Being online is an integral part of children and young people’s lives. Social media, online games, websites and apps can be accessed through mobile phones, computers, laptops and tablets – all of which form a part of children and young people’s online world.
The internet and online technology provides new opportunities for young people’s learning and growth, but it can also expose them to new types of risks.
E-safety should form a fundamental part of schools’ safeguarding and child protection measures. Schools have a dual responsibility when it comes to e-safety: to ensure the school’s online procedures keep children and young people safe, and to teach them about online safety, in and outside of school.
Our school fosters an open environment in which children and young people are encouraged to ask any questions and participate in an ongoing conversation about the benefits and dangers of the online world.
Online safety can be daunting for parents and carers, as they may have concerns about their understanding of the topic and their knowledge of latest developments. We remind our parents that e-safety is more about their parenting and communication skills than technology.
Parents should understand that it isn’t enough to protect children from online harms by simply banning sites or installing firewalls and filters. We encourage parents and carers to maintain an open and ongoing discussion about online safety at home/as a family/with their children. To support parents, please see below a list of key websites:
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 online world.
THINKUKNOW The "Thinkuknow" website is brought to you by The Child Exploitation and Online protection (CEOP) centre. It is a guide to online safety for young people. It offers e-safety advice and resources for children and parents.
INTERNET MATTERSInternet 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.
ASK ABOUT GAMES Ask About Games provides details on PEGI ratings, parental controls and advice on video games. It aims to answer questions parents and players may have about video game ratings and provide advice on how to game responsibly and get the most of them for their family.
PARENT ZONE ParentZone is an online site devoted to providing expert information to families and schools. They check and provide a range of issues with the aim of improving outcomes for children in a digital world.
THE INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION The Internet Watch Foundation works internationally with the internet industry, police and governments to remove inappropriate content from the web. It can be used for reporting criminal online content in the UK.
COMMON SENSE MEDIACommon Sense Media provides valuable information for parents to enable them to make smart media choices for the family. It provides unbiased information on educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites, books and music.
CHILDLINE Childline provides free advice and information to those aged 18 years and below, including advice on 'online and mobile safety'. Childline also provides the 'zipit' app for iOS and android devices. The app aims to help young people respond safely to requests for inappropriate images by sending back a 'joke image.
O2 KeEEPING KIDS SAFE ONLINE The internet is an amazing place. Kids can play, learn, create and connect. But there are also risks. That’s why we’re here to help.
If you need any more information about e-safety and how to keep your child safe online, or have any questions or worries – please speak to your child’s teacher for further support.