Learn about the Privacy and Safe Use Policies that outline the fundamental rules for data protection and ensure a reliable digital experience compliant with applicable legal standards for all users.
1. School's Responsibility Towards Student Protection
International Generation School's commitment to child protection stems from its firm belief that caring for a child, preserving their dignity, and ensuring their safety is a trust before it is an institutional requirement.
This policy acknowledges that the digital learning environment poses unique safeguarding challenges compared to traditional schools, and it establishes a comprehensive framework for protecting students across online platforms.
This document aligns with Cognia accreditation standards, particularly Standard 2 (Learner Comfort), Standard 9 (Culture of Safety and Belonging), and Standard 11 (Institutional Systems and Policies).
2. Objective and Scope
1. Policy Objectives
Ensure compliance with Cognia standards regarding student comfort and safety
Protect students from digital risks arising from the online environment
Establish documented procedures for identifying and reporting abuse risks
Define clear roles and responsibilities for all members of the school community
Provide a safe digital learning environment for all students from KG1 to Grade 8
2. Scope of Application
This policy applies to:
All students enrolled in International Generation School
All teachers, staff, and administrators
Parents and guardians involved in the educational process
External collaborators and trainers who interact with students
All synchronous and asynchronous learning sessions via LMS and digital platforms
3. Terminology and Definitions
Definition
Term
The set of procedures and systems that protect a child from harm and ensure their development in a safe and supportive environment.
Safeguarding
Any person within the age group present in the school.
Child / Student
Biological parents or any adult legally responsible for the child's care.
Parent/Guardian
The person officially assigned to receive reports and manage protection cases within the school.
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Any act or omission that causes physical, emotional, or sexual harm to a child or puts them at risk.
Abuse
Any form of harm directed at a child online: harassment, exploitation, cyberbullying, inappropriate conversations.
Digital Abuse
4. Types of Abuse and Neglect
1. Physical Abuse
Any act that causes physical harm to a child, whether direct (hitting, slapping, shaking) or indirect (inciting the child to self-harm).
2. Emotional Abuse
Repeated humiliation and belittling of a child that causes permanent damage to their emotional development. This includes: making them feel worthless, forced silence, mocking them, and cyberbullying among peers.
3. Sexual Abuse
Forcing or enticing a child to participate in any activity of a sexual nature, whether through direct communication or online (photos, conversations, live streaming, webcam exploitation).
4. Neglect
Persistent failure to meet basic needs: food, housing, medical care, education, and emotional support. In the digital context, this may include: not providing a suitable learning environment and depriving the child of learning.
5. Forms Specific to the Digital and Online Environment
Cyberbullying among students via social media platforms or LMS
Digital harassment: inappropriate conversations from an adult with a student via any digital channel
Camera exploitation: taking photos or recording videos of a student without consent
Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA)
Digital grooming attempts to gain a child's trust
Harmful content: a student sharing inappropriate content via the platform
6. Additional Forms to Be Aware Of
Violence reflected on the student during video lessons
Any form of neglect: such as forcing a child to be repeatedly absent without justification
Signs of online ideological recruitment
5. Warning Indicators — Early Identification
Teachers and staff must monitor the following indicators during lessons and by observing the platform:
Warning Indicators
Category
Sudden withdrawal from participation — clear change in mood — persistent anxiety or fear
General Behavior
Visible signs of physical injury — unsafe environment behind the student
Visual Appearance
Sudden drop in grades — frequent absence — unexcused failure to submit assignments
Academic Performance
Disturbing conversations in platform chat — posts indicating distress — inappropriate images or videos
Digital Interaction
Disclosure to a peer or teacher — indirect hinting — writing disturbing content in assignments
Direct Statement
6. Roles and Responsibilities
1. Safeguarding Lead (Educational Supervision Team Lead) (Designated Safeguarding Lead — DSL)
A primary and a backup safeguarding lead are appointed at International Generation School. The primary lead has broad authority, including:
Receiving and verifying all child protection reports
Maintaining confidential, documented records for all cases
Coordinating with parents and external agencies when necessary
Briefing senior management on sensitive cases
Overseeing and updating staff training
Reviewing the policy annually and submitting a report to management
Managing the Confidential Record of Concern
Responsibilities Chart
Specific Responsibility
Job Title
Role
Managing all cases and overseeing the system
Determined by Senior Management
Primary Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Assumes the duties of the Primary Safeguarding Lead in their absence
Determined by Senior Management
Backup Safeguarding Lead
Strategic oversight — receiving reports against the DSL
Chief Executive Officer
Chief Operating Officer
Identifying indicators and immediate reporting
All Teaching Staff Members
Teacher / Staff Member
2. Responsibilities of Teachers and Staff
Full understanding of and adherence to this policy
Documenting any concerning observation with date and signature immediately upon occurrence
Maintaining confidentiality: teachers only share information with those who need to know
Not conducting independent investigations or questioning the student
Immediately reporting any concerns regarding student safety to the Safeguarding Lead
3. Responsibilities of Parents/Guardians
Immediately reporting any concerns regarding their children's safety
Cooperating with school procedures without interfering with the investigation process
Ensuring a suitable and safe learning environment for the student at home
Not sharing lesson conversations or clips on social media
7. Reporting and Response Procedures
1. Listening to the Student — Practical Guidelines
When a student discloses or hints, the staff member must:
Listen attentively without interruption or disapproval
Ask only open-ended questions that do not require a yes or no answer
Not interpret the student's statements or suggest alternative narratives
Record the student's statements as verbatim as possible, including time, place, and names of witnesses
Inform the student that what they say will only be shared with those who need to know to protect them
Sign and date the report immediately upon completion
No staff member may promise a student absolute confidentiality
2. Internal Reporting Pathway
The report follows this pathway:
Action and Duration
Party
Step
Document concerns immediately and refer them to the Safeguarding Lead within 24 hours
Teacher / Staff Member
1
Urgent initial assessment and determination of risk level within 24 hours
Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
2
Determine course of action: internal or external referral
Safeguarding Lead + Management
3
In cases of immediate danger: refer to competent authorities immediately without delay
Senior Management
4
3. Four Outcomes of the Initial Assessment
Student in immediate danger → Urgent referral to competent authorities without delay
Allegation of a crime → Report to relevant legal authorities and involve the police
Inappropriate conduct by staff member not amounting to abuse → Internal disciplinary procedures
Unsubstantiated report → Document decision and reasons, and file it
4. Immediate Reporting in Case of Danger
If a student is in immediate danger, any staff member has the right to report to the competent authorities immediately without waiting for the Safeguarding Lead, while informing the Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible.
8. Digital Safety and Protection in the Online Environment
1. Controls for Synchronous Video Lessons
Staff are prohibited from recording any personal video of students without official consent from the Safeguarding Lead and parental knowledge.
Waiting Rooms are always enabled — no one enters without permission.
Teachers are not permitted to have private conversations with a student without official consent from the Safeguarding Lead and parental knowledge.
All lessons are recorded and stored for a minimum of six months.
2. Controls for Electronic Communication
When communicating with a minor: the parent/guardian must be included in the conversation.
Responses to student messages only during official working hours.
Staff are prohibited from communicating with students via personal social media accounts without official consent from the Safeguarding Lead and parental knowledge.
The use of private messages outside the platform (WhatsApp, Messenger) is prohibited.
Communication between staff and students must only occur via the official platform (LMS).
3. Monitoring and Filtering
School administration regularly monitors chat content on the platform.
Any concerning content is immediately reported to the Safeguarding Lead.
The sharing of any untrusted external links within the platform is prohibited.
9. Allegations Against Staff
1. Principle of Seriousness and Fairness
Every allegation against a staff member is taken with utmost seriousness, regardless of their position. The principles of speed, integrity, and fairness are followed in handling such cases.
2. Course of Action
If the accused is a regular staff member: the DSL and the Director are informed.
If the accused is the DSL themselves: the Executive Director is informed directly.
If the accused is the Executive Director: the highest institutional oversight body is informed.
The Executive Director has the right to provisionally suspend the accused staff member pending the investigation's resolution, without prejudging innocence or guilt.
Staff members are not to be investigated by their colleagues — an impartial party is called upon when needed.
10. Peer-on-Peer Abuse
Children are capable of harming each other. Peer-on-peer abuse is real and cannot be justified as a normal part of growing up or joking.
Verbal violence or intimidation through communication channels
Upon discovering any case: the affected child's opinion is considered, standard reporting procedures are applied, and the behavior and discipline policy is reviewed.
11. Whistleblowing
International Generation School provides a secure channel for any staff member who believes that a colleague's or official's conduct poses a risk to student safety, regardless of whether the case has been adequately addressed by management.
Reports are protected from any administrative or disciplinary repercussions.
Anonymous reporting is possible through the dedicated channel.
Reporting in good faith is a moral and institutional duty — failure to report is an error.
12. Safe Recruitment
All new teachers and staff undergo background checks before appointment.
Submission of proof of no criminal convictions, including those affecting children.
External collaborators are subject to the same conditions before any interaction with students.
Every new staff member signs an acknowledgment of this policy.
13. Training and Awareness
Frequency
Training Type
Target Audience
Within one week of appointment
Introduction to Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
All New Staff
At least annually
Regular updates and alerts via LMS
All Staff
Annually
Specialized Training in Case Management
Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
Annually
Digital Safety and Identifying Indicators
Teachers
Beginning of each academic year
Awareness Workshops and Guidance Materials
Parents/Guardians
14. Record Keeping and Confidentiality
All reports and procedures are recorded in the Confidential Record of Concern.
Records are maintained by the school administration in an encrypted and restricted-access manner.
Only the DSL, Executive Management, and the Governing Body have access to the records.
Record retention period: no less than five years or until the student reaches 25 years of age, whichever is longer.
When a student transfers to another school: a summary of the case is confidentially sent to the receiving school.
15. Educating Students on a Culture of Protection
The school integrates concepts of personal and digital safety into its curriculum in an age-appropriate manner for each stage:
Nursery: Distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable touch — a child's right to say no.
Grades 1-3: Basic online safety — how to ask for help.
Grades 4-6: Cyberbullying and privacy protection — digital trust.
Grades 7-8: Digital exploitation — dealing with strangers online — ethical responsibility.
16. Review and Update
This policy is reviewed annually at the beginning of each academic year.
It is reviewed immediately in case of a significant change in the school's structure or accreditation requirements.
An annual report on safeguarding cases and their outcomes is submitted to senior management.
Participants in the review include: the Safeguarding Lead and the Executive Director.
