Online Safety Statement

At Bishop Stopford’s School we are aware that the Internet and related technologies are powerful tools, which open up new prospects for communication and collaboration. Education is embracing these new technologies as they bring with them fresh opportunities for both teachers and learners.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is seen as an essential tool to support teaching and learning, aswell as playing an important role in the everyday lives of children, young people and adults. At Bishop Stopford’s School we have incorporated these technologies in order to equip our students with the skills they will need for life-long learning and employment.

The world of ICT is a fast moving environment and covers a wide range of resources including; mobile learning, web-based learning and Managed Learning Environment (MLE) to name a few. Some of the technologies available to young people in/outside of school are:

• Computers, laptops and tablets
• Mobile phones
• Blogs and Wikis based on Web 2.0 technologies
• Online Forums
• Chat Rooms and Social Networking e.g. Facebook
• Music and Video Broadcasting
• Podcasting
• Email & Instant Messaging
• Managed Learning Environment – Fronter
• Microblogging sites e.g. Twitter

While all these technologies are exciting and beneficial to the learner, some of the web-based resources are hard to monitor and are not consistently policed. All users including adults, need to be aware of the risks associated with the use of Internet technologies.

At Bishop Stopford’s School we take the matter of online safety very seriously and we teach all our stakeholders in line with Enfield’s Local Authority Safeguarding Children Online Safety Policy how to use web-based technologies safely and legally. We teach our students the appropriate behaviours and thinking skills required for safe Internet use that will keep them safe in and beyond the classroom.

Our Online Safety Policy is shown below. 

Thinkuknow is the education programme from NCA-CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline. This site offers advice for parents and students on how to stay safe online.
Visit the Thinkuknow website here. 

Childnet is another very useful website –  Childnet’s mission is to work in partnership with others around the world to help make the internet a great and safe place for children.
Visit the Childnet website here.