Acceptable Use of It Policy – Students

Scope Of This Policy

• This policy applies is addressed to all students of International School Pune, and parents are encouraged to read it with their child. A copy of the policy is available to parents on request and the International School Pune actively promotes the participation of parents to help the School safeguard the welfare of students and promote the safe use of technology.

• The School will take a wide and purposeful approach to considering what falls within the meaning of technology. This policy relate to all technology, computing and communication devices, network hardware and software and services and applications associated with them including but not limited to:

• The internet
• Email
• Mobile phones and smartphones
• Desktops, laptops, netbooks, tablets
• Personal music playser
• Devices with the capability of recording and/ or storing still or moving images
• Social networking and blogging
• Instant messaging (including images and video messaging via apps such as (WhatsApp and Snapchat), chat rooms, blogs and message boards
• Webcams, video hosting sites (such as YouTube)
• Gaming sites
• Virtual Learning Environments such as Teams and GSuite
• Smart boards
• Other photographic or electronic equipment e.g. Smart watches, GoPro and drones.

• This policy applies to the use of technology on School premises

• This policy applies to the use of technology off School premises if the use involves students or members of the School community, or where the culture or reputation of the School are put at risk. Additional rules on the use of technology in boarding houses should be provided in the Boarders’ Handbook.

• Other related policies:

• Behaviour Policy
• Anti-bullying Policy
• Online Safety Policy
• Safeguarding Policy.

Aims Of The Policy

• To educate and encourage students to make good use of the educational opportunities presented by access to technology
• To safeguard and promote the welfare of students, in particular by anticipating and preventing the risks that may arise from:
  • Exposure to harmful or inappropriate material (such as radicalization, racist, extremist, pornographic or offensive materials).
  • The sharing of personal data, including images, video and audio.
  • Inappropriate online contact or conduct.
  • Cyberbullying and other forms of abuse.
• To minimize the risk of harm to the assets and reputation of the School.
• To empower students to take responsibility for their own safe use of technology.
• To ensure that students use technology safely and securely and are aware of the both external and peer to peer risks when using technology.
• To prevent the unnecessary criminalization of students.

Email And Internet Use

• Email and the internet can be extremely valuable tools in an education context, encouraging the development of communication skills, and transforming the learning process by opening up possibilities that, conventionally, would be impossible to achieve. The School encourages the use of electronic mail as a medium for paper mail replacement and as a means of enhancing communications.

• International School Pune provides internet access and email system to support students’ academic progress and development.
• All students will receive guidance on the use of the School’s internet and email systems. The School email system is primarily to enable students to communicate with members of the School community in an appropriate manner. If students are unsure what constitutes appropriate use, they must seek assistance from a member of staff. Student email accounts are provided to also enable access to School approved remote learning platforms.
• All incoming and outgoing electronic data will be monitored for inappropriate content by the School for the protection of all students. Students should remember that even when electronic data has been downloaded and deleted, it can still be traced on the system. Students should not assume that files stored on servers or storage media are private.
• Extreme care must be taken with attachments from third parties, particularly unidentified third parties, as these may contain viruses.
• Email must not be used to receive, send or forward messages that are defamatory, obscene or otherwise inappropriate. If such an email is received, whether unwittingly or other otherwise and from whatever source, this must not be forwarded to any other address and must be reported immediately.

Safe Use Of Technology

• International School Pune want students to enjoy using technology and to become knowledgeable users of online resources and media. International School Pune recognize that this is crucial for further education and careers.
• The school will support students to develop their skills and make internet access as unrestricted as possible, whilst balancing the safety and wellbeing of students and their security of our systems. Students are educated about the importance of safe and responsible use of technology to help them to protect themselves and others online.

Online Behaviour

As a member of the School community, you should follow these principles in all of your online activities:

• The School cannot guarantee the confidentiality of content created, shared and exchanged via School systems. Ensure that your online communications, and any content you share online, are respectful of others and composed in a way you would wish to stand by.
• Do not access, create or share content that is illegal, deceptive, or likely to offend other members of the School community (for example, content that is obscene; or promotes violence, discrimination, or extremism; could be construed as cyberbullying; brings the School into disrepute; or raises safeguarding issues).
• Respect the privacy of others. Do not share photos, videos, contact details, or other information about members of the School community, even if the content is not shared publicly, without obtaining permission.
• Do not access or share material that infringes copyright, and do not claim the work of others as your own.
• Do not use the internet to distribute malicious software, to damage, interfere with, or gain unauthorised access to the computer systems of others, or carry out illegal activities.
• Students and parents should not attempt to discover or contact the personal email addresses or social media accounts of staff; equally, staff should not use their personal email, or social media accounts to contact students or parents.

Using The School’s IT Systems

Whenever you use the School’s IT systems (including by connecting your own device to the network), you should follow these principles:

• Only access School IT systems using your own username and password. Do not share your username or password with anyone else.
• Do not attempt to circumvent the content filters or other security measures installed on the School’s IT systems, and do not attempt to access parts of the system that you do not have permission to access.
• Do not attempt to install software on, or otherwise alter, School IT systems.
• Do not use the School’s IT systems in a way that breaches the principles of online behaviour set out
• Remember that the School monitors use of the School’s IT systems, and that the School can view content accessed or sent via its systems.

Passwords

Passwords protect the School’s network and computer system and are your responsibility. They should not be obvious (for example “password”, 123456, a family name or birthdays), and nor should they be the same as your widely-used personal passwords. You should not let anyone else know your password, nor keep a list of passwords where they may be accessed, and must change it immediately if it appears to be compromised. You should not attempt to gain unauthorised access to anyone else’s computer or to confidential information to which you do not have access rights.

Use Of Property

Any property belonging to the School should be treated with respect and care, and used only in accordance with any training and policies provided. You must report any faults or breakages without delay to a member of staff.

Use Of School Systems

The provision of School email accounts, Wi-Fi and internet access is for educational purposes. Students should keep their personal and social lives separate from their School IT use and limit as far as possible any personal use of these accounts. Again, please be aware of the School’s right to monitor and access web history and email use.

Monitoring And Access

Staff, parents and students should be aware that School email and internet usage (including through School Wi-Fi) will be monitored for safeguarding, conduct and performance purposes, and both web history and School email accounts may be accessed by the School where necessary for a lawful purpose – including serious conduct or welfare concerns, extremism and the protection of others.

Any personal devices used by students, whether or not such devices are permitted, may be confiscated and examined under such circumstances.

Compliance With Related School Policies

To the extent they are applicable to you, you will ensure that you comply with the School’s e-Safety Policy, Behaviour Policy and Anti-Bullying Policy.

Retention Of Digital Data

Students must be aware that all emails sent or received on School systems will be routinely deleted after 2 years or kept in archive whether or not deleted and email accounts will generally be closed and the contents deleted / archived within 1 year of that person leaving the School.

Any information from email folders that is necessary for the School to keep for longer, including personal information (e.g. for a reason set out in the School privacy notice), should be held on the relevant personnel or student file. Important records should not be kept in personal email folders, archives or inboxes, nor in local files. Hence, it is the responsibility of each account user to ensure that information is retained in the right place or, where applicable, provided to the right colleague. That way no important information should ever be lost as a result of the School’s email deletion protocol.

If you consider that reasons exist for the protocol not to apply, or need assistance in how to retain and appropriately archive data, please contact the CFO.

Breach Reporting

The law requires the School to notify personal data breaches, if they are likely to cause harm, to the authorities and, in some cases, to those affected.  A personal data breach is a breach of security leading to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data.

This will include almost any loss of, or compromise to, personal data held by the School regardless of whether the personal data falls into a third party’s hands.  This would include:

• loss of an unencrypted laptop, USB stick or a physical file containing personal data;
• any external hacking of the School’s systems, e.g. through the use of malware;
• application of the wrong privacy settings to online systems;
• misdirected post, fax or email;
• failing to bcc recipients of a mass email; and
• unsecure disposal.

The School must generally report personal data breaches to the ICO without undue delay (i.e. within 72 hours), and certainly if it presents a risk to individuals. In addition, controllers must notify individuals affected if that risk is high. In any event, the School must keep a record of any personal data breaches, regardless of whether we need to notify the ICO.

If either staff or students become aware of a suspected breach, this must be reported to the CFO and Principal as a matter of urgency, to enable them to take the necessary steps.

Data breaches will happen to all organisations, but the School must take steps to ensure they are as rare and limited as possible and that, when they do happen, the worst effects are contained and mitigated. This requires the involvement and support of all staff and students. The School’s primary interest and responsibility is in protecting potential victims and having visibility of how effective its policies and training are. Accordingly, falling victim to a data breach, either by human error or malicious attack, will not always be the result of a serious conduct issue or breach of policy; but failure to report a breach will be a disciplinary offence.

School Rules

• Students must comply with the rules and principles outlined, which all students will be required to sing to confirm their understanding and adherence on an annual basis.
• The purpose of these rules is to set out the principles, which students must follow at all times to use technology safely and securely.
• These principles and rules apply to all uses of technology

Procedures

• Students are responsible for their actions, conduct and behaviour when using technology at all times. Use of technology should be legal, safe, responsible and respectful to others. If students are aware of misuse by other students, they should report it to a member of staff.
• Any misuse of technology by students will be dealth with under the School’s Behaviour Policy.
• Students must not use technology to bully others. Bullying incidents involving the use of technology will be dealth with under the Anti-Bullying Policy. If students feel that they have been bullied or that another person is being bullied, they should report it to a member of staff as soon as possible.
• In any cases giving rise to safeguarding concerns, the matter will be dealt with under the School’s Safeguarding Policy. If students are worried about content they have seen on the internet, or on an electronic device, including another person’s electronic device, they must report it to a member of staff as soon as possible.
• All serious incidents involving technology, in addition to those outlined above and in other relevant policies, must be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.

Breaches Of Policy And Sanctions

A deliberate breach of this policy will be dealt with as a disciplinary matter using the School’s usual applicable procedures. In addition, a deliberate breach by any person may result in the School restricting that person’s access to School IT systems.

• Where a student breaches any of the School rules, practices or procedures set out in this policy will result in a sanction which is appropriate and proportionate to the breach in accordance with the Schools Behaviour Policy and in the most serious case, expulsion. Other sanctions might include:
  • Temporary or permanent disabling of the internet and computer network access
  • Withdrawal of the right to access Schools email facilities
  • Increased monitoring procedures
  • When applicable, outside authorities may be involved.
• Unacceptable use of electronic devices or the discovery of inappropriate data or files could lead to the confiscation of the device or deletion of material in accordance with School policies and procedures.
• International School Pune reserves the right to charge students or their parents for any costs incurred by the School as a result of this policy.

If a student becomes aware of a breach of this policy or the e-Safety Policy, or you are concerned that a member of the School community is being harassed or harmed online students should report it to the DSL. Reports will be treated in confidence wherever possible.

Acceptable Use Of Technology Agreement

The computer systems are provided by the School and is made available to students and staff to support and enhance their education, research and work at school. The Acceptable Use of Technology Agreement has been drawn up to protect all parties – the students, the staff and the School. The School also allows you to bring your own mobile devices onto School Premises. With these privileges, come the following responsibilities:

Access And Security

1. I understand that access to the internet from School’s devices and network is for educational purposes only.
2. I understand that I must not use the Schools facilities or network for personal, social or non-educational use without the express, prior consent of a member of staff.
3. I will not knowingly obtain (or attempt to obtain) unauthorized access to any part of the School’s or any other computer system, or any information contained on such a system.
4. I understand that passwords protect the School network and computer systems. I will not share my password with anyone.
5. I will not attempt to gain unauthorized access to anyone else’s computer or to confidential information to which I am not authorized to access. If there is a problem with my password I will speak to the a member of staff.
6. I will not attempt to access or share information about others without the permission of a member of staff. To do so may breach Data Protection Legislation and laws relating to confidentiality.
7. I am aware that the School has a filtering system in place to block access to unsuitable material, wherever possible, to protect the welfare and safety of students. I will not try to bypass this filter.
8. I am aware that viruses can cause serious harm to the security of the School network and that of others. Viruses are often spread through internet downloads or circulated as attachments to email. If I suspect that an attachment, or other downloadable material might contain a virus, I will speak to the IT support before opening or downloading the material.
9. I am responsible for ensuring that all requested operating system updates are performed on my own devices. These will help provide important security patches, which will help keep me and data safe online.
10. I understand that methods for overcoming limitations placed by the school are treated with the upmost seriousness.

Use Of Email

1. I understand that the School’s email system is intended to support students in their academic progress and development. I know that all communications should be appropriate. I understand that examples of inappropriate communications include, but is not limited to, content that is:
   1. Abusive
   2. Racist
   3. Considered to be of an extreme or terrorist related nature
   4. Sexist
   5. Homophobic
   6. Bullying
   7. Pornographic
   8. Defamatory
   9. Criminal in nature
2. I will not send or forward trivial messages or jokes through the school email system. I understand that this could cause distress to others in the School community and could cause the School’s network facilities to suffer delays in service.
3. I will not read any ones emails without their consent.

Use Of The Internet

1. I will take care to protect personal and confidential information about myself and others when using the internet. I will not put personal information online, for example full name, address, date of birth or mobile telephone number.
2. I will assume that all material on the internet is protected by copyright. I will not copy or plagiarise work and where appropriate reference and credit sources used in my work.
3. I will not communicate with staff using social networking sites or other internet or web based communication channels.
4. I will not view, retrieve, download or share any offensive material. Offensive material include, but is not limited to, content that is:
   1. Abusive
   2. Racist
   3. Considered to be of an extreme or terrorist related nature
   4. Sexist
   5. Homophobic
   6. Bullying
   7. Pornographic
   8. Defamatory
   9. Criminal in nature
5. I will not bring the School into disrepute through my use of the interent.

Use Of Mobile Devices

1. I understand that mobile electronic devices includes, but is not limited to mobile phones, tablets, laptops, smartphones, smart watches and MP3/ MP4 players.
2. I understand that students are not permitted to use their mobile phones, smartphones or smart watches during the normal academic school day (including break and lunchtimes).
3. I understand that if a student is seen using a mobile or smartphone during the normal academic day, it can be confiscated.
4. I understand that in emergencies, I may request to use the School telephone. Should my parents wish to contact me in an emergency, they should telephone School reception and a message will be relayed.
5. I will not communicate with staff using a mobile phone (or other mobile electronic device) except when this is expressly permitted, for example during an educational visit.
6. I understand that the use of mobile electronic devices to bully, harass, intimidate or attempt to radicalize others will not be tolerated and constitutes a serious breach of discipline.
7. I understand that mobile electronic devices are brought to school at my own risk. I understand that all devices must have a passcode or password, which should not be shared with any other student.
8. I understand that the School does not accept responsibility for the theft, loss of, or damage to mobile electronic devices brought onto the School premises, including devices which have been confiscated or which  have been handed to staff. I am aware that the School insurance does not cover the loss of mobile electronic devices.

Photographs, Images And Video

1. I understand that using photographic or video material of any kind to bully, harass or intimidate others will not be tolerated and constitutes a serious breach of discipline.
2. I understand that not photograph or video should be taken of any other student without their express permission.
3. I will only use cameras or other mobile electronic device to take still of moving images with the express permission of a member of staff in charge and with the permission of those appearing in the image.
4. I will allow staff access to images stored on mobile phones, cameras or other devices and must delete images/ videos if requested to do so.
5. I understand that the posting of images which is considered offensive and/ or brings the School into disrepute is a serious breach of discipline.
6. I will not send indecent images of myself or others. I understand that doing so may constitute a criminal offence. If such an act is committed, it is likely that the local statutory authorities (including the Police Service) will be consulted and sanctions applied.
7. I understand that once a photograph, video or message is sent, I have no control over how it is saved and passed on. It could have been saved, or copied and shared with other parties.
8. If I cam concerned about any image I have received, sent or forwarded or otherwise seen, I will speak to a member of staff for advice.

Acceptance Of This Policy

Please confirm that you understand and accept this policy by signing below and returning the signed copy to the School Office.

I understand and accept this acceptable use policy:

Student Name: …………………………………………………………

Signature: …………………………………………………………

Date: …………………………………………………………

Parent Name: ……………………………………………………………

Signature:………………………………………………………………….

Date:………………………………………………..