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Photography / Videography In School

Hello Parents,

Further to my letter dated 3rd December 2010 (shown below) you can register your desire NOT to have your child filmed in plays etc or photos used in school publications such as newsletters or the internet (school website.) You will need to register a new return for September 2011, please.

Ideally we would like to be able to use these media - and if we do - we assure you we will do so using safe internet practices. Nevertheless, if you choose to make the decision to request no use, we respect that decision.

Please ONLY complete the form below (or the tear off slip form the paper copy that has been sent home) if you don't wish to have your child filmed for use in DVDs produced from school plays, assemblies etc.

Thanks very much indeed for your help. We absolutely respect you wishes in this matter.

Photography / Videography In School

3^rd December 2010

Dear Parents,

Its coming round to the season of Christmas Plays etc again - which is absolutely lovely! The children have been working very hard for their plays and assemblies and there is much to celebrate. It brings "into focus" the question of photographing and videoing events that take place in school.

A small number of parents over the years have expressed a preference for photographs and video of their children not to be used in videos and material such as newsletters and school websites etc. We absolutely respect that wish. We do also recognise, however, the wish amongst other parents to have a record of your children's landmark school events such as assemblies and plays. Additionally we feel some parents might not have meant to exclude from school plays (perhaps wishing to have reassurances about the integrity of internet safety etc.) or may have simply reconsidered.

With that in mind I am proposing a potential solution: Usually with plays and assemblies there is more than one performance of the event held, including practices that take place in school / church beforehand.

Recognising the rights of individual parents I would firstly state categorically we would never prevent a child from having a part in any of this kind of work on the grounds of whether or not they have permission to be included in a video.

I do feel, however, that it is reasonable to have a version of the play filmed with a "video excluded" individual, who cannot be filmed, substituted with another child for that particular performance (or in certain cases with some limited electronic pixelation to hide a child's identity.)

In the interest of establishing your current feeling on the matter I have included a return slip on the bottom of this letter. Please ONLY use the return slip if you do not wish your child to be filmed. You can also register this preference in a new section of the website (or if you prefer do both - if you wish to make sure.) If you do wish to confirm this wish, we would be very grateful if you send your return by paper or online as soon as possible - and no later than Tuesday 7^th December for Reception and Year 2 parents and Friday 10^th December for all other Year Groups.

For the record - for reasons of safety we wouldn't use photographs / video with children's names without seeking specific permission first (eg for use in local newspapers for particular celebrations.) Within school we do need to occasionally use photographs and video as a record of work and for assessment purposes. We are very mindful of good internet safety practice.

In the interests of transparency - I don't wish to be disingenuous. We do intend to sell (at reasonable cost) copies of DVDs of plays / assemblies etc. to families as a record of your children's involvement. We are working towards a goal of a set of class laptops for every year group in the school to help accelerate learning and the funds raised will contribute greatly towards this.

If any parent would like to comment on this matter, please feel free to use the Feedback Form on the website (in the Parents Area of the site.)

Yours faithfully

J. M. White

Headteacher

Video / Photography Exclusion Form

Please complete each section ONLY if you do not wish your child to be included in DVDs of plays / assemblies, or photographs used in school publications such as newsletters or the school website.

Child's Name:

Child's Class Teacher's Name(s) :

I do not wish my child to be filmed for use in DVDs or photographs to be used for school publications such as newsletters or the school website.

E Signature of parent / carer (please type your name)

Mobile Phone Number of Parents registered with school (We won't ring you about this - this is just to confirm that you are the child's parent / carer - and prevent mischievous completion of these forms)

Thanks very much for your help on this matter. Please click the "submit" button below - and you should get a confirmation of your form which you can print.

If you wish to send a comment to school about this or any other matter, please feel free to use the Feedback Form