Laptop Use
Dear Parent/ Carer 20/05/2022
I am writing to remind you of the school’s expectations with regard to laptop and social media use.
Laptops
We are extremely proud that we have been able to provide all of our students with a laptop to use. As a
reminder, the laptops we provide are to be used exclusively for school work.
Recently it has come to our attention that some students have circumventing the safeguarding measures put in place by us, and have been using laptops to access inappropriate websites when at home.
We will continue to conduct spot checks of students’ laptop use. Misuse of a laptop can result in serious
sanctions being taken, even leading to permanent expulsion. For more details please refer to page 9 of our Behaviour Policy: https://www.stepneyallsaints.school/content/uploads/2021/10/SASS-Behaviour-Policy-OCT21.pdf
Please ensure that you supervise your child’s use of their laptop when they are at home, and ensure
that they are aware of the consequences of misusing school property.
Discord (social media app).
Discord is an app and website that can be used both on phones, and via computers. When students are in
school, our internal settings prevent students from accessing Discord via their laptops, as well other sites of an inappropriate nature. However, we are aware that some students use Discord when at home, and via their mobile phones. Even though it is not appropriate for young people, Discord is unfortunately very easy for students to use. Users can send direct messages to one another or listen in to larger group chats. Connecting with friends is easy – users can simply join an existing gaming server or send an email invitation to start a new one. Most significantly, you do not have to download an app to use it as it can be accessed via any browser and is free
to use.
Safeguarding professionals have asked us to share this information with parents as the Discord social
networking tool is geared towards adults and students aged 17+ only, not children and young people.
More information can be found here https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/socialmedia/chat-apps/
To support your child we will be running a further series of workshops and assemblies on using the internetand social media safely and appropriately
Discord is an unregulated website/app and we advise parents to monitor their child’s phone often to ensuretheir safety.
If you wish to discuss any of this in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s form tutor, or any member of the Year 8 team.
Yours faithfully
Katherine Rowley-Conwy
Assistant Headteacher