Online Safety

We are committed to ensuring that all those who work with children, including their parents/carers and families, are informed about the ever-changing risks so that they can take an active part in helping children and young people navigate the online world safely and confidently. This is part of our safeguarding responsibility.

Online Safety is taught to all children as part of the curriculum and is reinforced whenever the children use IT. The use of the internet in school is strictly filtered by our internet service provider and the tightest security is in place at all times. Staff are aware that some children may require additional support or teaching, including reminders, prompts and further explanation to reinforce their knowledge and understanding of online safety issues.

We recognise that internet and digital technologies provide a good opportunity for children to learn and play but they also need to understand the challenges and risks. The digital world is an amazing place, but with few rules. It is vast and fast moving and young people’s future economic success is highly likely to be dependent on their online skills and reputation.

It may feel daunting for parents to talk about staying safe online – especially when your children are using the internet differently to you. If, as a parent you are struggling to keep up with the things your child is doing online, you might wonder whether what they are doing is safe, and you might also be thinking how I can be as good a parent online as I am offline.

Smartphone Free Childhood

"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending" C.S. Lewis 

What is Smartphone Free Childhood?

Smartphone Free Childhood is a national parent-led movement sparked by concerns about smartphone and social media use amongst children.

It aims to give families a genuine choice about the age at which they allow their child to have a smartphone. Through collective action - in the form of signing a voluntary pledge - parents can be reassured that their child will no longer be ‘the odd one out’ if they don’t have a smartphone.

As well as co-ordinating efforts in this school,  the school works with other agencies to help change the norm around child smartphone.

Are smartphones really so bad?

The body of evidence linking smartphone (and social media) use amongst children with poorer mental health grows by the day. This short video summarises many of the concerns:

A Stolen Childhood (Main film) https://youtu.be/5Zhfd0jW7iY Watch time:11:24 minutes.

How is unlimited internet and/or social media access affecting our children's sense of well-being?

Current research suggests that the messages they receive during these formative years can shape our children's beliefs about themselves and the world around them - sometimes adversely affecting their mental health.

We encourage parents, carers and family members to read the information on the links below. Please contact the school if you need any more help.

https://smartphonefreechildhood.co.uk/

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/#guides

https://swgfl.org.uk/resources/online-safety-guidance-for-parents/

https://swgfl.org.uk/services/swiggle/