SAINT MARY’S CATHOLIC PRIMARY GLOSSOP

USE OF IMAGES POLICY

Introduction:

Schools need and welcome positive publicity. Making use of photographs in school publicity materials can increase pupil motivation and staff morale and help parents and the local community identify and celebrate the school’s achievements

However, photographs must be used in a responsible way. Schools need to respect children’s and parents rights of privacy and be aware of potential child protection issues.

This policy has been formulated by the school’s Governing Body after taking into account the guidance provided by the local authority. It is a policy that seeks to balance the potential risks against the advantages of promoting the school in a positive and constructive way.

Appropriate use of images:

Saint Mary’s CatholicPrimary School has adopted the following guidelines when using the photographs of children in school publicity materials, including use of images/names on the school web site, newsletters, prospectuses and displays:

  • If the child is named, their photograph is not used
  • If a photograph is used, the child is not named
  • Only photographs of children appropriately dressed are used. This normally means school uniform. Care is taken when using photographs of children participating in sports activities. We do not use photographs of children participating in swimming events
  • We avoid using the front image of a child on our school web site. Preferring to select back or part of a child’s image
  • We never use the image of a child who is known to be the subject of a court order

On some occasions, e.g. a child winning a competition or a team winning a tournament, or a photograph of ‘Reception Class 2007’, the school/local newspaper may wish to publish a photograph with the accompanying child’s name. In this case, the school will always seek the permission of the children’s parents/guardians prior to publication.

Newspapers:

Newspapers will usually want to include the names of children in photographs that they intend to use. The school will request from parents once their child is on role permission to use their child’s name together with their photograph for publication in a newspaper when the occasion arises.

Providing parental consent is secured, there is no breach of the Data Protection Act in simply passing on the child’s name to a journalist. If the school/parents are concerned that a newspaper has used the photograph and name of a child inappropriately, they should contact the Press Complaints Commission

Parents Filming/Taking Photographs:

Parents or other spectators may want to photograph or video at an event such as sports day or the performance of a concert. This is a valuable part of school life and can be very rewarding for both the family and school.

The school reserves the right to ask parents/visitors not to take photographs of children/use videoing equipment if it disrupts an event (e.g. flash photograph during a performance) or the school feels the images of the children are at risk of being used appropriately (e.g. a gymnastics display).

The advancement of modern technology is such that the school will not always be aware that filming/photography may be taking place. The ever decreasing size of digital cameras and camera phones means that it is impossible for the school to detect all photography taking place.

Images taken by parents:

Parents will be reminded at school events are not public events images taken at a school event are only exempt from the Data Protection Act when they comply to the school’s policy for family use only

Images taken by staff:

The teaching and support staff take photographs/videos of children to record their participation in school events or to assist assessment of a pupil’s achievement. Images taken by school staff should be deleted once they have been used, if they need to be kept as evidence they should be stored on the school’s network server and removed once the pupil’s have left the school

Images taken by pupils:

Pupils can take photographs/videos to develop different learning strategies. Images taken by pupils should be deleted once they have been used, if they need to be kept as evidence they should be stored on the school’s network server and removed once the pupil’s have left the school

Parental Consent:

Saint Mary’s CatholicPrimary School respects the right of parents/guardians to withhold consent from their child’/children’s photographs being used in publicity materials

Having read the School Policy on the use of Children’s Photographs, please complete and return to school the attached form to indicate whether or not you wish your child’s/children’s photographs to be used in the way described in the policy.

Reviewed March 2011.

S.D.Groarke