St Mary’s Primary School Praised For E-Safety Practises

An Assessor from the South West Grid for Learning recently visited St Mary’s CE Primary School to review the school’s e-safety provision as part of the re-accreditation process for the E-Safety Mark.

St Mary’s Primary School was one of the first schools to be awarded the E-Safety Mark when it was introduced three years ago and it has continued to build on its provision to help keep children safe online.

The Assessor met school staff, parents and carers, Governors and pupils and was pleased to find that St Mary’s not only continues to provide a high level of protection for users of the new technologies, but has built on protection already in place at the time of the previous accreditation, three years ago.

To be awarded the 360 degree safe E-Safety Mark, schools have to reach a series of benchmark levels when they complete the online self review. The evidence is then verified by a visit from an experienced Assessor.

The prime benefit of using the review and applying for the E-Safety Mark is that it does not focus on the individual aspects of e-safety such as technological solutions, but instead it integrates e-safety into school policy and the curriculum, challenging teachers and leaders in the school to think about their provision and its continual evolution.

Schools are expected to show that they have provided a high standard of e-safety education and awareness for all staff , pupils and also for parents and carers, to ensure that these users of the new technologies can be safe online – whether they are in school, in their homes or out and about using mobile phones or other handheld devices.

Following their visit the assessor reported that;

“E-safety in the school is strongly led by the Computing lead, with assistance from another teacher and from an HLTA with extensive technical knowledge, and with the strong support of the Headteacher and Governors. Appropriate policies are in place which have had active Governor involvement, are widely known and understood, and which are reinforced in various aspects of practice. Sanctions are clear and well understood by children.”

“The school has significantly enhanced the range and frequency of e-safety inputs in the curriculum since the initial award of the e-safety mark, with a good range of resources and sources in use.”

“The e-safety committee members are active in promoting e-safety in lessons and in assemblies, and showed a good knowledge of e-safety issues. They have instituted a class by class reporting system for worries (running in tandem with the formal incident reporting system) which are discussed at scheduled meetings.”

“The school has good systems for communicating (including listening) with parents and children. Surveys have given good responses and been acted upon. Parents appreciate the weekly newsletters and updates on the website,and some have participated in a face to face Parents’ Forum and after school e-safety sessions.”

Ron Richards, Lead Assessor for the 360 degree safe E-Safety Mark congratulated the school on its success.

The Digital Leaders and Online Safety Committee children were really pleased to achieve the E-Safety Mark as they know how important being safe online is.

They are happy to be helping make children at St Mary’s safer.