Online Safety

Our Commitment to Children and Families

At Queensway Academy, we work closely with children and families through a wide range of educational and extracurricular activities. These include classroom learning, digital learning platforms, after-school clubs, and community engagement initiatives. Our commitment is to create a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment both offline and online.

Purpose of This Statement

This statement is designed to:

  • Ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and young people when using the internet, social media, or mobile devices.
  • Provide staff and volunteers with clear principles to guide our approach to online safety.
  • Ensure our practices align with our values and comply with relevant laws regarding digital technology use.

Scope of the Statement

This statement applies to all staff, volunteers, children, young people, and anyone involved in Queensway Academy’s activities.

Legal Framework

This statement is based on legislation and guidance that protects children in England. It covers areas such as:

  • Online abuse
  • Bullying
  • Child protection

Our Beliefs

We believe that:

  • Children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind.
  • The internet is a valuable tool for education and personal development but must be used safely.

Our Responsibilities

We recognise that:

  • The online world offers opportunities but also presents risks.
  • We have a duty to protect everyone involved in our community from online harm.
  • We must support children and young people in developing safe and respectful online behaviours.
  • Collaboration with parents, carers, and external agencies is essential.
  • Every child, regardless of background or identity, deserves equal protection from harm.

Our Approach to Online Safety

We are committed to keeping children and young people safe by:

  • Providing clear guidance to staff and volunteers through our Code of Conduct
  • Encouraging respectful and safe use of digital tools among young people.
  • Supporting parents and carers in promoting online safety at home.
  • Creating online safety agreements with students and families.
  • Establishing procedures for responding to inappropriate online behaviour.
  • Regularly reviewing our digital security systems.
  • Managing access credentials securely.
  • Protecting personal information and using images only with written consent.
  • Offering training and support to staff and volunteers.
  • Assessing risks before using new technologies or platforms.

Responding to Online Abuse

If online abuse occurs, we will:

  • Follow robust safeguarding procedures.
  • Train staff and volunteers to handle all forms of abuse, including cyberbullying and exploitation.
  • Consider the needs of the affected individuals and the wider school community.
  • Regularly review our response plans to ensure long-term effectiveness.