E-safety

Online Safety Guidance for Educational Settings

Welcome to the Kent Online Safety guidance for education settings. This page links to Kent resources, as well as national guidance to enable leaders, managers, proprietors and Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) within education settings to develop and implement a whole setting approach towards online safety and fulfil their statutory safeguarding obligations.

Additional resources and guidance can be accessed through The Education People website or by contacting the Education Safeguarding Advisor (Online Protection) within the Educational Safeguarding Service.

Educational settings are encouraged to access and subscribe to the online safety blog to receive updates and information regarding online safety news, guidance or resources.

Other useful content:

Online Safety Policy and Acceptable Use of Technology Policy Templates

The Kent online safety policy template is suitable for all education settings to adapt to enable them to create a policy which is appropriate to their specific needs and requirements.

Online Safety Policy and Acceptable Use of Technology Templates (DOCX, 320.1 KB) - September 2019 Word
Online Safety Policy and Acceptable Use of Technology Templates (PDF, 619.0 KB) - September 2019 PDF

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) Posters

Kent County Council and EiS have published AUP posters for use by educational settings. The posters are A3 in size. To print smaller sizes, use the settings provided by your printer (i.e. for A4 reduce to 71%). If supported, set your printer to print borderless.

Supporting Online Safety Documents for Leaders, Managers and DSLs

Dealing with Complaints on Social media: Guidance for Headteachers and Managers (PDF, 538.0 KB) - September 2018
Engaging Families in Online Safety (PDF, 238.7 KB) - September 2018
Online Safety for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) (PDF, 175.8 KB) - September 2018
Schools online safety self-evaluation tool (DOCX, 121.9 KB) - September 2018
Early years settings online safety self-evaluation tool - September 2018

Responding to Youth Produced Sexual Imagery ('Sexting')

The Kent Safeguarding Children Board have published a short guide and flowchart for Kent professionals to use to respond to youth produced sexual imagery concerns (otherwise known as 'sexting').

The flowchart should be used in conjunction with the national UKCCIS (UK Council for Internet Safety) 'Sexting in schools and colleges: responding to incidents and safeguarding young people' guidance. The UKCIS guidance includes advice for DSLs regarding responding to disclosures, handling devices and imagery, risk assessing situations, involving other agencies and reporting imagery to providers. It also contains information about preventative education and advice regarding supporting learners and working with parents. UKCCIS have also published an 'Overview of Sexting Guidance' summary document which DSLs may find useful to share with staff and/or discuss on staff training.

Cameras and Image Use Template Policy

This document includes a template image use policy and supporting documents regarding the use of images and cameras. The document should be accessed alongside guidance regarding educational settings data protection obligations.

The Use of Cameras and Images within Education Settings Policy Template and Guidance (PDF, 274.7 KB) - May 2018

Using Social Media

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Using social media in educational settings (DOCX, 79.4 KB) - November 2018 Word
Using social media in educational settings (PDF, 517.9 KB) - November 2018 PDF

This guidance document explores key questions for educational setting leaders to consider regarding official use of social media both within the classroom and as a communication tool. The document includes templates to assist leaders with their decision making, as well as template letters and disclaimers and specific guides relating to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

KSCB: Safer Professional Practice with Technology

Safer Practice with Technology (PDF, 493.0 KB)

This document provides guidance on appropriate and safer behaviours with technology for professionals working with children and young people. It can stimulate discussion and help to ensure staff are aware of safe, appropriate and professional behaviour, including online boundaries and maintaining professional relationships with children, young people and families.

The Kent Education Online Safety Strategy Group

Many of these documents are the work of the Kent Education Safeguarding Service, with support from the Kent Education Online Safety group. Kent Schools and settings can contact the Education Safeguarding Advisor (Online Protection) to express an interest in supporting this group.

Kent Safeguarding Children Board (KSCB) also has a multi-agency online safeguarding group which considers online safety throughout the wider child and adult safeguarding workforce.

National Online Safety Guidance

UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS)

UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS)
- Safeguarding children and protecting professionals in Early Years settings: online safety considerations
- Sexting in schools and colleges: responding to incidents and safeguarding young people aims to support DSLs in dealing with sexting concerns
- Education for a Connected World framework - describes the digital knowledge and skills that children and young people should have the opportunity to develop at different ages and stages of their lives.
- Online safety in schools and colleges: Questions from the Governing Board - questions to help governing boards support their school leaders to keep children safe online.
- Using External Visitors to Support Online Safety Education - helps educational settings ensure that online safety education sessions delivered by external visitors are effective.

Department for Education (DfE)

Keeping Children Safe In Education (KCSIE) 2019 highlights specific statutory responsibilities for Governing bodies and leaders regarding online safety within Annex C. A detailed summary can be found on The Education People website

The Department for Education have published 'Teaching online safety in schools'; new non-statutory guidance which aims to support schools in teaching pupils how to stay safe online within new and existing school subjects, such as Relationships Education, Relationships and Sex Education, Health Education, Citizenship and Computing. A detailed summary can be found on The Education People website

Additional links