Highfield School removes student photos to improve online safety

Highfield School, an independent nursery, pre-prep, and prep school in Liphook, East Hampshire, has implemented a new policy to remove identifiable images of children from its website and social media platforms. Effective from September, the policy ensures that pupils' faces will no longer appear on public digital channels to protect them from the risks of online image manipulation and misuse.

Headteacher Suzannah Cryer stated that the decision is driven by the principle that “safeguarding comes first,” noting that protecting a child's identity is a vital part of their overall protection in a changing digital world. To continue documenting school life, the institution will instead use photographs taken from a distance or close-ups where individual children cannot be identified.

Director of marketing and communications Caroline Beldham emphasized that the school is not ceasing to celebrate school life, but is instead being “more intentional” about public sharing to ensure no identifiable images are used on digital platforms.