St. Enda's Community School

INTERNET ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY (IAUP)

Rationale

We have formulated the following Internet Acceptable Use Policy or IAUP in accordance with the schools fundamental aim to foster in students a sense of self-reliance, independence, co-operation and responsibility and to provide them with skills for life-long learning where the school believes that access to the schools ICT resources plays an important role.
Internet use and access is considered a school resource and privilege. Therefore, if the school AUP is not adhered to this privilege will be withdrawn and appropriate sanctions - as outlined in the AUP and the Code of Behaviour will be imposed.
Goal
The Internet and World Wide Web is an integral part of society and so too will be a part of our students learning programmes. The aim of this Acceptable Use Policy is to ensure that pupils will benefit from learning opportunities offered by the schools internet resources in a safe and effective manner.
Schools Strategy
The school employs a number of strategies in order to maximise learning opportunities and reduce risks associated with the Internet. These strategies are as follows:

General

• Internet sessions will be supervised by a teacher.
• Filtering software and/or equivalent systems will be used in order to minimise the risk of exposure to inappropriate material.
• Each student will be assigned a specific computer to use whilst in the computer room as per the seating plan. Students may not use any other computer without the permission of the supervising teacher.
• Uploading and downloading of non-approved software, data files, image files, audio and video files will not be permitted.

Virus protection software will be used and updated on a regular basis.

• The use of personal floppy disks, memory sticks, CD-ROMs, or other digital storage media in school requires a teacher's permission.
• Students will treat others with respect at all times and will not undertake any actions that may bring the school or its staff members into disrepute.
• Students will observe good etiquette i.e. etiquette on the internet at all times and will not undertake any actions that may bring the school into disrepute.

Any use of the schools computing resources or Internet connection that could be considered bullying is in breach of this policy and in breach of the anti-bullying policy and will be treated accordingly.