Using photos

A picture tells a thousand words 

Aim to load a great photo to the NSW Education Parent App with each good news story. Great photos grab people’s attention and leave lasting impressions – think 'happy students engaged in learning’.

Hints and tips for using images

• Invest in a digital camera or mobile phone for the school that takes high quality photos and nominate a photographer if you can from your staff

• Take creative or unusual photos that tell the story – look at a range of newspapers for inspiration 

• Ask subjects to look at the camera where appropriate – eye contact really engages the audience/reader

• Avoid having the whole class in the photo. Effective photos have a clear subject and seldom more than four people 

• Every photo should have a short caption with subjects identified. Be sure to have parental permission for any students photographed for The Parent App and your school website

• When staff take photographs and video recordings at school excursions and school events, they should use a school device.  If a personal device is used the photographs should be uploaded to a school device and deleted from the personal device as soon as reasonably practicable.  

Parental permission for students featured in good news stories

Students, their parents and school staff should consent to being identified in any good news story promoted via any official school communication channel, including the Parent App.

Parental permission is necessary for students to be photographed and referred to by name in a good news story. Most schools organise blanket permission at the start of the year. This covers all promotional opportunities from school website to newsletter, social media and so on. The school enrolment form also asks parents to give consent for this.