Digital Learning and Media
Digital learning both in school and at home is a key component in all subjects. All pupils have their own HWB account and can engage in online learning both in school and at home through Google Classroom and other available apps. All members of the school community need to follow the Acceptable Use Policies below.
ICT Network and Internet Acceptable Use
As part of the National Curriculum and the school’s ICT programme we provide pupils with supervised access to the Internet.
During school access, teachers or a suitable adult will guide pupils toward appropriate materials and ensure that all access is supervised, filtered and conforms to guidelines outlined in the school’s e-Safety Policy.
Parents should note that the School’s access to the Internet is provided by Carmarthenshire County Council LEA, where every effort is made to filter out undesirable material. However, content filtering is not 100% reliable and undesirable images/content may pass through the filter. When such images/content are inadvertently displayed, the onus is on the pupil to report the site to the supervising member of staff and clear the screen.
Outside of school families bear the same responsibility for such guidance as they exercise with other information sources such as television, telephones, movies, radio and other potentially offensive media.
Acceptable Use Agreement for the School Network and Internet
These safety rules help to protect pupils and the school by describing acceptable and unacceptable computer use.
It is a criminal offence to use a computer, mobile device or network for a purpose not permitted by the school.
All pen drives need to be checked for viruses before using on any computer in school. If they are used anywhere outside our school they will need to be rechecked before being used.
Irresponsible use may result in the loss of network or Internet access.
Access must be made via the user’s authorised account and password, which must not be given to any other person.
All access use must be appropriate to education.
Copyright and intellectual property rights must be respected.
Messages shall be written carefully and politely, particularly as email could be forwarded to unintended readers.
Users must take care not to reveal personal information through email, personal publishing, blogs or messaging.
Anonymous messages and chain letters are not permitted.
Systems may not be used for private purposes, unless the head teacher has given specific permission.
Use for personal financial gain, gambling, political activity, advertising or illegal purposes is not permitted.
The school may exercise its right to monitor the use of the school’s computer systems, including access to web-sites, the interception of e-mail and the deletion of inappropriate materials where it believes unauthorised use of the school’s computer system may be taking place, or the system may be being used for criminal purposes or for storing unauthorised or unlawful text, imagery or sound.
Unacceptable use (as highlighted but not limited to that above) might result in disciplinary action taken by the school or local authority.
HWB - www.hwb.gov.uk
In 2018, the Welsh Government changed the way schools provide access to the Hwb education portal and managed learning environment (the Hwb Platform) for their staff and learners.
Hwb Additional Services Consent Form
The Hwb platform provides all maintained schools in Wales with access to a wide range of centrally-funded, bilingual digital tools and resources to support the digital transformation of classroom practices. The Hwb platform is managed and operated by the Welsh Government.
All learners in maintained schools in Wales are provided with a secure login to the Hwb platform. In order to provide pupils with a secure login, the school will be sending basic information to the Welsh Government. The login will allow pupils to take the mandatory online assessments, known as ‘personalised assessments’.
For more information about the Hwb platform and how information about [you/your child] is used, please see https://hwb.gov.wales/privacy
Additional HWB services
Welsh Government can also provide learners with access, via the Hwb platform, to a variety of additional services which are provided by other organisations. These include online learning environments such as Hwb Classes, Microsoft Office 365, Google for Education, and other relevant educational tools and resources. These additional services are centrally funded and there is no cost for you or for your school to access and use them.
In order to access these additional services, Welsh Government will need parental consent to share the information with providers such as: class, year, admission number, hashed unique pupil number, legal surname, legal forename, surname, forename. Without consent, learners will still be given a secure Hwb login but will not be able to
Acceptable Use Agreement for Hwb
Remember, all activities on Hwb should have an educational purpose. Learners should not regard any activity as private or confidential.
For Pupils:
Be a positive role model in how you use digital technologies including Hwb.
Keep your username and password safe. You are responsible for anything that happens under your account. Report to your Hwb administrator if you suspect that your username and password have been compromised.
If you share external links within Hwb then you deem that the content of the external website is age appropriate and has an educational purpose, e.g. YouTube.
You may not access, distribute or place material on Hwb that is in breach of the statutory rights of copyright owners.
Protect the school community by reporting anything you see that might cause upset or harm to yourself, other teachers or learners in the school. You are expected to demonstrate a professional approach and respect for learners and their families and for colleagues and the school while online.
Creation or transmission of any offensive, obscene or indecent images, data or other material is prohibited. Content relating to or supporting illegal activities may be reported to the authorities.
Personal use of your mailbox and cloud storage is to be avoided. E-mails may be monitored. · Comply with the terms and conditions for use of Hwb.
Always keep another local copy of your essential work that you store on the cloud.
Unacceptable use within Hwb (as highlighted but not limited to that above) might result in disciplinary action taken by the school or local authority.
Distance Learning
Pupils will be expected to engage in online learning both as a natural part of their lessons and homework and in the case of extended absence for any reason. This can be through Google Classroom, other apps and live-streamed lessons.
Teachers will:
Deliver live-streamed lessons only through scheduled lessons on Google Classroom using HWB in line with all recent and relevant policies including online safety, safeguarding and data protection.
Start the live lesson ahead of the scheduled time to allow a prompt start to the lesson. End the lesson for all participants at the same time.
Notify the learners of the scheduled lesson as well as any resources required. Notify learners, parents and school of any changes in arrangements
Provide a short tutorial on the system to outline roles and responsibilities
Ensure an additional member of staff online and present during live streaming sessions delivered from school/setting or if not practical to have a second staff member present, then to ensure the session is recorded for safeguarding purposes.
Learners will:
Ensure they access the lesson in a suitable space with all necessary resources to hand. Check internet access and computer updates beforehand. Minimise distractions and background noise.
Inform family members you are taking part but ensure only the pupil speaks or appears on screen during the lesson.
Show respect for classmates and teachers throughout. Dress appropriately and treat the lesson the same as when in school.
Make positive and meaningful contributions to the lesson only commenting on the topic discussed.
Avoid making recordings or taking screen shots of any part of the lesson using any device. Avoid initiating live streaming outside of the scheduled lesson.
Live-stream sessions will be treated in the same way as all other personal data and in accordance with the school’s data protection policies and GDPR regulations.
Recording Work
As part of the school’s ongoing curriculum development, pupils’ work is sometimes recorded or digitally photographed. This sometimes involves using a video camera as this provides reliable evidence of the work that individual pupils have completed and allows pupils to clearly see their achievements. We need your written consent to be able to continue assessing work compiled in this way. May I take this opportunity to assure you that any imagery taken is used for nothing other than educational purposes and will not be made available to any persons or agency outside the confines of our school.
Action Research
As a forward thinking and pioneering school, we frequently undertake educational Action Research often in partnership with colleagues from universities and the education sector. This may involve undertaking projects that include piloting activities or approaches and the views of learners are frequently sought to evaluate effectiveness.
Photography and Media Footage
From time to time, we may take photographs of the children at our school. We may use these images in our school’s prospectus or in other printed publications that we produce, as well as on our website or school media accounts. We may also make video or webcam recordings for school events, monitoring or other educational use or share on the website or social media accounts.
Occasionally, our school may be visited by the media who will take photographs or film footage of a visiting dignitary or other high profile event. Pupils will often appear in these images, which may appear in local or national newspapers, or on televised news programmes.