Online Safety

Online safety at a simple level means being safe on the internet. Some people also include the safe use of technology in this as well. The pace at which technology is evolving can make it difficult to know what to include when talking about the safe use of the internet.

In school, we play an extremely important role in inspiring young people and shaping their futures, but we also have a responsibility to safeguard children’s wellbeing, in both the classroom and online. Online abuse can take shape in a number of forms including:

Bullying/cyberbullying
Sexual Exploitation
Grooming
Emotional Abuse

Bullying occurred in schools long before the introduction of social media, but the very nature of cyber bullying means that taunts cannot be left behind in the playground. Hurtful messages can be received at any time of day via social media, meaning online bullying can potentially have a more serious effect on children’s mental health.

It is therefore vital that as a school we are able to educate children about e-safety both in the classroom and at home. so that children know how to deal with cyber bullying and can spot the signs of online predators.

Parental Support

5 tips on how to keep children safe online

Privacy settings– Ensure privacy setting are enabled on children’s devices and apps to give them more protection online.
Do you know them?– Ensure that children are only accepting friend requests or speaking to people they know and trust.
Downloading files.– Never let children download files from unknown sources and make sure they ask permission before they try to download something.
Knowledge– Give children training to ensure they know what to do if they’re being bullied or feel threatened whilst online.
Speak to someone– Make sure children know who they can talk to about cyber bullying or if they are unsure about something online.