Inspecting e-Safety in schools
Definition of e-Safety (UK Safer Internet Centre):
e-Safety is defined as the school’s ability to:
• protect and educate pupils and staff in their use of technology
• have the appropriate mechanisms to intervene and support any incident
where appropriate.
CONTENT
CONTACT
CONDUCT
Concerns
Content
 exposure to inappropriate content, including online pornography; ignoring age ratings
in games (exposure to violence, often associated with racist language); and
substance abuse
 lifestyle websites, for example pro-anorexia, self-harm or suicide sites
 hate sites
 radicalisation and extremism
 content validation: how to check authenticity and accuracy of online content
Contact
 grooming
 cyber-bullying in all forms
 identity theft (including hacking Facebook profiles) and sharing passwords
Concerns
Conduct




privacy issues, including disclosure of personal information
digital footprint and online reputation
health and well-being (amount of time spent online (internet or gaming))
sexting (sending and receiving of personally intimate images) also referred to as SGII
(self-generated indecent images)
 copyright (little care or consideration for intellectual property and ownership – such
as music and film).
Statutory requirements
The National Curriculum Document for ICT in Wales 2008 states under:
Health, safety and child protection requirements for key stage 2
 Pupils should be taught how to use ICT comfortably, safely and responsibly, and to
consider the hazards and risks in their activities, e.g. the importance of not disclosing
personal details to strangers. They should be able to follow instructions to minimise
risk to themselves and others.
Health, safety and child protection requirements for key stage 3
 Pupils should be taught how to use ICT comfortably, safely and responsibly, and to
consider the hazards and risks in their activities. They should be able to follow
instructions to minimise risk to themselves and others and understand that disclosing
personal details can put themselves and others at risk.
It is therefore a statutory requirement for all in maintained schools in Wales to
teach e-Safety
How Estyn currently inspects e-Safety
(2.3) inspectors will make the main judgements
about the school’s provision for safeguarding and
promoting welfare, including:
child protection;
health and safety;
bullying, which includes cyberbullying;
harassment and discrimination;
healthy eating and drinking;
racist abuse;
drug and substance abuse;
pupils with medical conditions;
sex and relationships education;
first aid;
safety on educational visits;
internet safety;
welfare of pupils on extended vocational
placements;
issues specific to a local area;
school security; and
the management of pupil discipline including
physical intervention and restraint.’
Possible questions for school leadership
1. How do you ensure that all staff receive appropriate training on e-Safety that is
relevant and regularly updated?
2. What mechanisms does the school have in place to support pupils and staff facing
issues with e-Safety ?
3. How does the school educate and support parents and the whole school community
with e-Safety?
4. Does the school have an e-safety policy and an acceptable use policy in place? How
does the school know that they are clear and understood and respected by all?
5. Describe how your school educates children and young people to build knowledge,
skills and capability when it comes to e-Safety? How do you assess its
effectiveness?
Possible questions for members of the school council
1. If you felt uncomfortable about anything you saw, or if anybody asked you for your
personal details such as your address on the internet, would you know where to go
for help?
2. If anybody sent you hurtful messages on the internet or on your mobile phone would
you know who to tell?
3. Can you tell me one of the rules your school has for using the internet?
4. Can you describe the risks of posting inappropriate content on the internet?
Possible questions for staff
1. Have you had any training that shows the risks to your and pupils’ e-Safety?
2. Are there policies in place that clearly demonstrate safe and responsible internet
practice for staff and pupils? Have you read these? Have you discussed them in a
staff meeting or INSET?
3. Are there sanctions in place to enforce the above policies?
4. Do all staff understand what is meant by the term cyber-bullying and the effect it can
have on themselves and pupils?
5. Are there clear reporting mechanisms with a set of actions in place for staff or pupils
who feel they are being bullied online?
6. Does the school have any plans for an event on Safer Internet Day? (This is an
annual event, now in its twelfth year at least, so schools that participate will know
about the event).
In a good school we should expect positive answers to all of the above. It would demonstrate a schools
commitment to e-Safety if all staff had received awareness training outlining what the current risks are
and what resources are available to help them keep pupils and themselves safe online.
Indicators of unsatisfactory practice in the provision
of e-Safety
• There is no progressive, planned e-Safety education across the curriculum, for
example there is only an assembly held annually.
• Children are not aware of how to report a problem.
• There is no internet filtering or monitoring.
• There is no evidence of staff training.
• Policies are generic and not updated.
• Personal data is often unsecured and/or leaves school site without encryption.
• Security of passwords is ineffective, for example passwords are shared or common
with all but the youngest children.
Good practice in e-Safety
Leaders showing vision in preparing well to allow pupils to ‘Bring your own
device’ (BYOD) and paying due regard to e-Safety by adopting the traffic light
initiative
Context
Pen-y-Dre, is an 11 to 18 mixed secondary school which provides education for 684
learners situated in the town of Merthyr Tydfil in south Wales. Around 37.1% of pupils
are entitled to free school meals, which is significantly above the Welsh average of
17.7% for secondary schools.
Action
In order to build upon pupils’ enthusiasm to use their own mobile devices the school
realised it needed to respond appropriately and responsibly and pay due regard to eSafety.
They introduced a ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) policy to allow pupils to have access
to ICT when not in a traditional ICT suite.
Good practice in e-Safety (continued)
There are clear rules as to when mobile devices can be used during lessons:
Red – mobile devices are not permitted during this lesson;
Amber – mobile devices can be used during this lesson but they must stay in learner’s
bag until the teacher allows their use; and
Green – mobile devices can be brought out and placed on the desk.
Impact
Since introducing the policy, teachers across the curriculum have reported an
improvement in classroom management. They report less distraction related to the
inappropriate use of personal devices as well as improvement in teaching and
learning. Levels of attainment in ICT at key stage 3 have improved with a significant
number achieving level 5 or above.
Diolch am wrando / Thank you for listening
Claire Morgan
Strategic Director (acting)
www.estyn.gov.uk