Online Safety

Online Safety at Stratford-sub-Castle Primary School

We expect everyone to be responsible for one’s own behaviour, to make appropriate choices, to accept the consequences of one’s behaviour and to behave appropriately in different situations and surroundings.  This includes routine and non-routine situations, highly-supervised and less supervised time, ‘real’ and ‘virtual’ life, including one’s online persona.   Internet access is designed expressly for educational use and includes filtering appropriate to the age of the school’s pupils so that pupils are supported and safeguarded in order to learn how to make appropriate choices.

Online safety cannot be ‘done’ through the occasional assembly or lesson. Pupils at Stratford-sub-Castle Primary School learn appropriate internet use and are given clear guide-lines for internet use.  Each year group has specific online-safety lessons which are outlined on the school curriculum map taken from National Curriculum.   It is also ‘drip-fed’ throughout the year across all age groups in response to the real-life safety issues being faced by pupils at any given time.  Every year we take part in ‘Safer Internet Day‘, the first Tuesday of February. Online-safety is not the preserve of computing, but is approached in a cross-curricular way.

Written permission from parents or carers is always obtained before pupils are allowed to use the internet.  The school keeps a record of all staff and pupils who have had internet access withdrawn.

Pupils are allowed to access only approved email accounts on the school system and must immediately tell a teacher if they receive offensive mail.  Pupils are taught that they must not reveal details of themselves or others in communications with people online; such as their address, telephone number, or arrange to meet anyone. Pupils understand that they are to use email in an acceptable way, follow internet safety rules and be banned from using the internet in serious breaches of the rules. The use of online chat is not permitted in school, other than as part of its online learning environment.

Each member of staff, governor and volunteers is briefed and signs a “Code of Conduct” which includes using ICT safely within school and outside of school. Each member of staff and governor follows the Acceptable Use Policy.  They are aware that it is their responsibility to remain professional / appropriate whilst using the Internet and other technology in and out of school.

Online Safety at Home - Useful Websites for Parents

Our children are online more than ever, and it is our job as educators, and your job as parents, to ensure they understand how to be safe online. Not sure where to start or don’t have much time? If you only do three things, we recommend:

  1. Check the settings on all devices that your children use see the NSPCC’s excellent guide on how to do this
  2. Aim for a balance of activities including time in the day when children have a break from screen time. Harold’s Daily Diary has lots of non-screen ideas for younger children.
  3. Talk to your child about safety. Explain that if something they experience online makes them confused or just feels wrong then they need to tell you about it straight away.

The following websites contain advice and guidance on other ways you can keep your child safe and educate them about the dangers online. This includes guidance on how to set restrictions on games and apps, and advice on screen time at home.

NSPCC – Working together to help prevent abuse and keep children and young people safe.
The NSPCC offer a wide range of resources to help parents, carers and others members of the community, to ensure that they are able to meet their safeguarding responsibilities:

  • NSPCC Helpline – Parents , carers and members of the public can contact the NSPCC helpline whenever they’re worried about a child by calling 0808 800 5000, emailing help@nspcc.org.uk, texting 88858* or contacting us online at nspcc.org.uk/helpline The helpline is free, available 24/7 and calls can be made anonymously. This service can also be used for general advice and guidance
  • Need-to-Know Guides – Further information on a range of issues can be accessed through a series of guides. These include leaving children home alone, holding babies safely, and spotting signs of abuse and neglect.
    www.nspcc.org.uk/leaflets
  • PANTS – The Underwear Rule: Talking PANTS teaches children important messages, like their body belongs to them and they should tell an adult if they’re upset or worried. Using age appropriate language, PANTS allows parents to have difficult conversations around sexual abuse without even mentioning the word ‘sex’.
    https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/underwear-rule/
  • ShareAware: The internet is a great place for children to be and ShareAware makes it safer. ShareAware provides straightforward, no-nonsense advice to help untangle the web and empowers parents and cares to have conversations with their children about staying safe online and through social media
    https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware/

Safer Internet Day

Further information on a range of issues.
https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2019/education-packs/activities-parents-and-carers

NetAware

Net Aware is an online tool that informs parents about the social networks, apps and games that children might be using. We looked at the frequency of inappropriate content, how robust and easy to find the privacy settings are, and why children like using the sites. We regularly update Net Aware with new apps, and parents can sign up to Net Aware newsletters to keep up with digital trends.
www.net-aware.org.uk

CEOP: Government National Crime Agency and Information/Education

Useful links from the main site include: “Think you Know? which provides information and guidance for different age brackets and parents and carers:
https://www.ceop.police.uk/
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk

“Digital Parenting” magazine online version

http://vodafonedigitalparenting.co.uk

Staying safe on Minecraft | ParentInfo:

http://parentinfo.org/article/staying-safe-on-minecraft

Parents Protect website provide useful guides for parents around online issues. The resources are provided by The Lucy Faithful Foundation: http://www.parentsprotect.co.uk/

A useful cartoon, created by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection agency (CEOPs), is particularly useful for younger children. You can see the cartoon on YouTube by clicking here

Below are links to useful websites related to online safety for adults and children, using parental controls and general tips and advice:

InternetMatters: www.internetmatters.org
Internet Matters is an independent, not-for-profit organisation to help parents keep their children safe online. A particularly useful link is the step-by-step guide to getting parental controls setup: www.internetmatters.org/controls/interactive-guide/

British Board of Film Classification (BBFC); classification of material: www.bbfc.co.uk

Age certification for games: www.pegi.info

Advice for parents, digital parenting sections with “how to” guides: www.theparentzone.co.uk

Online bullying advice: www.facebook.com/safety/bullying www.nspcc.org.uk/onlinesafety

Staying safe online: www.getsafeonline.org

Reporting inappropriate contact online: www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre