g. pornography) presents a distorted picture of sexual behaviours, can damage the way people see themselves in relation to others and negatively affect how they behave towards sexual partners.
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That sharing and viewing indecent images of children (including those created by children) is a criminal offence which carries severe penalties including jail.
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How information and data are generated, collected, shared and used online.
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How to identify harmful behaviours online (including bullying, abuse or harassment) and how to report, or find support, if they have been affected by those behaviours
ICT Development & Strategy
The ICT Development and Strategy manager at The Levels School is SEND Group International Ltd. They are responsible for:
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Putting in place appropriate filtering and monitoring systems, which are updated on a regular basis and keep students safe from potentially harmful and inappropriate content and contact online while at school, including pornographic, terrorist and extremist material.
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Ensuring that the school’s ICT systems are secure and protected against viruses and malware, and that such safety mechanisms are updated regularly.
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Conducting a full security check and monitoring the school’s ICT systems on a monthly basis.
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Blocking access to potentially dangerous sites and, where possible, preventing the downloading of potentially dangerous files.
Resources for Parents & Guardians
The school will raise parents’ awareness of internet safety in letters or other communications home, and in information via our website. This policy will also be shared with parents via the website. Where necessary online safety and acceptable ICT usage will also be covered during parents’ evenings. If parents have any queries or concerns in relation to online safety, these should be raised in the first instance with the Head Teacher and/or the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
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For more information and resources on keeping children safe online, try the links below.