Online Safety

Online safety is an integral part of children’s education in today’s digital world and is embedded in their learning at school. We also want to help our parents and children improve their own understanding of online safety issues so they can learn to use the internet and all digital media in a safe and secure way.

 

You can download the Dept for Education (DofE) advice for parents on cyberbullying here

You can access the DofE online parents support website called Parent Info here

 

 

At Home

As a parent you'll know how important the internet is to children - they use it to learn, play, socialise and express themselves.  It's a highly creative place of amazing opportunities.  Nonetheless the technology children use every day can seem a bit daunting and you might worry about the risks your child can face online - such as bullying, contact from strangers or the possibility of them seeing illegal or inappropriate content. 

 

You can help protect your children online and decrease the risks that they face whilst using the internet.  Here are some conversation starter ideas from www.childnet.com

 

• Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online.
• Ask them about how they stay safe online. What tips do they have for you, and where did they learn them? What is OK and not OK to share?
• Ask them if they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy settings and how to report or block on the services they use.
• Encourage them to help. Perhaps they can show you how to do something better online or they might have a friend who would benefit from their help and support.
• Think about how you use the internet as a family. What could you do to get more out of the internet together and further enjoy your lives online.

 

Parent Resources

To try and help parents with the fast moving and changing world of internet and social media we've suggested a few internet sites, listed below, which have some fantastic resources that contain information on different types of social media and how to help keep children safe.

Childnet have also produced a leaflet for parents which you can download here. 

We also subscribe to a monthly Online Safety Newsletter copies of which, along with additional resources, can be found below.

Online activity can be monitored via your broadband provider to ensure that your child stays safe on the internet. Go Compare have produced helpful information about this which can be viewed here.

 

At School

As part of your child’s curriculum and the development of computer skills, we provide access to the internet in lessons when required. We strongly believe that the use of the web and email is hugely worthwhile and an essential tool for children as they grow up in the modern world.  Because there are always concerns about children having access to undesirable materials, we have taken positive steps to deal with this risk in school. Our school internet access provider operates a filtering system that restricts access to inappropriate materials. 

 

Each class discusses how we can all stay safe online and the dangers we may face whilst using the internet.  We then ask every child in Key Stage 2 to sign an Acceptable Use Agreement so that we know they have read and understood our school's rules on staying safe.  We also have an Acceptable Use Agreement for our younger children in Reception and Key Stage 1.

 

Click here for our Online Safety and Acceptable Use Policy.

 

Below is a link to additional Online Safety information made available as part of our Learning at Home resources.