Guidance Dealing with pupils/parents who cyberbully staff.

Establish the facts It is important to gather evidence when an issue is first raised Try to get written or electronic copies of abuse or allegations, e.g. screen shots In some cases, it may not be possible to get physical copies, so you may have to rely on verbal feedback Make sure that staff/non-teaching staff do not become embroiled in any online threads

Reassure staff Allegations or comments can lead to increased anxiety among staff Use staff briefings or meetings with specific groups to reassure them Make sure that any verbal comments about the issue are recorded Ensure that they have access to their trade unions who can offer further support

Meet with parents/carers Once you have established who has made the comments, arrange a meeting at the earliest date Try to ensure that parents bring a written copy of the comments made In many cases, the reason why parents have made comments and/or allegations is because they have been unaware of the complaints procedure Ensure that they agree to remove any comments or social networking pages

Further action If the meeting does not result in a positive outcome, schools have the following options: Arrange a further meeting with the parents/carers and invite the chair of governors If the comments have not been removed, then use the site’s reporting system The last option is to seek legal advice and to send a warning letter from a solicitor

Reassure other parents While it is difficult to totally ensure that these cases will not occur, schools can look at proactive measures Usually, there may be a ‘whispering campaign’ which can lead to questions by other parents Send out a letter or put a statement on the school website Arrange an eSafety session which parents can attend

Guidance Proactive measures

Home-school agreement You can use this document to include statements around parents’ use of social networking sites to criticize the school or staff Parents and carers are reminded to use existing structures when making any complaint about the school or a member of staff. They are advised not to discuss any matters on social networking sites. If at any time during your child’s time at xxxx school, you wish to make a complaint, then you are advised to follow the school’s complaints procedure which can be found on the school website [insert link]. We recommend that all parents and carers refrain from using social networking sites to discuss sensitive issues about the school.

Acceptable user policy A statement can be included in student’s AUP to ensure that parents follow specific guidelines This can be updated annually and signed by parents to support the school’s ICT policies As a parent, I support school policies on ICT and I monitor my child’s use of the internet (including social media) outside of school. I will act as a positive role model to my child, by ensuring that I use social media responsibly.

Complaints Policy “We hope that your child’s time at xxxx school is happy and productive and we are always keen to discuss matters with parents to ensure that every child achieves their full potential. If at any time you have any concerns about your child at school then please do not hesitate to contact the school and, if necessary, make an appointment to see relevant staff members to discuss any issue. It is important that parents and carers support the school in its constant improvement and we would much rather discuss any grievance with you than it being discussed in other forums. Therefore, we would recommend that any concerns or issues are not discussed on social media sites, as this could be potentially damaging for the school and the education of every child within the school.”

School social media presence Having a social media presence is important so schools can counter any negative views Facebook and Twitter can be used to give correct information and be a trusted source It is mportant to have procedures so that a clear message is being projected via social media Update policies to enable school to showcase achievements of pupils

OFSTED - Sample questions for staff Do all staff understand what is meant by the term cyber- bullying and the effect it can have on themselves and pupils? Are there clear reporting mechanisms, with a set of actions in place, for staff or pupils who feel they are being bullied online? Section 5, Handbook For Inspectors on eSafety includes the following

Guidance Removing content

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