E-Safety & Consent Form

“To be a happy learning community based on Christian values, which enable all children to reach their full potential.”

Dear Parents
In view of increasing concerns regarding children’s safety in relation to the Internet, I would like to inform you of some the measures we have in place to safeguard them. In order to comply with the Data Protection act, I also require you to read and return the attached consent form concerning the use of children’s images in the public arena.

Internet Safety
Whilst we recognize that the internet and other digital and information technologies open up new learning opportunities for the children, we are determined to use our resources appropriately to ensure children’s safety at all times.
Our school Internet Policy outlines our educational philosophy regarding the use of information and communications technology, i.e. that we recognize it as part of the statutory curriculum and view it as a tool to support effective teaching and learning.

The many approaches we employ to safeguard the children in their use of this technology are detailed in our policy and are highlighted below for your information:

• Children are provided with internet access in a controlled and supervised environment.
• The school’s Internet Service supplier provides a service designed for pupils and includes a filtering facility appropriate to their age.
• In preparation, teachers will view useful sites and save them as ‘favorites’ for the children to access during lesson time. This will ensure that content is appropriate for meeting planned learning objectives.
• Children are given their own e-mail addresses and are able to send e-mail as part of planned lessons. A systems manager facility ensures that all e-mail communications are restricted to internal or known locations and this is applied to individual children’s accounts.
• All communications are automatically filtered
• Images of children may be uploaded onto Merlin, the South West Learning Platform which is a secure, filtered and password protected site for the use of children, teachers and eventually, the wider school community.

By applying these controls we fully comply with advice regarding safe use of the internet produced by the National Grid for Learning (NGFL)

School Website
Our school website can be found at https://greekschoolofbristol.org.uk In order that we comply with the Data Protection Act regarding the safe use of children’s images, please read the following information carefully and return the attached form.

Following the receipt of guidance on the use of images from the Council Data Protection Officer, we have been reminded that images of children should not be taken and used without the consent of parents. To date, we have been very careful in our use of images, preferring not to take close up individual shots and ensuring that children are appropriately dressed. Photographs to be used on our school website are certainly of this nature, with names omitted.

General use of children’s images
As many of you are aware, we are regularly approached by the media and our activities receive newspaper and television coverage. As a successful school, we are keen to promote ourselves and share good practice with others in this way. The experience of being filmed / photographed is also greatly enjoyed by many of the children and provides a further learning experience for them.

For newspaperarticles, we disclose first names only and on your approval, are keen to continue this policy.With regard to the use of images on television, parents will continue to receive letters detailing the nature of the project or event and be required to provide consent for individual children.

Children’s images are also needed for key school publications (such as the prospectus) class photographs, sports, artistic and other school-based events. To date, we have been happy that parents both photograph and video end of term plays and other school events. Again, on your approval, we would wish to continue this policy on the understanding that we all have a shared responsibility with the appropriate use of these images.

Please complete and return the attached consent form. This letter supersedes any previous correspondence regarding internet safety.

Thank you for your cooperation

Kind regards

The Hellenic School of St Peter & St Paul Committee on behalf of the school’s
Head Teacher

THE USE OF CHILDREN’S IMAGES – Parent Consent Form

If this form is not completed and returned, it will be taken as full consent.

a. I give consent for my child’s image(s) to be used on the school website and generally for school related purposes (publications, class photographs, sports, artistic, performances and other school based events). I understand that close-up shots will be avoided and names omitted.

b. I give consent for my child’s image(s) to be used in newspaper articles at the school’s discretion. I/we understand that first names only will be used.