We need your help to keep your children safe on the internet. The school's internet access is extremely tightly controlled, but when children access the internet at home the same restrictions do not necessarily apply.
With the increasing use of technology in everyday life, it is essential that all children become confident and safe users of the internet and other technologies.
On this page you should find some useful links and tips for how to ensure you and your child are using the internet appropriately, and some websites to visit for advice.
Underpinning the curriculum, are the SMART rules which are reinforced in school:
Safe - Keep safe by being careful not to give out any personal information when you're chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number and password.
Meeting - Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents' or carers' permission and even then only when they can be present. Remember online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.
Accept - Accepting emails, IM messages, or opening files, pictures or texts from people you don't know or trust can lead to problems - they may contain viruses or nasty messages!
Reliable - Someone online may lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true. Always cross check information with other websites, books or someone who knows. If you like chatting online it's best to only chat to your real world friends and family
Tell - Tell your parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online.
Safer Internet Day 2023 will take place on the 7th of February 2023, with celebrations and learning based around the theme ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’.
https://www.vodafone.co.uk/mobile/digital-parenting
Useful Links for Parents
Advice by age:
Younger children need different advice and guidance than older children. Older children need different advice and guidance than teens. It can be really difficult keeping up with everything that is online and what risks and issues may affect children of different ages, so on these pages there is some age-related advice and guidance for parents and carers:
Pre-school - https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/0-5/
6 - 10 year olds - https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/6-10/
11 - 13 year olds - https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/11-13/
14 plus - https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/14plus/
Setting up devices:
It can be difficult knowing all the different settings that are available on different devices to help protect children, this includes allowing or disallowing chat, friends, spending money, content filters and much more. On these pages you will find the details, as well as non-technical instructions, which will help you understand what is available to you and how to set up your child's devices.
Gaming consoles and devices - https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/gaming-consoles/
Smartphones - https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/smartphones-and-other-devices/
Broadband and mobile networks - https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/broadband-mobile/
Entertainment and search engines - https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/entertainment-search-engines/
Safety/privacy settings on social media:
With many children and young people using social media it is important to understand what features are available to you to help protect your children. This is also important because for the most part, all privacy settings are default off when a new account is created, but also because some social media providers change their features quite frequently, e.g. TikTok.
Take a look at this link to see what is available to you and how to set up your child's social media. We would also advise doing this with your child so that you can discuss the features together.
https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/social-media/
Useful new features on YouTube and YouTube Kids
YouTube is hugely popular with all age groups but historically parents haven't had a lot of control over what their children can/cannot watch. But things have changed and YouTube now gives parents a greater degree of control. It isn't perfect but it is a step in the right direction. Take a look at the page below where you will see a few short videos of newer features that can help you on YouTube and YouTube Kids.
https://www.esafety-adviser.com/youtube-parental-restrictions/
Gaming
Finding good games, as well as knowing what is appropriate for the age of the child isn't easy, particularly when there can be lots of peer pressure to play the more popular games which are not always appropriate. Taming Gaming is a great resource for parents to find new games for children as well as lots of advice about content, suitability etc.
https://www.taminggaming.com/
Online safety factsheets
All the Safer Internet Day Resources you need can be found here: https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/
Platform Guides - parent guides for social media apps and platforms
Pokemon Go - Safer Internet Centre
Internet Provider Parental Controls
Internet Matters - advice from pre-school to teens
Cyberstreet - e-safety for the home & business
Vodafone Digital Parenting Magazine
Links for children
EYFS
Read the story of 'Smartie the Penguin'
Read the story of 'Digiduck's Big Decision'
KS1
Click on the icon below to go to the Thinkuknow website and find, stories, games and puzzles.
Lower KS2
Click on the icon to go to the Kidsmart website and find tips,videos, games and puzzles.
or go and watch the adventures of Cara, Winston and the Smart crew by click here:
Upper KS2
The cyber cafe is a great place to find out about social networking and using online to chat with your friends.
Tips for parents
'Thinkuknow' website is great place for tips for how to make sure your children are safe online, and how best to tackle any issues you or your children might face. Click on the icon below to open a new window:
Organisations and websites offering further information and support for online safety:
Get Safe Online
www.getsafeonline.org
NSPCC
www.nspcc.org.uk
Internet Matters
www.internetmatters.org
Kidscape
www.kidscape.org.uk
Bullying UK
www.bullying.co.uk
PEGI rating games search
www.pegi.info
Childline
www.childline.org.uk
Childnet
www.childnet.com
Here is some information you may find useful when looking at privacy settings on commonly used devices and websites. It is important to periodically check your privacy settings, especially on websites, as the settings are often changed by the website.
The following guides will keep you updated with APPs children are playing and how to keep them safe online: