Acceptable Use Policy

The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities offered by the school’s Internet resources in a safe and effective manner. Internet use and access is considered a school resource and privilege. Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions – as outlined in the AUP – will be imposed.

It is envisaged that school and parent representatives will revise the AUP annually and update if deemed necessary. Before signing, the AUP should be read carefully to ensure that the conditions of use are accepted and understood.

This version of the AUP was created on June 1^st 2016.

School’s Strategy

The school employs a number of strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet. These strategies are as follows:

General

• Internet sessions will always be supervised by a teacher.
• Filtering software from the NCTE is used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
• The school will regularly monitor pupils’ Internet usage.
• Pupils and teachers will be provided with training in the area of Internet safety.
• Pupils in Senior Classes will be taught how to reference correctly material sourced from a website when this material is used in an assignment/project.
• Uploading and downloading of non-approved software will not be permitted.
• The use of personal USB flash drives, CD-ROMs or digital storage media in school requires a teacher’s permission.
• Virus protection software will be used and updated on a regular basis.
• Pupils will observe good ‘netiquette’ (etiquette on the internet) at all times and will not undertake any action that may bring the school into disrepute. Students will treat others with respect at all times.
• ‘YouTube’ (and similar sites) can be accessed only under the supervision and direction of the teacher.

World Wide Web

• Pupils will not intentionally visit Internet sites that contain obscene, illegal, hateful or otherwise objectionable materials.
• Pupils will report accidental accessing of inappropriate materials in accordance with school procedures.
• Pupils will use the Internet for educational purposes only.
• Pupils should acknowledge the source of any text or images copied from a website into an assignment/project. Otherwise their assignment/project will be considered plagiarism and a potential infringement of copyright.
• Pupils will never disclose or publicise personal information.
• Downloading/uploading materials or images not relevant to their studies , is in direct breach of the school’s acceptable use policy.
• Pupils will be aware that any usage, including distributing or receiving information, school-related or personal, may be monitored for unusual activity, security and/or network management reasons.
• Pupils will not access chat rooms, discussion forums, messaging or other electronic communication without supervision and the express permission of their teacher.

If, as can happen unintentionally, an inappropriate picture or headline appears the school safety practices will come into action. This is a two step process.

The pupil

1. Clicks on ‘Home’ and
2. Immediately notifies the teacher who takes the appropriate steps.

Email/Internet Chat

• Pupils may be provided with approved class email accounts or other online accounts that facilitate learning under supervision by or permission from a teacher.
• Pupils will not send or receive any material that is illegal, obscene, and defamatory or that is intended to annoy or intimidate another person.
• Pupils will not reveal their own or other people’s personal details, such as addresses or telephone number or pictures.
• Pupils will never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone they only know through emails or the Internet.
• Pupils will note that sending and receiving email attachments is subject to permission from their teacher.
• Pupils will not have access to chat rooms, discussion forums, messaging or other electronic communication forums except those designed for in-class educational purposes only.
• Parents may be asked to monitor these email accounts.

School Website

Please note that the following points apply to the school’s website and social media profiles, including but not limited to Twitter, YouTube, Edmodo and Google, etc

• Pupils may be given the opportunity to publish projects, artwork or school work on the World Wide Web in accordance with clear policies and approval processes regarding the content that can be loaded to the school’s website.
• The website will be regularly checked to ensure that there is no content that compromises the safety of pupils or staff.
• The publication of pupil work will be co-ordinated by a teacher.
• Pupil’s work will appear in an educational context.
• The school will endeavour to use digital photographs, audio or video clips focusing on group activities. Photographs, audio and video clips will be used. Video clips will not be password protected.
• Personal pupil information including home address and contact details will be omitted from school web pages.
• The school website, will avoid in so far as possible, publishing the first name and the last name of individuals in a photograph.
• The school will ensure that the image files are appropriately named – the school will not use pupil’s names in image file names or ALT tags if published on the web.
• Pupils will continue to own the copyright on any work published.

School Devices

School devices, such as PCs,laptops, iPads, interactive whiteboards, wireless mice and keyboards, digital cameras, visualisers, audio and video recording devices and other electronic technology provided for pupil use by the school, or partners of the school, are to be treated with respect by all who use them.

They should be used in accordance with the rest of this acceptable usage policy.

No changes should be made to the settings of these devices without the express permission of the teacher.

Personal Devices

Pupils are prohibited from using their own personal technological devices in our school or on any school related activity such as a school tour without the express permission of the class teacher. The unauthorised taking of images/videos/sending of nuisance text messages with any personal device is in direct breach of the school’s acceptable use policy.

Legislation

The school draws your attention to the following legislation relating to use of the Internet which teachers, pupils and parents should familiarise themselves with:

• Data Protection Acts
• Child Trafficking and Pornography Acts
• Interception Acts
• Video Recordings Acts

Sanctions

Misuse of the Internet may result in disciplinary action, including written warnings, withdrawal of access privileges, etc. This will be enforced in accordance with our Code of Behaviour Policy. The school also reserves the right to report any illegal activities to the appropriate authorities. This policy should be read in conjunction with the school’s Code of Behaviour Policy and Anti-Bullying Policy.

Responsibility for Review

• All Members of Staff
• Parents/Guardians
• O.M.

Ratification of Policy by Board of Management

Signed: ____________________________________

Chairman of Board of Management

Date:____________________________________

Next Review of Policy: May 2018