Online Safety
Our pupils are growing up in a world of ever-changing technology. While we feel that the use of technology is a largely positive aspect of modern life, we cannot ignore the risks that can be associated.
Throughout school we aim to teach children:
• about the impact of cyber-bullying and what to do if they have been affected.
• to be vigilant when communicating online recognising that people may not always be who they say they are and to be sensible about what they share.
• to tell an adult they trust if something is upsetting them.
• to question the reliability of information given through a web based source.
• to search responsibly for information while using internet browsers.
We understand that much of our pupil's use of the internet will occur at home, away from the school filters.
Below are a list of useful websites, advice and resources that you may find helpful when navigating the issue of online safety with your child.
Search engines
Please note that no search engine is ever 100% safe but below provides some links to some “safer” search engines:
Research searching
Image searching
Gaming
When children are accessing games via Xbox LIVE, privacy settings can be set up. To read more, click here.
Websites for more information
Please click on the title to go to the relevant site.
CEOP (The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) delivers a multi-agency service dedicated to tackling the abuse and exploitation of children in the real and ‘e’ world. Often it is referred to as an online 999. By clicking on the button, young people and parents can get advice on a range of issues such as viruses, hacking and dealing with bullying online.
The “Thinkuknow” website is brought to you by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) centre.
Childnet (formally KidSMART) gives you lots of advice on how to stay safe online.
New e-Safety Portal for Parents and Schools – Internet Matters
Internet Matters is a new online portal designed for parents to access simple, easy and practical advice about online safety for their children, right through from pre-school to teens. It provides tips on protecting children from online grooming, cyberbullying, privacy and identity theft and inappropriate content. Internet Matters is a not-for profit organisation set up by BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media.
ParentINFO is a collaboration between ParentZone and CEOP. There are useful guides and articles on helping your child stay safe online.
Resources
Online Safety Policy 2022-2023