Tong Primary School

This policy outlines our purpose in providing e-mail facilities and access to the internet Tong School and explains how Tong is seeking to avoid the potential problems that unrestricted internet access could give rise to.

Providing access to the internet in school will raise educational standards and support the professional work of staff.

Teachers and pupils will have access to web sites world-wide (including museums and art galleries) offering educational resources, news and current events. There will be opportunities for discussion with experts in many fields and to communicate and exchange information with students and others world-wide.

In addition, staff will have the opportunity to access educational materials and good curriculum practice, to communicate with the advisory and support services, professional associations and colleagues; exchange curriculum and administration data with the LEA and SEED; receive up-to-date information and participate in government initiatives such as NGfL and the Scottish Virtual Teacher Centre.

In the longer term the internet may also be used to enhance the school’s management information and business administration systems.

Staff, including supply staff, will not be expected to take charge of an internet activity without training. Staff should be given opportunities to discuss the issues and develop good teaching strategies. All staff (including teachers, supply staff and classroom assistants) and any other adults involved in supervising children accessing the internet, will be provided with the School Internet Access Policy, and will have its importance explained to them.

Parents’ attention will be drawn to the Policy by letter in the first instance and, thereafter, in our school prospectus. Our school Internet Access Policy will be available for parents and others to read on demand.

Our school web site is intended to:

provide accurate, up-to-date information about our school;

enable pupils to publish work to a high standard, for a very wide audience including parents, parents, staff, governors, members of the local community and others;

celebrate good work;

provide pupils with the opportunity to publish their work on the internet;

promote the school.

in the future it may be used to publish resources for projects or homework.

All classes may provide work for publication on the school web site. Class teachers will be responsible for ensuring that the content of the pupils’ work is accurate and the quality of presentation is maintained. All material must be the author’s own work, crediting other work included and stating clearly that author’s identity and/or status. The IT co-ordinator is responsible for up-loading pages to the school web site, ensuring that the links work and are up-to-date, and that the site meets the requirements of the site host.

The point of contact on the web site will be the school address, telephone number and e-mail address. We do not publish pupils’ full names or photographs that identify individuals on our web pages. Home information or individual e-mail identities will not be published. Staff will be identified by their title and surname unless they request otherwise. Permission will be sought from other individuals before they are referred to by name on any pages we publish on our web site.

School website address: http://www:tongschool.org.uk