Stanley Road, Hednesford, Staffordshire, WS12 4JS

Phone: 01543 423714

         

IT Acceptable Usage Policy for Students

October 2020

 

The school has provided computers and other hand-held devices for use by Students, offering access to a large amount of information.

Some students may be provided with equipment for home use.

You are encouraged to use and enjoy these resources, and to help to ensure they remain available to everyone. You are responsible for good behaviour with these resources whilst on the Internet. Remember access is a privilege, not a right, and inappropriate use will mean that privilege is taken away.


Equipment

·        Never install or try to install programmes of any type on school devices.

·        Never try to uninstall any software or break any security of the devices.

·        Only use the equipment for educational purposes. Trying to buy or sell goods is not allowed.

·        Protect the computers from spillages by eating or drinking well away from the ICT equipment.

·        Devices for Home Use can be used for personal use, but only outside of school hours.

Cloud and Internet Services

·        School subscribes to lots of Internet (Cloud) Services to help you learn in school or at home. Examples of these are Office 365, Microsoft Teams.

·        Cloud Services have the same rules as equipment. Even when you are using your own devices to access them.

·        Where possible, school will monitor your use of these services, the same way we do on school equipment. This means your teacher may see messages you send to others using our services.

·        Never use messaging, chat or Teams to make others feel uncomfortable, upset or threatened.

Security and Privacy

Protect your work and that of others by only logging on in your name.

Do not give out your name, address, telephone number, school name, or picture over the Internet unless you have permission from a reliable adult.

Other computer users should be treated with respect, and not offended, harmed or insulted.

 

Respect the security of the devices and Cloud services - do not try to access areas that are not for you.

 

Staff may look at your files and communications, on school and Home Use Devices or services (including cloud services used on your own devices), to check that you are using the system responsibly. 

 

Respect the law: do not use the computers to do anything that may be illegal. This includes harassing other people, downloading or sharing inappropriate files, sharing copyrighted files such as movies and music.

School Internet

·        You should use the school Internet only for school work or other authorised activities.

·        Only access suitable material – Using the Internet to download, send, print, and display or gain access to materials that are unlawful, obscene or abusive is not allowed.

·        Access to ‘chat rooms’ or social media websites, eg Facebook is not allowed.

·        People you contact on the Internet are not always safe. Always ask a Parent/Carer or teacher to go with you if you want to meet someone who you know only from the Internet or by email.

Email, Messaging and Teams
·        Be polite and appreciate that others have different views from your own. The use of strong language, swearing or aggressive behaviour is as anti-social on the Internet as it is on the playground or in the classroom.

·        Never use messaging, chat or Teams to make others feel uncomfortable or upset.

·        Follow the same rules at home as at school, even when using your own devices to access School services such as Teams.

·        Only open attachments to emails if they come from somebody you know and trust. Attachments can have viruses in that which may destroy your computer.

·        If you get an email that you think is inappropriate (violent, dangerous or racist) then report it to support@hvh.staffs.sch.uk.

·        Only use school emails for work purposes.  For social purposes you need to create your own email address outside of school.

Agreements

Students agree to read this Acceptable Usage Policy and sign and adhere to the Internet Safety Rules and Usage Contract.

Students and their parents/carers agree to read their Home Use Device agreements and sign them before taking any equipment home.

Students agree that their activities may be monitored and school may install any tools or software to help them stay safe when using school equipment, including when at home.

Students agree that Cloud Services will monitored, even if using their own devices to access them.

Students agree to follow this policy and all other IT policies when using any cloud services that school subscribe to, including Office365, Teams.

Students agree that if they break the rules set out in our policies, they may be sanctioned in line with our behaviour policies. This could include having access to some or all equipment or services banned.

Students agree that Home Use Devices can be recalled at any time for any reason and they must return them to school when asked.