Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Media
Policy
ChewValleySchool
June2012
SocialMediaPolicy
Rationale
Thewidespreadavailabilityanduseofsocialmediaapplicationsbringopportunitiestounderstand,
engage,andcommunicateinnewandexcitingways.Itisimportantthatweareabletousethese
technologiesandserviceseffectivelyandflexibly.However,itisalsoimportanttoensurethatwe
balancethiswithourdutiestoourschool,thecommunity,ourlegalresponsibilitiesandour
reputation.
Forexample,ouruseofsocialnetworkingapplicationshasimplicationsforourdutytosafeguard
children,youngpeopleandvulnerableadults.
Thepolicyrequirementsinthisdocumentaimtoprovidethisbalancetosupportinnovationwhilst
providingaframeworkofgoodpractice.Theyapplytoallmembersofstaffattheschool.
Thepurposeofthepolicyisto:
Protecttheschoolfromlegalrisks
Ensurethatthereputationoftheschool,itsstaffandgovernorsisprotected
Safeguardallchildren
Ensurethatanyusersareableclearlytodistinguishwhereinformationprovidedviasocial
mediaislegitimatelyrepresentativeoftheschool
Schoolstaffwillnotinvite,acceptorengageincommunicationswithparentsorchildren
fromtheschoolcommunityinanypersonalsocialmediawhilstinemploymentatChew
ValleySchool
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SocialMediaPolicy
Anycommunicationreceivedfromchildrenonanypersonalsocialmediasitesmustbe
reportedtothedesignatedpersonforChildProtection(DeputyHeadteacherPastoral)
Ifanymemberofstaffisawareofanyinappropriatecommunicationsinvolvinganychildin
anysocialmedia,thesemustimmediatelybereportedasabove
Membersoftheschoolstaffarestronglyadvisedtosetallprivacysettingstothehighest
possiblelevelsonallpersonalsocialmediaaccounts
Allemailcommunicationbetweenstaffandmembersoftheschoolcommunityonschool
businessmustbemadefromanofficialschoolemailaccount
Staffshouldnotusepersonalemailaccountsormobilephonestomakecontactwith
membersoftheschoolcommunityonschoolbusiness,norshouldanysuchcontactbe
accepted,exceptincircumstancesgivenpriorapprovalbytheHeadteacher.
Staffareadvisedtoavoidpostsorcommentsthatrefertospecific,individualmattersrelated
totheschoolandmembersofitscommunityonanysocialmediaaccounts
Staffarealsoadvisedtoconsiderthereputationoftheschoolinanypostsorcomments
relatedtotheschoolonanysocialmediaaccounts
Staffshouldnotacceptanycurrentpupilofanyageoranyexpupiloftheschoolunderthe
ageof18asafriend,follower,subscriberorsimilaronanypersonalsocialmediaaccount
Staffshouldsetupadistinctanddedicatedsocialmediasiteoraccountforeducational
purposes.Thisshouldbeentirelyseparatefromanypersonalsocialmediaaccountsheldby
thatmemberofstaff,andideallyshouldbelinkedtoanofficialschoolemailaccount.
TheURLandidentityofthesiteshouldbenotifiedtotheappropriateHeadofFacultyor
memberoftheSMTbeforeaccessispermittedforstudents
Thecontentofanyschoolsanctionedsocialmediasiteshouldbesolelyprofessionaland
shouldreflectwellontheschool.
Staffmustnotpublishphotographsofchildrenwithoutthewrittenconsentofparents/
carers,identifybynameanychildrenfeaturedinphotographs,orallowpersonally
identifyinginformationtobepublishedonschoolsocialmediaaccounts
Caremustbetakenthatanylinkstoexternalsitesfromtheaccountareappropriateand
safe
Anyinappropriatecommentsonorabuseofschoolsanctionedsocialmediashould
immediatelyberemovedandreportedtoamemberofSMT
Staffshouldnotengagewithanydirectmessagingofstudentsthroughsocialmediawhere
themessageisnotpublic
AllsocialmediaaccountscreatedforeducationalpurposesshouldincludealinkintheAbout
orInfopagetotheICTAcceptableUsePolicyontheschoolwebsite.Thiswillindicatethat
theaccountisofficiallysanctionedbyChewValleySchool.
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SocialMediaPolicy
PolicyReviewed:June2012
Nextreviewdate:June2014
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