Members of the Secondary Strategy and ICT Advisory Support Team recently ran six
e-safety training sessions around Northumberland using material and guidance from the Government's 'Child Exploitation and Online Protection' Agency.  These have been provided in addition to courses offered last year in conjunction with North Tyneside Local Authority and also those offered in County by the Northumberland Safeguarding Children Board.

Schools will be aware of the importance placed on e-safety both locally and nationally and the Local Authority is keen to focus on online safety within schools and provide guidance and support to staff to ensure that they feel confident in using the technology safely within teaching and learning. Raising awareness among children and young people of the risks associated with internet technologies is a responsibility for all of us working in children's education and whilst not wishing to alarm anyone, we want colleagues to review and refine their practice to ensure pupils and staff are safe.

Recently we wrote to all schools indicating that in order to accept Internet Services from the Local Authority we would be setting a number of basic requirements which we expect all schools to meet should they wish to continue to receive Broadband and Internet from the County. Click here to access the circular letter sent to schools on 7th September

The basic requirements for all schools are as follows:

• All schools to have a designated person responsible for e-safety.

• That this person has completed either the Local Authority e-safety training or the CEOPS training through some other agency.

• That schools complete a return indicating that policies and procedures are in place in the school and that training has been cascaded to all staff.

Schools have been circulated with information on training courses available this term and these will be supported with supply funding paid for by the Local Authority. To continue to receive Internet schools need to meet the above requirements by June 2008.  The person designated as responsible for e-safety doesn’t necessarily need to be the ICT coordinator and could well be a senior member of staff or teacher responsible for child protection. Make sure your school has the necessary plans and procedures in place and that someone has attended the either the County or CEOPS training.

Our aim in this is not to catch schools out but to ensure that children in schools are safe and staff have the training and support they need. If you are having difficulty meeting these requirements or require further information on the Northumberland e-safety courses contact John Devlin, SEN/ICT Consultant jdevlin@northumberland.gov.uk