E-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 e-safety issues so they can learn to use the internet and all digital media in a safe and secure way.

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

Acceptable Use

The children have all agreed to a School 360 Acceptable Use Policy which we have added below with some simple rules about how to keep safe online. As we move toward more online learning, we have also added an image which shows children how to report something to their teacher that they see online that they are unsure of or concerned about.

Guidance and Information for Parents and Carers

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.  But 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 download a simple checklist below that may help you start to protect your children online and decrease the risks they face.  Or you can engage with your children regarding their use of the internet while at home.  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 at the bottom of this page which are fantastic resources, They contain information on different types of social media and how to help keep children safe.

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

At School

As part of your child’s curriculum and the development of computer skills, we provide access to the internet only in teacher supervised lessons. 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. But 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.

At the start of the school year, each class discusses how we can all stay safe online and the dangers we may face on the internet.  We  have an Acceptable Use Agreement for all our children and spend time at the start of each term refreshing the principles and practices of staying safe 0n-line.

Internet Safety Resources

There is a great new online safety tool designed for parents launched by the Department for Education called Parent Info.  It’s has advice on everything from keeping children safe from online trolls to WhatsApp – a guide for parents.

Childnet International

Childnet is a great website resource for parents and children on online safety.  Click here to watch an interactive video on how to keep your child safer online.

Internet Matters is another great site to use – it has advice on cyberbullying, how to talk to  your children about internet safety and quick guides to different types of social media such as Instagram and Snapchat.  You can visit their pages here Internet Matters.

Here are quick links to a range of Internet safety sites that you may find useful too…

• ThinkUKnow‘ by the National Crime Agency – resources for parents and carers and children of all ages to help keep children safe online
  
• ‘ThinkUKnow’ Game – a game all about internet safety.
  
• UK Safer Internet Centre has tips and advice for parents and carers to keep children safe online – you can also report any harmful content found online through the UK Safer Internet Centre
  
• Internet Matters
  
• CEOP Police
• The NSPCC has released their ‘Share Aware’ campaign that helps educate about how to stay safe online.
• Check out this useful website from Tigermobile about how parents can protect their children on their smartphones.
  
• NSPCC’s Net Aware is a great website to visit to check out safety information about a range of different apps and programs that your child may be using.
  
• Vodafone Digital Parenting Magazine
  
• CHILDNET has developed guidance for parents and carers to begin a conversation about online safety, as well as guidance on keeping under-fives safe online
  
• KIDSMART
  
• DIGIZEN
• There are also a range of E-Safety resources available for children to use through School360 using their username and password.
• KIDREX is a good place for children to search the internet safely.
  
• DINOPASS helps children create safe passwords for themselves.
  
• Parents’ Guide to Age Ratings explains how the British Board of Film Classification rates content, and gives parents advice on choosing online content well

Risks you or your child might face online 

Radicalising Content

If you are concerned that any family member, friend or loved one is being radicalised, you can call the police or 101 to get advice or make a Prevent referral, so that they can get safeguarding support.

Support is tailored to the individual and works in a similar way to safeguarding processes designed to protect people from gangs, drug abuse, and physical and sexual exploitation.

Receiving support through Prevent is voluntary, confidential and not a form of criminal sanction.

If you need more help, you can also contact your local authority safeguarding team.

• Educate Against Hate Parents’ Hub – resources and government advice for parents and carers on keeping young people safe from extremism, including online
  
• •Let’s Talk About It – support for parents and carers to keep children safe from online radicalisation
• any member of the public can report terrorist content they find online through the GOV.UK referral tool – more information about what to report and what happens when you do can be found on the Action Counters Terrorism campaign

Cyberbullying

If you are concerned about cyberbullying, you can find government advice and information about how you can protect your childand tackle it if it happens.

Other inappropriate areas 

If you are worried about your child sending images or videos, NSPCC provides advice to help you understand the risks and support your child.

If your child has shared images, Thinkuknow by NCA-CEOP provides advice on talking to your child and where to get help.

Age inappropriate content and parental controls 

If you have downloaded new apps or bought new technology to help stay connected at this time, remember to review and adjust privacy and safety settings if you or your child is signing up to a new online service.

• Internet Matters – offers step by step guides for setting parental controls so that you can control what content your child can access online
• the UK Safer Internet Centre has guidance on how to switch on family-friendly filters to prevent age-inappropriate content being accessed on devices in your home
• the NSPCC has more information for parents or carers with concerns about their child seeking inappropriate or explicit content online.

Apps to help children stay safe online

The BBC has a website and app called Own It. The website helps children navigate their online lives, and the free smartphone app comes with a special keyboard which can intervene with help and support in the moments that children need it the most. It can be downloaded for free in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

SafeToNet is an app for parents to help them protect their children from online risks like cyberbullying and sexting, while respecting their child’s rights to privacy.