Online Safety

Our whole school approach to the safe use of ICT

Creating a safe ICT learning environment includes three main elements at this school:

• • An effective range of technological tools
  • Policies and procedures, with clear roles and responsibilities
  • Digital Literacy teaching is embedded into the school curriculum and schemes of work

e-Safety at Kelloe Primary School

 

 

 

 

 

 

We want to make sure the message we get across is that the internet can be a very creative, entertaining and useful tool to help aid children’s learning. Although there are risks that children need to be made aware of we focus on being proactive and looking at what we can do to make the internet a safer place.

Digital literacy lessons in the past have included; creating slogans and banners to get important messages across, we have made personal pledges to help others on the internet and we have become cyber chefs and cooked up recipes for the perfect internet.

We hope parents will take note of the following recommendations:

• Parents need to check games and make sure they are suitable for their child’s age
• Put computers in a family area where you can check how long they are on the computer and what they are accessing
• Give a reasonable time limit for being on the computer (e.g. 45 minutes for Year 5/6) Children do need to do other things in “real life“ and not just in a “virtual world”
• Talk to children about the advantages and the dangers of the internet
• Check on messages and texts which could be considered “cyber bullying“

Children are growing up in a world with a bigger range of online activities than ever before and it is sometimes very hard for both children and adults to know how to stay safe.

Parents/Online Safety Information

Most parents will want to reduce the risks to their children, and remembering to set parental controls can reduce the risks to children, and reduce the risk to parents when children accidentally spend online money!   The internet matters website explains this quite well. Online safety is not just about protecting children from some of the dangers of the internet – it is also about helping them manage their use of technology and most of the parental controls allow adults to set a maximum time for the use of a device or app.

Internet Matters is a site paid for by many British companies.  It has a lot of good advice on adding parental controls as well as on most aspects of online safety. Parental controls will only help keep children safe.  The best safety feature that a child has is their parent or carer.  Take the time to talk to your child about the apps and games they are using and don’t be afraid to say no sometimes!

The range of online apps changes on a regular basis and the NSPCC have a site called Net Aware.   This provides unbiased up-to-date information on current apps and sites along with advice to parents about dealing with issues.

The NSPCC have teamed up with O2 to provide advice to parents and have a free helpline on 0808 800 5002.  They will also give support in any O2 shop – you do not have to be an O2 customer.

ThinkUKnow is the website aimed at children and their parents from the National Crime Agency.  It has lots of useful suggestions and advice on how to report issues.  It also has lots of games and activities including Jessie and Friends for the younger children and Band Runner for the older ones.

For the youngest children being tricked into sharing pictures can be an issue.  LGfL have produced a lovely free video which has some great advice and a very catchy song!

Many children will at times suffer from online bullying.  It is really important that they have someone they can talk to and know that it is not acceptable.  Most apps and sites will have systems inn place that allow bullying to be reported.  Your child’s school may be able to help.

Children can call Childline on 0800 1111  for advice on anything that is worrying them.

Finally since 2015 is has been a criminal offence for an adult to send a message with sexual content to a child (This is Section  67  of  the  Serious  Crime  Act  2015).   If you are concerned that this might have happened please contact The Police without further using the device.  This will help ensure that evidence can be preserved.  The Police can be contacted by phone or from the ThinkUKnow website.

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