Royal Hospital School has become the first school in Suffolk to obtain the 360 degree safe Online Safety Mark.
Assessors from the South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) said: “The school has developed high levels of digital literacy and safe practice. The contribution of young people is recognised, encouraged and celebrated regularly. Pupils want to be involved and make a positive difference to the development of their peers.”
The organisation provides schools with connectivity and learning technologies, along with an online safety toolkit. SWGfL is at the forefront of national and international developments in online safety and has asked the school to act as a national ‘Beacon of Good Practice’.
Hamish McKenzie, head of digital learning, said: “The prime benefit of applying for the Online Safety Mark is that it does not focus on the individual aspects of online safety such as technological solutions, but instead it integrates online safety into school policy and the curriculum, challenging teachers and leaders in the school to think about their provision and its continual evolution.
“The Royal Hospital School demonstrated a high standard of online safety education and awareness for all staff, pupils and also for parents, ensuring that all users of digital technologies can be safe online – whether they are in school, at home or out and about using mobile devices.”
Ron Richards, lead assessor for the 360 degree safe Online Safety Mark, added: “There is a clear ‘whole school’ approach to online safety and the work done by lead staff means that pupil online safety is of the highest priority.”
Simon Lockyer, headmaster at Royal Hospital School, commented: “Preparing our pupils so they can use technology safely, productively and responsibly is a strength of the school and to achieve this National Accreditation is a reassuring endorsement of the efforts and processes that we have implemented. Achieving this in the context of a boarding school where pupils are using technology for both work and recreation is particularly pleasing given the additional challenges this poses.”