INFORMATION COMMUNICTIONS TECHNOLOGY (ICT),
E-MAIL AND THE INTERNET
ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
As part of the College IT programme we offer pupils filtered access to the Internet. Before being allowed to use the internet, all pupils must obtain parental permission and both you and your child must have signed and returned a form as evidence of both your approval and acceptance of the College rules on this matter.
Access to the internet can enable pupils to explore thousands of libraries, databases, and bulletin boards while exchanging messages with other internet users throughout the world. The College will take reasonable steps to monitor access but families should be warned that some material accessible via the internet may contain items that are illegal, defamatory, inaccurate or potentially offensive to some people.
While our aim for internet use is to further educational goals and objectives, pupils may find ways to access other materials as well. We believe that the benefits to pupils from access to the internet, in the form of information resources and opportunities for collaboration, exceed any disadvantage. Ultimately however, parents and guardians of minors are responsible for setting and conveying the standards that their children should follow when using media and information sources. To that end, the College supports and respects each family’s right to decide whether or not to apply for access.
During school, teachers will suggest appropriate materials. The College reserves the right to monitor pupils’ access. Outside College, families bear the same responsibility for such guidance as pupils use information sources such as television, telephones, movies, radio and other potentially offensive media.
The College’s Anti-Bullying Policy includes a section on Cyberbullying.
GENERAL USE OF THE ICT FACILITIES
While the College makes every attempt to ensure a reliable service it cannot be liable for any loss of a pupil’s work, howsoever caused. It is the pupil’s responsibility to ensure adequate backups of their work by saving it in their allocated filespace on the network server or CD/memory stick. The College cannot accept responsibility for work completed on pupil’s own computers.
The College provides a range of ICT facilities to be used for teaching purposes for pupils’ own work or research in relation to their studies. Pupils are not allowed to:
• Tamper with any item of hardware • Install software
• Run any software other than that provided specifically for them, for College use, as
published periodically by the ICT Department and Library
Attempting to log in as another user, abusing the e-mail or internet facility or attempting to ‘hack’ into or to gain access to files or systems to which specific access has not been given, will be regarded as very serious breaches of College discipline. No food or drink should be brought into nor consumed in any computer area.
Misuse of ICT hardware or software may result in a lengthy ban from the network as well as additional sanctions.
• Pupils must only send e-mail under their own allocated e-mail name and address.
• Encryption of messages is not permitted. Users should note that e-mail is subject to
random scrutiny by staff.
• The College will not permit the sending or receiving of e-mail messages greater than a
certain length (currently 10Mb). File attachments may only be sent if they relate directly to a pupil’s work.
PUPILS’ OWN COMPUTERS
Though the College provides computing facilities in Houses, some pupils may wish, where there is space to accommodate them, to bring their own personal computers or laptops into the College for use during term time. These remain the responsibility of the pupil and should be kept secure at all times. The College recommends the use of Kensington Locks or similar devices for this purpose. Such equipment should, in addition, be security marked in a clear manner.
Pupils should not lend their laptop computers to other pupils. They are responsible for making backups of any school work stored on their own laptop computer. Please note that every year some pupils lose important school work, sometimes with serious consequences for their examination results, as a result of failing to back up their work.
While the College IT staff will make every effort to help pupils having problems with their own computer, they cannot offer a repair or maintenance service to pupils.
CONNECTION OF LAPTOPS OR DEVICES TO THE SCHOOL NETWORK
There are many advantages for pupils in connecting their laptops or devices to the College network:
• Access to their network file space • A location for backing up work • Access to a printer
However, the College has a responsibility to provide an IT service which is reliable and virus free. Laptops may be connected to our network subject to a number of conditions in addition to those already mentioned:
• The operating system should be kept up to date while at home with all the latest security
patches. It must have an up-to-date virus checker.
• Pupils should not use the College network connection to download programs, videos or
movies, music or MP3 files, Windows updates or any other files likely to use up excessive bandwidth and degrade our service to those using it for educational purposes.
• Pupils should not run any peer to peer file sharing software, such as Kazaa.
• Pupils should not do anything that may result in the introduction of viruses into the College
system.
While the College takes every precaution to keep its network virus free, it cannot accept responsibility for any virus infection of a pupil’s laptop.
Pupils will have to apply to the IT department and be in possession of a wireless network card compatible with the 802.11g (preferable) or the 802.11b wireless standards. These are available in most computer stores and many new laptops have wireless capability built in. Most laptops can be successfully connected, but where possible Windows XP Professional should be installed, though it is not essential. The IT department will note the details of the laptop, check security marking and possession of a computer lock prior to configuring our system to accept the connection. Pupils will be issued with any software needed and instructions to configure any settings on their own machine.
CONCLUSION
The Director of IT, Mr C J Davies, will be available to answer any further questions that you may have at this stage. Please call him on 01372 821178, or alternatively e-mail him at cjd@epsomcollege.org.uk.
Epsom College ICT Network Access Policy
Access to the School’s ICT Network and the Internet is provided for the purposes of educational research and learning. The purpose of this policy is to provide rules for the appropriate use of the Network and the Internet. Pupils and parents should carefully read and then sign the following agreement. If a signed agreement has not been returned to the school then the student will not be allowed access to the Internet.
Student Agreement
I understand that use of the Network and access to the Internet from Epsom College must be in support of educational research or learning, and I agree to the following:
I will keep my password secure and will only use a network computer whilst logged on with
my correct username and password.
I will refrain from accessing any newsgroups, links, list-servers, Web Pages or other areas of
cyberspace that would be considered as offensive by the School or my parents/guardians, because of pornographic, racist, violent, illegal, illicit or other content.
I shall not attempt to tamper with hardware or software settings on school machines, move a
machine form its designated location or connect any other machines to the school network
•I am responsible for rejecting these links if any appear inadvertently during my research.
I will not use valuable Internet time playing non-educational games or using ‘Chat’
programmes. I will not download materials that may be copyrighted. I will not violate copyright laws.
I will be courteous and use appropriate language in any e-mail I may send to other users and
understand that the laws of libel and copyright may apply to e-mail.
Plagiarism is unacceptable. I will use downloaded materials in an appropriate manner in
assignments, listing them in a bibliography and clearly specif~uing directly quoted material.
I will not reveal any personal information of any type about others or myself. I will not
damage any computer systems. I must have a clear project in mind when I ask for access to the Internet. If I violate any of these terms I will be denied access to the Internet for a period of time determined by the School and punished accordingly. My actions may also be
responsible for the denial of Internet access to innocent parties.
I realise that my access may be monitored directly or indirectly by college staff.
I shall use the College Internet service only for email or educational purposes. I shall not use it
to purchase goods, send mobile phone text messages or to download programs.
Date: ... Current Year Group: ...
Parental Agreement
As the parent/guardian of ...
I hereby acknowledge that I have read the agreement on student use of the Internet and discussed it with him/her. I understand that this access is designed for educational purposes. I recognise that, while every effort will be made to monitor student use of the Internet, it is impossible to continually monitor all controversial materials. I acknowledge that while
questionable material exists on the Internet, a user who actively seeks it is ultimately responsible for bringing such material into school. I therefore do not hold the School responsible for any such materials acquired on the Internet.
