Internet access policy

Aims:

• For all students and staff of Plumstead Manor to be able to use the rich information resources available on the Internet for the furtherance of their work and studies.
• For all students and staff of Plumstead Manor to develop the appropriate skills to analyse and evaluate Internet resources and to use them responsibly within the constraints conducive to a school.
• To minimise (and where possible eliminate) the school’s legal liability or damage to its property or reputation by acts, deliberate or accidental, of students and staff using the Internet.

Principles:

• Access to the Internet will be available to all students and staff from workstations on the school’s network for the furtherance of their schoolwork and studies.
• Students and staff may have individual school-based E-mail accounts for the furtherance of their schoolwork and studies.
• Resources accessed on the Internet using school equipment will only be that which is appropriate and relevant to students’ and staff’s schoolwork and studies.
• The school has the right to bar persons from using school equipment to access the Internet where it is considered that there is a risk of damage to its property or reputation by their acts while using the Internet.

Practice:

• The Internet will be physically accessible from all workstations.
• Students’ use of the Internet will be guided and supervised.
• The school will only offer Internet access through an Internet Service Provider that provides a secure and appropriately filtered service.
• The school will employ additional methods to monitor and manage access to the Internet from school equipment.

Constraints:

• The use of non-school based E-mail is prohibited and will be blocked.
• The use of school based E-mail for purposes not associated with schoolwork is prohibited.
• The use of unregulated or inappropriate Chat Lines is prohibited and will be blocked.
• Downloading executable file is prohibited except by network administrators.

Appendices:

1. Detailed Regulations for Students
2. Detailed Regulations for Staff 
3. Letter Home and Parental Consent Form 
4. Outline of Implementation Procedures

1. Detailed Regulations for Students:

• The Internet is provided for students to conduct, research and communicate with others   Parents’ permission is required.  Remember that access is a privilege, not a right.
• Students are responsible for good behaviour on the Internet just as they are in a classroom or a school corridor,  General school rules apply.
• Students may pursue research on the Internet independent of staff supervision only if they have been granted parental permission and have submitted all required forms.  Permission is not transferable and may not be shared.
• Individual users of the Internet are responsible for their behaviour and communications over the network.  It is presumed that users will comply with school standards and will honour the agreements they have signed.
• Computer storage areas and floppy disks will be treated like school lockers.  Staff may review files and communications to insure that users are using the system responsibly.  Users should not expect that files stored on servers or disks would always be private.
• During school, teachers will guide students toward appropriate materials.  Outside of school, families bear responsibility for such guidance, as they must also exercise with information sources such as television, telephones, movies, radio and other potentially offensive media.

The following are not permitted:

• Sending or displaying offensive messages or pictures
• Using obscene language
• Harassing, insulting or attacking others
• Damaging computers, computer systems or computer networks
• Violating copyright laws
• Using others’ passwords
• Trespassing in others’ folders, work or files
• Intentionally wasting limited resources

Sanctions:

• Violations of the above rules will result in temporary or permanent on Internet use.
• Additional disciplinary action may be added in line with existing practice on inappropriate language or behaviour.
• When applicable, police or local authorities may be involved.

2. Detailed Regulations for Staff:

Warning against Deliberate Misuse of the Internet

The Internet is a valuable resource.  It also presents significant dangers to the School from staff who may choose to abuse it.  Whilst each case will be judged on its own merits, the following warning is issued to all staff:

• Any member of staff who commits a breach of any School Policy or Council Regulation or Standing Order as a result of unauthorised use of the Internet (including electronic mail) will face disciplinary proceedings.  Staff needing clarification on policies, financial and other regulations and Standing Orders currently in force should consult their SMT line manager.
  Additionally:
• If the School discovers that a member of staff has committed a criminal offence or has been party to the commission of one as a result of unauthorised use of the Internet, the Police will be contacted immediately.
• The School will in no way indemnify a member of staff who has incurred any liability as a result of unauthorised use of the Internet.  The School will seek financial redress from members of staff whose unauthorised use of the Internet causes the School to suffer a loss.

Protection of staff acting in good faith:

It is fully recognised that a member of staff may accidentally breach this Policy whilst acting in good faith and in the course of their duties as a member of staff in the school.  If a member of staff suspects this to be the case, they must notify their SMT line manager immediately so that action can be taken to prevent or minimise damage.

Authorised Uses of the Internet:

The School permits staff to use the Internet in connection with the following purposes only:

• The delivery of services which the School offers.
• The management of School resources.
• The performance of an individual’s duties within the school.

Please note that users may be asked to justify accessing any site.

Unauthorised uses of the Internet:

Whilst an act that does not fit the above categories will be considered an unauthorised use of the Internet, users attention is drawn to the following:

Strictly prohibited acts

• The copying of software files from the Internet should be kept to a minimum. No executable files should be copied from the Internet. Software downloads must only be carried out by an officer who is capable of ensuring that it is not faulty, is not infected with a virus and that all copyright requirements are met. If there is any doubt, the ICT Co-ordinator should be contacted.
• Do not access any sites or download or print any files displaying material, which the user knows to contravene the School or Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy.  If such a site is accessed inadvertently, a Directorate manager should be informed immediately.
• Do not access any site, which involves any form of gambling or betting.
• Do not access any sites, which provide a discussion or “chat” forum which does not fit the authorised uses listed above.
• Do not access free E-mail sites (e.g. Hotmail) in order to check private e-mail.
• Do not order any goods via the Internet, without consulting your line manager (please note that to do so may result in a breach of the formal procurement requirement in Financial Regulations)
• Do not respond to surveys on the Internet.
• Do not open a subscription account on the Internet.
• Do not allow anyone other than an authorised school user to access the Internet via a school workstation.
• Do not use electronic mail for communication other than for purposes set out in Authorised Uses of the Internet, above.
• Do not leave PCs in a state where it would be possible for someone other than the normal user (or other legitimate user) to access the Internet.
• Do not leave your PC unattended whilst it is on the Internet.

It is the responsibility of all users to report any unauthorised acts to their SMT line manager as soon as it comes to their attention.  SMT line managers must inform the Headteacher (or the officer nominated) of the breach who in turn should investigate the breach in consultation with the ICT Co-ordinator.

Additionally, users are requested to follow the principles of good practice set out below:

Internet:

• Do not reveal your own (or any other person’s) personal details, e.g. home address, telephone number over the Internet.
• Connection time on the Internet must be of the shortest possible duration.
• Keep a record of sties which may be of use to your School or other schools and inform your ICT Co-ordinator (or other representative nominated within the school) of them.

Electronic Mail:

• Electronic mail should only be used in the course of your work as a member of staff in the school.
• Electronic mail is not a person-to-person communication; always use appropriate language.
• Never use electronic mail to send of forward chain letters or any material which may contravene School/Council policies (e.g. jokes, pictures of a racist or sexist nature).
• Keep messages as brief as possible.
• Only copy messages (i.e. cc or bcc) to people where it is of direct relevance.
• If you are attaching documents, always state the format (e.g. Word Perfect 5.1, Word 6.0) of the file you are attaching in the body of the electronic mail message.  To avoid any conversion problems, work processing files being attached to messages should be attached as Rich Text Format (RTF) files and spreadsheets as Excel version 4 files.  If in doubt, a member of ICT staff should be contacted.
• At lease once a week, ensure that all unwanted electronic mail messages are deleted from the INBOX, Sent and Trash folders.
• Check your mailboxes regularly, at least twice a day.
• Ensure that messages arriving at your mailboxes are forwarded to another person if you are on leave for an extended period and that a vacation message to this effect is sent to those who send you mail during your absence.

Updated: October 2, 2008