The section concludes:
The list is not exhaustive. Above all, staff must act professionally at all times and must not, through their actions or inactions, bring the school into disrepute.
At the end of the document is a form for staff to sign to say they agree to follow all the rules set out in the ICT code of conduct.
Writing a school social networking policy
We were unable to find any other examples of social networking policies from schools. Below we link to official guidance that you could use as a basis for a social networking policy or a clause on social networking in your acceptable use of ICT policy.
Official guidance to teachers on social networking
In 2009 the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), now the Department for Education, developed guidance on teachers' use of social networking sites. On page 6, it advises teachers:
When publishing information, personal contact details, video or images, ask yourself if you would feel comfortable about a current or prospective employer, colleague, pupil or parent, viewing your content.
Cyberbullying: supporting school staff, Teachernet on National Archives (Adobe pdf file)
http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20100413151441/publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eorderingdownload/cyberbullying-staff.pdf
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Can staff become 'friends' with pupils?
The guidance linked to above suggests that teachers should not become online 'friends' with pupils, or add them to contact lists, since this could give pupils access to personal information about staff. Teachers are advised to learn how to restrict access to their pages, so that only specific people can see them.
Finally, teachers are not discouraged from using social networking sites for use in class, but are warned to be careful about which sites they use and how they use them.
For more information on using social networking sites within school, see Digizen's website.
Young people and social networking services, Digizen
http://www.digizen.org/socialnetworking/
This teachers' guide, written for Facebook, covers issues such as whether to accept pupils' friend requests, as well as privacy settings, creating a professional profile, establishing a personal learning network on Facebook and dealing with colleagues online.
A teacher’s guide to using Facebook, Scribd
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16957158/Teachers-Guide-to-Using-Facebook-Read-Fullscreen
General Teaching Council for England code of conduct
The DCSF guidance above is written in the context of preventing cyberbullying. Concerns about teachers presenting themselves inappropriately online or becoming 'friends' with pupils or parents can be addressed by referring to the General Teaching Council for England (GTCE) Code of Conduct and Practice for Registered Teachers. The current version, which came into effect in October 2009, states that registered teachers should:
Establish and maintain appropriate professional boundaries in their relationships with children and young people
Additionally, on page 15 of the Code, it says that registered teachers should:
Maintain reasonable standards in their own behaviour that enable them to maintain an effective learning environment and also to uphold public trust and confidence in the profession.
Finally, the code lists some examples of when the GTCE has taken disciplinary action. Two of these could, in some circumstances, relate to social networking:
- Teachers who have engaged in inappropriate relationships with pupils
- Teachers who have engaged in inappropriate contact with parents and carers
Code of conduct and practice for registered teachers, GTCE, page 8 (Adobe pdf file)
http://www.gtce.org.uk/documents/publicationpdfs/code_of_conduct_1009.pdf
Should staff become 'friends' with parents?
We contacted the GTCE to ask for information on whether staff should become friends with parents on social networking sites. A spokesperson advised that there is no policy on whether or not members of staff should become friends with parents online.
He said that it is for individual schools to decide on how they will approach this issue. For example, some schools might choose to provide general information to parents and staff on the risks of using social networking sites; others might require staff to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
Contact us, GTCE
http://www.gtce.org.uk/contactus/
Hellingly Community Primary School’s code of conduct asks teachers not to accept friend requests from parents. Its rules say:
I will not associate myself online with parents/carers of Hellingly Community Primary School of whom I did not know prior to working at the school. The school recommends that if you have already established an online association with these persons prior to reading this code of conduct that you disassociate yourself from them.
ICT acceptable use policies
For examples of policies on the acceptable use of ICT, please see another article from The Key:
ICT acceptable use policies
http://www.usethekey.org.uk/administration-and-management/policies-documents/behaviour/email-and-internet-acceptable-use-sample-policies-and-guidance
Additional sources and further reading
Facebook: How to keep your profile private
http://www.innovatemyschool.com/industry-expert-articles/item/62-teachers-using-facebook-for-personal-use-and-keeping-it-that-way.html
Profile update: your teacher has now joined Facebook, BBC News, 15 January 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-12193773
Schools need rules for teachers on Facebook, union says, BBC News, 10 February 2011
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/12417183
School Matters: online social networks friend or foe? Teachers Media (30 minutes)
http://www.teachersmedia.co.uk/videos/online-social-networks-friend-or-foe
Social networking and schools, Childnet International
http://www.childnet-int.org/blogsafety/teachers.html