What is new and improved?
In November 2019 the 360-degree safe tool will be 10 years old. There have been many updates to the content in those 10 years, but the structure has remained unchanged.
Online tools and behaviours have changed significantly and we feel it is time for the structure of the tool to reflect these developments. In doing this, we will introduce new features to help you save time, work more efficiently and meet your statutory obligations.
We will be launching the new version of the tool in the spring of 2020 with these improvements:
- Fewer aspects – there will be 21 aspects in place of the current 28, saving you time on your review
- Improved graphics helping you visualise your data
- Improved navigation around the tool
- Better reporting giving you improved insights into the quality of your online safety provision and how it compares with national benchmarks.
How will the old aspects map to the new?
Please refer to the table below to see how the old aspects map to the new. The old aspects marked in bold denote which aspect data will be copied to the new merged aspect:
| Policy and Leadership | Responsibility | Online Safety Group | ‣ | Online Safety Group |
| Online Safety Responsibilities | ‣ | Online safety responsibilities | ||
| Governors | ||||
| Policies | Acceptable Use | ‣ | Acceptable use | |
| Policy development | ‣ | Online safety policy | ||
| Policy Scope | ||||
| Whole School | ||||
| Reporting | ‣ | Reporting and responding | ||
| Strategies for managing unacceptable use | ||||
| Self-Evaluation | ‣ | Self-Evaluation | ||
| Communications & Communications Technologies | Digital & video images | ‣ | Digital & video images | |
| Social media | ‣ | Social media | ||
| Mobile Technology | ‣ | Mobile technology | ||
| Professional standards | ‣ | Professional standards | ||
| Public Online Communications | ‣ | Online publishing | ||
| Infrastructure | Passwords | Password Security | ‣ | Technical Security |
| Services | Technical Security | |||
| Filtering and Monitoring | ‣ | Filtering | ||
| ‣ | Monitoring | |||
| Data Protection | ‣ | Data Security | ||
| Education | Children & Young People | Digital Literacy | ‣ | Online Safety Education |
| Online Safety Education | ||||
| Contribution of Young People | ‣ | Contribution of Young People | ||
| Staff | Staff Training | ‣ | Staff Training | |
| Governors | Governor Training | ‣ | Governor Training | |
| Parents & Carers | Parental Engagement | ‣ | Families | |
| Community | Community Engagement | ‣ | Agencies | |
| Standards and Inspection | Monitoring | Monitoring & Recording of OS safety incidents | ‣ | Outcomes – Impact of online safety and practice |
| Impact of the online safety policy and practice |
How does it affect you?
Your levels and commentaries will be transferred to the new tool. Where aspects have been merged or removed this data will be transferred from the nearest equivalent aspect to make the process easier for you. You will, in the new tool, be able to access a report of your levels and commentaries as they existed in the old structure at the time of the update.
Online Safety Mark benchmark levels will be adjusted so that in future they will all be at level 2. Level statements will be adjusted, meaning that in most aspects the standard required to reach the benchmark will remain the same. For a few aspects e.g. data protection, the required benchmark standards will be higher due to changes in legislation or statutory guidance.
What you should do next?
After launch, visit the new improved tool and check your review
We would encourage all schools to re-visit the tool after the update to check that the levels and commentaries they have provided are still accurate and to ensure that their practice still meets statutory guidance.
If you are applying for the Online Safety Mark, you can be assessed based on previous criteria
If your school applies for the Online Safety Mark after November 2019, you will have the option to be assessed against the previous criteria until March 31st 2020. After that date all assessments will be against the new Online Safety benchmark levels
Further information will be provided prior to the launch, but if you would like any further information or have questions about the upcoming changes, please get in touch.
