[FOI #21498 email]

Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - 20091021002

Dear Madam

I refer to your email of 21 October.

Your questions and the Director of Education's answers are as follows.

1.    Internet Safety Education provided as part of the school
curriculum.   
    
- Within your schools has a specific program aimed at teaching
children about staying safe online, including cyber bullying been integrated into the curriculum?  
    

These issues are covered across the curriculum as well as in PSE programmes.

- If yes, who is responsible for delivery and what accreditations/training have they received?  For example, teacher, CEOP trained ambassador.   

Teachers and child protection officers.
    
- If yes, how often is internet safety training integrated into the school curriculum, i.   e.    weekly, monthly etc 
    

Dundee schools take internet safety education very seriously, and teachers reinforce the importance of this at every opportunity across the curriculum.  In addition, every school in Dundee has a designated child protection officer who is trained to deal with any concerns about a pupil and who will refer into the child protection system if necessary.  Schools also work closely with local police who regularly talk to young people about their safety and security and also make use of CEOP materials. 

- If no, what steps/timeframes are being taken for implementation? 
    
2.    Internet Filtering
    
- Do the primary and secondary schools within your authority have internet filtering in place? 

Yes
    
- If yes, what tools do you use?  For example Hardware or Software? 

Software

- If yes, what is the name of your internet filtering supplier and when was their contract last renewed/due for renewal?  

Websense software is used and supplied by Trustmarque.  The contract was renewed on 1 April 2009 for three years. 

    
3.    Internet Filtering Breaches
    
- Have any of the Schools within the past 24 months experienced a breach of Internet Filtering where children were able to access pornography or Indecent images.    Please provide details of School Type(Primary or Secondary), Date of Breach and Type of Unsuitable material accessed.    

There have been no Internet filtering breaches over the past 24 months.

   
- If a breach of security occurred how was your authority notified? 
    
For example, by a parent, by the school, through an automated alert provided by hardware/software supplier.   
    

Yours faithfully

Roger Mennie

Legal Manager