Online Safety Policy

⚠️ SAFEGUARDING-CRITICAL POLICY — REQUIRES HUMAN SIGN-OFF BEFORE USE This policy touches child safety. Before it is published or relied upon, Al Fajer Private School leadership must: (1) fill every [NEEDS AFS INPUT] placeholder, (2) name the school's designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy with real contact details, and (3) formally adopt it with real dates. Nothing in this document has been invented to fill those gaps.

DOCUMENT CONTROL

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Responsible Use of Technology
3. Data Privacy and Protection
4. Online Safety Education
5. Reporting and Response
6. Monitoring and Review
7. Consequences of Violation

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background: At Al Fajer Private School, ensuring a secure online environment is paramount. This policy outlines guidelines for responsible technology use within our school community. AFS is a KG1 – Grade 6 school: our students are young children, so staff and parents carry the primary responsibility for supervising, guiding, and modeling safe technology use.

1.2 Purpose: This policy sets forth principles that students, staff, and parents must follow to ensure safe and respectful online behavior and should be read in conjunction with the following:

• ICT Acceptable Use Policy for Students [NEEDS AFS INPUT: this policy is not in the current AFS policy set — create it or remove this reference]
• ICT Acceptable Use Policy for Staff [NEEDS AFS INPUT: this policy is not in the current AFS policy set — create it or remove this reference]
• Use of Mobile Phone Policy
• BYOD Policy

1.3 Scope: Applicable to all members of the AFS community, whether on or off campus and using school-owned or personal devices. The purpose of this policy is to ensure the safe and ethical use of technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), to protect the well-being of all individuals associated with Al Fajer Private School.

2.0 Responsible Use of Technology

2.1 Acceptable Use

2.1.1 All users must employ technology resources for educational purposes and in accordance with school ICT acceptable use expectations.

2.1.2 Respect for copyright and intellectual property rights is expected.

2.1.3 Any form of bullying, harassment, or inappropriate communication is strictly prohibited.

2.1.4 Staff and students are expected to use technology resources, including AI applications, responsibly and ethically. For students, any classroom use of AI tools is age-appropriate and directed and supervised by staff.

2.1.5 Unauthorized access to, or use of, AI tools for malicious purposes is strictly prohibited.

2.1.6 Any use of AI tools for generating or sharing inappropriate content is strictly prohibited.

2.2 Social Media and Online Interaction

2.2.1 AFS students (KG1 – Grade 6) are below the minimum age requirements of most social-media platforms and are not expected to hold personal accounts. The school teaches kind, respectful online communication through age-appropriate classroom activities, and any school-related online interaction by students (for example, on a supervised learning platform) is moderated by staff.

2.2.2 Staff should maintain professional conduct online and avoid sharing confidential information.

2.2.3 Parents are encouraged to engage positively in online discussions related to the school, and to partner with us by supervising and guiding their child's technology use at home.

3.0 Data Privacy and Protection

3.1 Personal Data

3.1.1 Collection and processing of personal data will adhere to relevant data-protection laws, including Bahrain's Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL). [NEEDS AFS INPUT: confirm with legal counsel that the PDPL is the data-protection basis governing AFS — the source policy cited GDPR, which has not been carried over]

3.1.2 Personal data will be collected for specific purposes and kept confidential and secure.

3.1.3 Al Fajer Private School is committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. Any use of AI tools that involves the collection or processing of personal information must comply with relevant data-protection laws, including the PDPL.

3.2 Consent

3.2.1 Prior consent will be obtained from parents before the collection or processing of student data, especially when sharing with third parties such as learning platforms or external service providers.

3.3 Security Measures

3.3.1 All users are responsible for safeguarding login credentials and reporting unauthorized account use. Staff and parents support younger students in managing any school accounts.

3.3.2 The school will implement technical and organizational measures to prevent data breaches.

4.0 Online Safety Education

4.1 Curriculum Integration

4.1.1 Age-appropriate online safety education will be integrated into the curriculum to equip students with early digital-literacy skills.

4.1.2 Staff will receive ongoing training on online safety to effectively guide students.

4.2 Parent Engagement

4.2.1 Workshops and resources will help parents understand online risks and support their children's responsible technology use at home.

5.0 Reporting and Response

5.1 Any incidents of cyberbullying, inappropriate content, or online threats should be promptly reported to the child's homeroom teacher, the designated safeguarding lead, or the Principal. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: name and contact details of AFS's designated safeguarding lead and deputy]

5.2 This policy will be reviewed annually to address emerging safety concerns and technological changes.

6.0 Monitoring and Review

6.1 Al Fajer Private School may monitor online activities on school devices to ensure policy compliance.

6.2 Al Fajer Private School will respond promptly, providing support to affected individuals and taking necessary actions.

6.3 Users are encouraged to report any suspicious or inappropriate online behavior to the designated safeguarding lead. [NEEDS AFS INPUT: DSL name and contact — same as 5.1]

7.0 Consequences of Violation

7.1 Violations of this Online Safety Policy may result in appropriate action. For students, consequences are age-appropriate and follow the school's Behavior, Rewards & Sanctions Policy — for example, supervised or restricted access to digital resources and supportive guidance. For staff, breaches are handled under the Staff Code of Conduct Policy. Serious matters involving unlawful activity may be referred to the appropriate authorities.