E-Safety Policy

Aims of the E-Safety policy

The British School Kathmandu is fully committed to online child protection. This e-safety Policy is intended to consider all current and relevant e-safety issues, in a whole school context, linking with other relevant policies, such as our Safeguarding and Child Protection, Behaviour and Anti- Bullying policies. There are three main elements to our policy: 

  1. Prevention through the teaching and pastoral support offered to pupils.
  2. Procedures for identifying and reporting cases, or suspected cases, of risky online behaviour or online abuse. Due to the nature in which technology is embedded in the day-to-day education of children, coupled with the daily contact staff have with aforementioned children, staff are therefore well placed to observe any outward signs of online abuse and risky behaviour.
  3. Support to pupils who may have been the victim / perpetrator of online abuse. A range of approaches, including targeted information sessions, counselling and restorative practice will be used as necessary.

Our policy applies to all staff and volunteers working in the school, as well as school governors. 

Learning Support Teaching Assistants, Teaching Assistants, Ground and Administrative staff as well as teachers can be the first point of disclosure for a child. Concerned parents may also contact the presiding Head Teacher or the school governors.

Prevention
We recognise that informative e-safety sessions, good lines of communication with trusted adults and strong, supportive friendship groups can help identify potential issues early as well as helping with prevention. The school will therefore: 

  1. Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure, are encouraged to talk and are listened to. 
  2. Ensure children know that there are adults in the school whom they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty.
  3. Include in the curriculum, activities and opportunities where e-safety is the main focus, which will equip children with the skills they need to identify potential online risks and to stay safe while online. They should also be skilled in knowing what to do should they encounter any difficulty while online.
  4. Include, in the curriculum, material which will help children inculcate resilience to the reality of the digital world, particularly with regards to anti-social behaviour and inherently (and often deliberately)  mean and offensive comments (often referred to as “trolling”).

Key points 

The school has a designated E-safety lead, who has undertaken appropriate e-safety training. This is currently ????????. The Principal and the Vice Principals should also have received the appropriate e-safety training. In addition to this, all staff from Primary and Secondary and the school nurse, should also receive basic e-safety training.

  1. Ensure every member of staff and every governor knows the name of the e-safety lead and her/his role. 
  2. Ensure that all members of staff are aware of the need to be alert to signs of online abuse and risky behaviour, and know how to respond to a pupil who may be a victim / perpetrator of online abuse / showing signs of engaging in risky online behaviour. 
  3. Ensure that parents have an understanding of the responsibility placed on the school and staff for e-safety by setting out its obligations in this policy and in other key literature. Mention the policy and refer to it at appropriate points. 
  4. Provide appropriate training for all staff and parents (by request). A e-safety update should be carried out yearly, and as part of new staff induction. 
  5. Designate a governor for e-safety to oversee the school’s e-safety policy and practice. 
  6. Although every case may be different, the general checklist attached will be used to guide action. 

Promote an environment of open dialogue regarding behavioural concerns related to online use and encourage parents to liaise with the school should the child display any behaviour at home which may indicate an online concern.

It is essential that all staff receive e-safety training and understand their responsibilities. Training will be offered as follows:

  1. A planned programme of formal e-safety training will be made available to staff. An audit of the e- safety training needs of all staff will be carried out regularly. It is expected that some staff will identify e-safety as a training need within the performance management process.
  2. All new staff should receive e-safety training as part of their induction programme, ensuring that they fully understand the school e-safety policy and acceptable use policies.

The e-Safety lead will receive regular updates through attendance at information/training sessions, participation in online training sessions and by reviewing guidance documents released by a broad range of providers, including COBIS.

This e-Safety policy and its updates will be presented to and discussed by staff in staff/team meetings and on INSET days.

The e-Safety lead will provide advice/guidance/training to individuals as required.

  1. The content of the curriculum to encourage good online practice and resilience with regards to being an online digital citizen.
  2. The school ethos and behaviour policy which:
    1. promotes a positive, supportive and secure environment 
    2. gives pupils a sense of being valued 
  3. Liaison with other agencies who support the student such as BGN, relevant embassies or organisations such as DFID, our Educational Psychologist, Health professionals & authorities in Nepal. 
  4. Keeping records and monitoring in case there is a recurrence of a concern. When pupils who represent a significant safeguarding risk leave, we will endeavour to transfer information to the new school.

NB – For all pupils we will look for opportunities to ensure they can keep themselves safe, recognise abuse and encourage communication. This may be in PSHE, Mentor group discussions, ongoing e-safety reminders and in assemblies.

We recognise that statistically children with behavioural difficulties and disabilities are most vulnerable to abuse. School staff who deal with children with profound and multiple disabilities, cerebral palsy, sensory impairment, emotional or behavioural problems will be particularly sensitive to signs of abuse.

Due to the ever changing nature of ICT, it is best practice that the school reviews the e-safety policy at least annually and, if necessary, more frequently in response to any significant new developments in the use of the technologies, new threats to e-safety or incidents that have taken place.

Do not hesitate to talk to the designated child protection officer/E-Safety lead if you have even the slightest concern about a child’s well-being, either online or otherwise. Whilst many concerns will be unfounded, it is necessary to ‘think the unthinkable’. There are four recognised forms of abuse:

  • Neglect
  • Physical abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Emotional abuse

If you suspect any of the above it is your responsibility to report it immediately.

Child protection Concern – Reporting Form –here

All concerns should be written down and handed to the Designated Safeguarding Lead / E-Safety Lead. Then, depending on the case, a blend of the following actions will be taken and the date of the action noted (either on this form or on the engage system).

Pupil name:________________________________ Year group/Mentor group:_______________

Possible actions  

  • Small group of relevant staff to monitor 
  • Consult with colleagues for advice such as school nurse, heads of key stages, Vice Principal, Mentor. 
  • Link up with any agencies in Nepal if appropriate. 
  • Sensitively interview staff 
  • Talk to all staff involved with the child and ask for close monitoring 
  • Speak to the child sensitively 
  • Sensitively interview peers 
  • Call one or both parents to discuss disclosure 
  • Ask parents to take the child to hospital for tests 
  • If the concern is about the parents, contact the organisation of the parents and report findings to the company’s nominated welfare officer 
  • If the concern is about a BGN child, contact the designated officer at BGN to raise concerns
  • In the case of all serious concerns inform the Chair of Governors and (once appointed) the Governor with responsibility for Child Protection
  •  Keep records of all discussions and conversations (preferably signed by parents). 
  • Provide extra levels of staffing/vigilance as appropriate 
  • Recommend counselling to those who may need support
  •  Use the resources that may be available in Nepal if necessary

ALWAYS REMIND THOSE INVOLVED IN DISCLOSURES OF CONFIDENTIALITY

Responsibilities of the DSL

  • Annual refreshers for all staff including coaches
  • Quarterly report for board of Governor’s) 
  • Ensure there are PSHE sessions relating to online safety which includes child protection reminders 
  • Give all students information about how to communicate concerns and key people who they can disclose to. 
  • Regularly remind parents of school policies and ensure that the location of the child protection policy is given to all new parents 
  • Regularly remind teaching staff and parents of confidentiality and maintaining boundaries  

                                                                                             Updated August 1st 2020

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