Countywide expectations, accreditation and tracking

Schools can apply for accreditation through the Local Authority as part of the e-safe Northumberland school scheme.

The authority will offer a number of resources to support this:

  • Pupil certificates and e-safe Northumberland ‘reward’ - pen or similar with logo.
  • E-safe Northumberland school logo for use on school paperwork.
  • E-safe Northumberland school plaque to display in school.

It is not expected that schools will be ready to apply for accreditation for some time, but an expression of interest in the scheme can be registered here.

The aim of the e-safe Northumberland school scheme is to draw together the range of necessary activities which help schools ensure that the use of Internet and other technologies is as safely managed as can be expected.

The Local Authority in promoting e-safety through the e-safe Northumberland school scheme has the following expectations:

  1. All schools will have a designated person responsible for the management and coordination of e-safety in the school. This is not a technical role and this person should be on the teaching staff and have a significant post in the school.

  2. The designated person for e-safety needs to have had either CEOPS or L.A. e-safety training.

  3. As a minimum the school should have current and annually reviewed policies, including:
    • An Acceptable Use Policy for Pupils
    • An Acceptable Use Policy for Staff
    • A whole school e-safety policy

  4. Systems for Governor endorsement and review of policies.

  5. Present an annual return to L.A. indicating the above is complied with.

The above five expectations were made to schools in June 2008 as a requirement for the Local Authority to continue to provide Internet services to schools.

As part of our ongoing drive to support schools in safeguarding, and as part of the e-safe Northumberland school initiative, we will also expect schools from February 2010 to be working towards the following:

  1. Adopt and disseminate to staff the NSCB flow chart on dealing with an e-safety incident.

  2. Implement Policy Central Enterprise on all devices that are used to connect to the Internet by pupils and staff.

  3. Provide training for pupils, staff, governors, parents and the wider community.

Schools which fail to comply with items 1 - 8 may have their Internet access restricted by the Local Authority.