Introduction
The Internet and online technologies are powerful tools that offer many opportunities for teaching, learning and management of all aspects of school life and beyond. With these opportunities comes a need to recognise some potential risks for users and to take steps to minimise them. With this in mind, Schools and other institutions authorised to use the embc Network (“User Organisations”) should ensure they have in place ‘Acceptable Use Policies’ (AUPs) to protect all their users. Embc-pl recommends to Schools that they consult the Becta document ‘E-Safety: developing whole-school policies to support effective practice’ in order to ensure that their own AUPs are comprehensive and up-to-date, and include internet use guidelines as well as online safety skills, monitoring and reporting abuse guidelines for both pupils and staff. Embc-pl recommends to Schools that a senior member of staff is responsible for e-safety.
The policies included in this schedule constitute the embc-pl’s e-safety and security policy. This is a child-safety policy which applies to all organisations using the embc Network, and is intended to support the protection of all such users and potential users of the embc Network in any such institution. The policy is intended to inform and support user organisation’s own safety and security policies.
User Organisations are asked to note the following:
Senior managers in all User Organisations will be deemed to have read these policies. By enabling and allowing users in their establishments access to the embc Network, senior managers accept their responsibility to ensure compliance with these policies by all users in their institutions.
The policies outlined in the document relate to on-network situations. Embc-pl is unable to accept responsibility for online activity taking place off-network.
The following sources were used in drawing up this documentation:
Janet Acceptable Use Policy
Becta e-safety advice for schools
CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection)
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
These and other sources of information referred to throughout this document are referenced in the section titled “Sources of Further Information” at the end of this document.