Head of School Message, Term 3, Week 6 2026
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
The Research-Informed Principles to Guide Social Media Use in Education published by Australian academics in March 2026 examines how schools use social media to share student learning and celebrate school life. While social media platforms help strengthen connections between school, families and the broader community the March 2026 report reminds us of the importance of balancing community engagement with children's privacy, digital rights and long-term digital footprints.
Sharing student images online is something which our school has given careful attention to in 2026 and in recent editions of Dhanara we’ve shared some updates on how we are recalibrating some of our past practices. We are also taking guidance on this matter from the eSafety Commissioner in Australia so we align with best practice in this area of sharing student learning and school life in the digital era.
The key message is simple: schools should be intentional, transparent and respectful when sharing student images and information online. This includes obtaining informed consent, minimising identifying details, involving students in age-appropriate conversations about their digital presence and ensuring images are stored and managed responsibly. You may notice our content sharing will start to look different on our school’s website and social media accounts. We will continue to be more considered about images used including any identifying information in our public sharing, particularly the youngest students.
As digital technologies become increasingly embedded in education, the report provides a timely reminder that modelling responsible digital citizenship is a shared responsibility between schools, families and students. The school needs families to commit to modelling responsible use and discuss the importance of digital citizenship. Celebrating learning remains important, but doing so thoughtfully helps protect and empower young people in an increasingly connected world.
The report encourages parents and carers to:
Understand how their child's information and images are being used online by them, in your personal or non-school social media accounts.
Discuss digital privacy and consent with their children.
Review and update consent preferences in any social media accounts when needed.
Support responsible photo-sharing practices at school events and activities.
The overall message is not that schools should stop sharing student learning and achievements. Rather, schools, families and students should work together to ensure social media use is purposeful, respectful, transparent and protective of children's digital rights and privacy while continuing to celebrate the life of the school community.
