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 for Kent schools and settings can be accessed through the Educational Safeguarding Service. Educational settings are encouraged to access and subscribe to The Education People blog to receive updates and information regarding online safety news, guidance or resources.
Additional content can be accessed through the Education People:
- Online Safety Guidance
- Online Safety Alerts - Think Before you Scare
- Engaging Parents and Carers with Children's Use of Apps
- Safer Remote Learning during Covid-19 - Information for School Leaders and DSLs
- Dealing with Complaints on Social media - Guidance for Headteachers and Managers (PDF, 538.0 KB) - September 2018 - Please note an updated version is available to Kent and Medway Schools as a universal download from The Education People website - please log into your Education People account to access.
- The Image Use Policy Template and Guidance is available for Kent Schools and Settings as a universal download from the Education People website - please log into your Education People account to access.
Kent Acceptable Use of Technology Policy (AUP) and Mobile Technology and Social Media Policy Templates
The Kent Acceptable Use of Technology Policy (AUP) templates and mobile technology and social media policy templates has been written by the Education People. These templates are suitable for all education settings to adapt to enable leaders to create policies which are appropriate to their specific needs and requirements.
- Acceptable Use of Technology Templates (DOCX, 186.2 KB) - September 2020
- Mobile Technology and Social Media Template (DOCX, 84.6 KB) - September 2020
For online safety policy queries please contact esafetyofficer@theeducationpeople.org.
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.
- Infant and Early Years Poster (3 to 6) (PDF, 137.4 KB)
- Junior and KS2 Poster (7 to 11) (PDF, 115.2 KB)
- Secondary Poster (11 to 18) (PDF, 108.6 KB)
Responding to Youth Produced Sexual Imagery ('Sexting')
The Kent Safeguarding Children Multi-Agency Partnership (KSCMP) 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 UKCIS (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.
UKCIS 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.
Safer Professional Practice with Technology
This KSCMP 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 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.
National Online Safety Guidance
UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS)
- UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS)
- 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.
- NQT and ITT Online Safety Audit Tool - helps mentors of trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers induct mentees and provide ongoing support, development and monitoring.
Department for Education (DfE)
Keeping Children Safe In Education (KCSIE) 2020 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 DfE links
- DfE Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Data protection - toolkit for schools 2018
- Preventing and Tackling Bullying July 2017
- Cloud software services and the Data Protection Act September 2017
- What Schools must publish online September 2014
Additional links for DSLs and SLT
National Guidance and resources
- Think U Know - Educational Content for Professionals
- UK Safer Internet Centre:
- Childnet:
- Project Evolve
Links for Parents/Carers
- Think U Know: Parents and Carers
- Internet Matters
- Childnet
- NSPCC - Online Safety and Net Aware
- Parent Zone
- Parent Info
- Parents Protect
Reporting and Helplines
Please note schools and settings should follow their existing child protection policies before using the following mechanisms.