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Junior School

3-11 years

Senior School

11-16 years

Sixth Form

16-18 years

Online Safety

Sixth Form students using computers

 

In today’s interconnected world, where technology plays an integral role in our lives, ensuring the safety of our children online is paramount. As a school, we recognise the importance of equipping our community with the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves in the digital landscape.

The internet offers incredible opportunities for learning, communication, and entertainment. However, it also presents risks, especially for young users. From cyberbullying to exposure to inappropriate content, navigating the online world can be challenging. As parents, your role is crucial in fostering a safe and secure online environment for your children.

Pupils in Computer Science

Online Safety Provision

Our online safety curriculum is delivered through many avenues across the school. Pupils are taught in dedicated lessons in subjects such as Computing and Life studies. They also receive information and guidance through the pastoral curriculum including in form time, assemblies and initiatives such as Safer Internet Day.

We are proud of the work we do in collaboration with our pupils and have a dedicated student led team of digital leaders, who are involved in various aspects of the schools’ online safety strategies including running assemblies, discussing current issues and producing materials.

Resources And Information

It is important to have regular conversations about staying safe online and to encourage children to speak to you if they come across something worrying online.

Talk to your child about the importance of creating a safe online environment, including keeping any log-in details and passwords safe.

These resources will support you to talk to your child about a range of online safety issues, set up home filtering in a child-friendly way and set up age-appropriate parental controls on digital devices.

INEQE Safeguarding Group have created a fantastic set of resources to share guidance and information on everything from online relationships to popular social media platforms.

Below are other fantastic sources of information:

You can also report any harmful content found online through the UK Safer Internet Centre.

SWGfL Report Harmful Content

The Report Harmful Content (RHC) button is an asset of SWGfL, a charity working internationally to ensure all benefit from technology, free from harm.

The button has been developed to offer anyone living in the UK a simple and convenient mechanism for gaining access to reporting routes for commonly used social networking sites, gaming platforms, apps and streaming services alongside trusted online safety advice, help and support. It also provides access to an online mechanism for reporting online harm to the RHC service for those over the age of 13 where an intial report has been made to industry but no action has been taken. RHC will review content in line with a sites’ community standards and act in a mediatory capacity where content goes against these.

Children under 13 years of age are encouraged to tell an adult that they trust about what has happened and to ask for their help in reporting this going through the how we can help resource together.

RHC also have advice and links to reporting routes for other online harms people may come across or face, such as impersonation, privacy violations and intimate image abuse.

The RHC button provides a gateway to the RHC reporting pages, an area of the RHC website offering:

  • links to reporting routes on commonly used sites for 8 types of online harm
  • help, advice and support on what to do if experiencing or witnessing harm online
  • signposting to industry partners reporting forms and the ability to report legal but harmful content directly to RHC for further investigation

Reporting to RHC

Reports can be made 24/7 through the online reporting forms and helpline practitioners will review and respond to reports within 72 hours between 10am and 4pm Monday to Friday.

Reports can be made to RHC by anyone over the age of 13. SWGfL operates three helplines and to be sure you’re getting the right support take a look at the Helpline flowchart to find out who can best support you.

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. The SafeToNet Foundation is providing UK families with free-for-life access to SafeToNet during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Support For Children

If your child is worried or needs support, they can get advice and support from Childline (0800 1111) or download the ‘For Me’ app.