E-Safety Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

This E-Safety Policy sets out how Richmond Online School ensures the safety of all students, staff, and community members when using digital technologies and online platforms. As an online school, e-safety is integral to everything we do. This policy applies to all students, staff, tutors, parents, and guardians associated with Richmond Online School.

2. Online Learning Environment

Richmond Online School delivers education through secure, password-protected platforms. All live lessons are conducted in monitored environments where student interactions are supervised by qualified teachers. We employ the following safeguards:

• Secure login credentials unique to each student and staff member.
• Waiting rooms and host controls for all live lesson sessions.
• Recording of lessons for safeguarding and quality assurance purposes.
• Filtered and monitored communication channels.
• Regular audits of platform security and access controls.

3. Student Responsibilities

Students at Richmond Online School are expected to behave responsibly and respectfully in all online interactions. This includes:

• Keeping login details private and not sharing them with others.
• Using school platforms only for educational purposes.
• Treating all participants in online lessons with respect and courtesy.
• Reporting any concerns about online safety to a teacher or the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Not sharing personal information, images, or contact details with other students through school platforms.

4. Staff and Tutor Responsibilities

All staff and tutors at Richmond Online School receive training in e-safety and are expected to model appropriate online behaviour. Staff responsibilities include:

• Following the school's code of conduct for online interactions.
• Reporting any e-safety concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately.
• Ensuring that all communications with students take place through approved school channels.
• Maintaining professional boundaries in all digital communications.

5. Responding to E-Safety Incidents

Richmond Online School has clear procedures for responding to e-safety incidents. All incidents are logged, investigated, and resolved in accordance with our safeguarding procedures. Depending on the nature of the incident, responses may include:

• Internal investigation and disciplinary measures.
• Referral to external agencies or authorities where necessary.
• Support and counselling for affected students.
• Review and update of e-safety measures to prevent recurrence.

6. Contact Us

If you have any concerns about e-safety at Richmond Online School, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead at info@richmondonlineschool.com.