safety policy statement for online classes during covid-19

We at KtS Dance have a duty of care to ensure our pupils can continue their development and training online in a safe and secure manner. 

It is our belief that all pupils and their families should feel included in our online sessions and that we must work together to ensure that our values and the safety of our pupils’ are upheld at all times. 

To allow as many pupils to continue to enjoy KtS Dance classes as possible during these unprecedented times, we have implemented the following online platforms:

Facebook (to create Private Groups for each of our classes and 1 general group for the whole school for updates, information and activities appropriate to all) 

Google/G-Suite (to create Google Classrooms for each of our classes and 1 general group for the whole school for updates, information and activities appropriate to all)

YouTube (we have created a private channel in order to share unlisted videos of sessions specifically designed for certain pupils. Occasionally we may share links to other appropriate videos for entertainment or training purposes)

(The use of Social Media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as well as our 1&1 Website and Email system continue to be used as normal. A reminder of our Privacy Policy related to the use of these platforms can be found here: https://www.ktsdance.com/info/privacy-policy/) 

Our current online safety measures:

Invitation to any of the groups or classroom is optional and those that do not wish to take part online do not need to (we have created Google Classrooms to be used in addition to Facebook or instead of for those that are not on Facebook)

All groups and classrooms only contain those members of our usual classes and are accessible only to those registered (no new pupils will be added at this time) 

All recipients are instructed not to pass on the group invite or any link received to anyone

Groups are private and for the invited parents/responsible carer of enrolled pupils only. ALL approval questions must be answered correctly to be allowed access to the group

All material shared will be appropriate to the age and ability of those in the group

Personal details will never be shared within the group and no details (including those shared by participants, i.e. in the comments or their own posts) should ever be shared outside of the group

Any photos, links, videos posted by participants must remain in the group only

Certain activities posted by KtS Dance may be shared but always gain permission from the admin first

Posts that are not relevant to the group must not be posted by parents

Specific questions or videos/photos that have been asked for should only be posted where possible within the comment sections of the relevant post

Admin reserve the right to delete (without explanation) any post considered irrelevant or inappropriate to the group

If anyone is found to be breaking the rules, particularly in a way that could pose a safety or security risk to our pupils, they will be removed from the group and further action may be sought where necessary

If we feel the group has been compromised in any way it will be shut down

Always ensure you log out properly after any session and change your passwords regularly to avoid being hacked. Never share your passwords and only save in keychain if it is an individual/personal device or computer – KtS Dance will do the same

Live streams do not have to be participated in “live” – we will leave the live video on the group as long as appropriate and/or upload an edited version to the classroom so all can have access

Our teachers aim to provide a safe and appropriate class during these sessions and will adhere to our online code of conduct. Please respect that you are seeing into their private space during these sessions. However, please report to Miss Katy immediately anything you see that makes you feel uncomfortable or concerned during these sessions

Please ensure an adult is always on standby during a dance class (live or pre-recorded). In the unlikely event the feed is hacked and you are subjected to inappropriate material please immediately switch off your device and remove your child from the situation. We recommend clearing your history and other unwanted cookies and resetting your passwords. Report any incidents to Miss Katy immediately so she can take the relevant action.

The use of Facebook Groups and Google Classrooms allows the consenting adult to choose when children can take part and/or be exposed to the activities and sessions taking place online thus allowing a stronger sense of control over children being exposed to so much online content. 

Facebook accounts are only aimed at those aged 14 and above and therefore special care should be taken for our younger pupils that they are only exposed to such online services in a manner that is for their personal development and dance training. 

All content posted by KtS Dance will be suitable for the group they are aimed at but it is important to remember that content is aimed in the first instance at the person owning the Facebook account. It must therefore be understood that all online activities impose a certain risk and it is the responsibility of the consenting adult to ensure children are only taking part in online activities suitable for their age and ability and those of which they, as the parent, decide is appropriate. 

Online Videos:

Videos created by us for the purpose of training development will either be posted directly to the Group/Classroom or via a link to YouTube

All videos shared by us will be appropriate for the age and ability of those receiving them. However, participation in, or the watching of, any video is always optional

Videos created by us must not be shared further without consent of the Principal

YouTube videos are also uploaded to our private channel and all videos are unlisted. This means you require a link to watch them. These links must not be shared further than those we have sent them to without explicit consent of the Principal

Any links to public videos may of course be shared further but as we only send links appropriate to the individuals receiving them KtS Dance can not take responsibility for videos those individuals choose to send to 3^rd parties 

We will continue to review both our online safety policies and our privacy policies throughout this period and will always endeavor to provide our pupils and families with online services that allow us to continue to support and develop our pupils whilst ensuring they are kept safe and secure. 

However, it is important to remember that the use of any online platform is always optional and KtS Dance can not take responsibility for any issues (such as hacking, computer viruses, installation of unwanted cookies etc) that may result from the use of the online tools, including those we have suggested. 

If you have any issues or concerns in regard to online safety and security please contact in writing Mrs Katy Atzberger (Online Safety Coordinator) at enquiries@ktsdance.com