Royal Grammar School / Admissions Policies / Student IT Acceptable Use Policy

Student IT Acceptable Use Policy

1. Scope

This policy applies to all students at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford (RGS).

2. Purpose

The aim of this policy is to protect school staff, students, data and the reputation of the Royal Grammar School. It ensures that all individuals using the School’s IT systems do so in a safe, responsible and productive manner. This policy must be read in conjunction with other relevant school policies.

Access to the School’s computer systems and the internet will be granted only once parental permission has been confirmed.

3. Policy Infringements

Breaches of this policy will be addressed under the School’s standard disciplinary procedures. In serious cases, the matter may be referred to the Police.

4. Monitoring and Inspection

  • The IT Services department reserves the right to inspect any IT equipment or service owned, leased or provisioned by the School without prior notice.
  • The School may monitor, access, log and disclose all electronic communications and data (including telephone calls, emails, instant messages, internet activity and use of cloud services) transmitted through the School’s network and cloud systems, to the extent permitted by law.
  • Monitoring may be conducted to:
    • Ensure compliance with school policies and procedures
    • Maintain operational efficiency
    • Support training and quality control
    • Investigate safeguarding concerns or suspected misconduct
    • Prevent or detect criminal activity
  • Personal communications made using school systems may be subject to monitoring.
  • All data traversing the School’s network or hosted on school cloud services is logged and may be reviewed by the Director of IT, the Bursar or the Head.

5. Internet Filtering and Safeguarding

  • All devices connected to the School’s network are subject to internet filtering and automated safeguarding monitoring.
  • All school-owned or leased devices are subject to monitoring regardless of location.
  • These systems:
    • Protect users from viruses, scams and other online threats
    • Prevent access to harmful, inappropriate or disruptive content
    • Support the School’s safeguarding responsibilities
    • Ensure the smooth operation of the School’s network
  • Filtering is user-specific, based on login credentials (for example, Sixth Form students may have broader access than First Form students).
  • Content requests (to block or unblock) must be submitted by email to helpdesk@rgsg.co.uk, with justification.
  • Inappropriate or concerning content access must also be reported to the IT Helpdesk.

Students must be aware that:

  • All internet activity is logged, including the date and time of access.
  • Use of inappropriate or illegal materials will result in disciplinary action.

6. VPN (Virtual Private Network) Use

  • The use of VPNs on any device connected to the RGS network, or on any school-provided device, is strictly prohibited.
  • VPN use hampers safeguarding monitoring and network integrity.
  • Devices found to be using VPNs may be restricted or removed from the network without warning.
  • IT Services will not provide support for any device with an installed VPN until it has been removed.

7. Email Filtering

All incoming and outgoing school emails are filtered to:

  • Prevent viruses, hoaxes, phishing and spam
  • Block inappropriate content

8. Microsoft 365 Services

  • All students and staff receive an @rgsg.co.uk account providing access to Microsoft 365 services (for example, OneDrive, Teams and Outlook).
  • All communications, including Teams chat messages, are monitored by automated safeguarding tools.

9. User Accounts

Students must:

  • Safeguard their school accounts and access codes
  • Never share account details with others
  • Log off when leaving devices unattended
  • Avoid accessing or distributing illegal, offensive or inappropriate material
  • Respect copyright and intellectual property rights

Account management

  • Accounts will be disabled on a student’s final day unless otherwise directed.
  • Accounts inactive for more than 20 school days will be disabled unless prior notice is given (for example, long-term illness).
  • Inactive accounts and their associated data will be permanently deleted after three months.

10. Personal Use of IT Systems

Personal use is permitted provided that it:

  • Is limited and reasonable
  • Does not interfere with schoolwork or with others
  • Does not incur significant cost
  • Does not risk legal action or damage to the School’s reputation
  • Is not related to running a business

11. Passwords

  • Passwords must remain confidential and secure.
  • Students are responsible for all activity carried out under their user account.
  • Students must refer to the separate School IT Account Password Policy for full guidance.

12. Removable Media

  • USB storage devices are disabled on most school machines.
  • Students must use their school OneDrive account for file storage and transfer.

13. Emails and Social Media

  • Emails are legally admissible and must be treated professionally.
  • Students must not respond to unsolicited or suspicious emails.
  • Personal contact details must not be shared between staff and students.
  • Offensive, obscene, violent or chain emails are strictly prohibited.
  • Concerning messages must be reported to IT Services immediately.

14. Copyright Compliance

Students must respect copyright laws, including:

  • The rights attaching to third-party material used in education
  • Ownership of their own work and that of their peers
  • Teachers’ intellectual property rights

15. Printing and Photocopying

  • Printers and photocopiers are for school-related work only.
  • Students have an 80-page monthly print quota, which is refreshed monthly.
  • Teachers may request a quota increase for valid educational reasons by contacting the Director of IT.

16. Computer Misuse

Under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, it is illegal to:

  • Access software or data without permission
  • Use school systems for blackmail or malicious purposes
  • Plant viruses or alter or delete data without authorisation
  • Engage in software piracy

Hacking (including attempts at hacking or the possession of hacking tools) is a serious offence and will result in disciplinary action.

17. Incident Reporting

All of the following must be reported immediately to IT Services and the Director of IT:

  • Security breaches or suspected misuse
  • Loss or theft of equipment or data
  • Virus infections or suspicious emails
  • Any breaches of this policy

18. Parental Permission

Parental permission is required for internet access and the use of school IT systems. By granting permission, parents acknowledge that the student is responsible for the student’s own actions when using the School’s computer systems, cloud services and the internet, and accept shared responsibility with the School for setting the standards the student should follow when selecting, sharing and exploring information and media. Parents acknowledge that, while some material on the internet may be objectionable and a student may unwittingly be exposed to inappropriate material, the School will take all reasonable steps, within its guidelines, to minimise this risk.