The internet is an important and dominant element of modern Britain for education and social interaction. The requirement for internet use in education in the UK is to promote pupil achievement, to support the professional work of staff and to enhance the school’s management, information and business administration systems. Benefits include:

• access to worldwide resources and research materials
• access to experts in many fields
• staff Continued Professional Development (CPD) such as access to online learning and forums
• communication with support services, professional associations and colleagues
• exchange of curricular and administration data for the school to discharge it’s statutory reporting obligations to UK Government

The National Curriculum requires pupils to learn how to locate, retrieve and exchange information using computers and a variety of software. In delivering the curriculum teachers at Meopham Community Academy need to plan to integrate the use of computing and web-based resources to enrich learning activities. Effective internet use is an essential life-skill. With this comes the responsibility of Meopham Community Academy as an educational institution to keep all of our staff and children safe when using the internet on our premises. We follow online safety guidance provided to us by Kent County Council and the Education Safeguarding adviser.

At Meopham Community Academy, we believe that keeping our children safe when using the amazing resources available on the World Wide Web is of the utmost importance. As part of our Computing curriculum all children from Foundation Stage to Year Six follow our practises detailed in our school's 'Acceptable Use of Technology' policy (link below).

The information we have published here on our Online Safety pages are provided to assist parents, carers and children alike to make informed decisions and judgements on how to safely and responsibly access the wonderful world-wide resource which is the internet.

• The school Online Safety and Acceptable Use Policy links to other policies including those for Computing, Anti-Bullying and Child Protection
• Mrs Casey (Assistant Headteacher) is the school's safeguarding Lead.
• Mr Dylan Turner (Year 3 teacher) has been appointed the Online Safety Coordinator.
• The Acceptable Use of Technology Policy and its implementation will be reviewed annually.
• The Acceptable Use of Technology Policy has been written by the school building on the current Kent County Council Online Safety Policy and national government guidance.
• It has been agreed by senior management and approved by the school governors.

Meopham Community Academy uses

Digital Parenting Magazine

from Vodafone.com

Digital Parenting magazine has helped millions of families get to grips with the digital world. You can read the latest issue online or download it to read later via the Vodafone/Digital Parenting website. Click on the image below to take you to the Vodafone Digital Parenting Magazine page.

This is a very useful and informative magazine full of top tips for parents and children for keeping safe online as well as keeping readers up-to-date with all the latest news on digital software developments relating to online safety.

Mr Hale, Safeguarding Lead