Online Safety

Learning about staying safe online is very important for teachers, parents, and children.  The internet is a powerful tool that has integrated into our school life; it is therefore vital that we educate our children in its safe use.

e-Safety is an important part of keeping children safe at Outwoods Primary School . We have extensive security measures in place in school, which are monitored both internally and externally, to help safeguard pupils from potential dangers or unsuitable material. Any e-Safety incidents are recorded and managed.  e-Safety is taught to all pupils explaining and demonstrating how to stay safe and behave appropriately online through dedicated lessons each half term alongside the regular reminders in all lessons that use ICT. 

We can only be successful in keeping children safe online if we work with parents to ensure the e-Safety message is consistent. It is important that parents speak to their children about how they can keep safe and behave appropriately online.

Click here to see our online safety policy. Click here to see our latest online safety newsletter.

What can parents do?

• CEOP (the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) has a dedicated website, which covers all aspects of online safety including online sexual abuse or the way in which someone is communicating with you. (https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/). There are age relevant sections and specific areas for parents/carers containing games, videos and lots of advice and support to help you and your child learn how to stay safe online. They are also there to help you if things do go wrong.
• We recommend that you take a look at the links below, and revisit them regularly.  Remember, technology is changing all the time, and the best way you can help your child stay safe is to keep up to date with these changes.
• The childline website is one source of support for your child when they are not in school: https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/

SAVE THE DATE!

Safer Internet Day 2025 - Tuesday 11th February.

Safer Internet Day 2024 was on Tuesday 6th February with celebrations and learning based around the theme ‘Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online’.

Safer Internet Day inspires a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively. Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre, the celebration sees thousands of organisations get involved to promote the safe, responsible, and positive use of digital technology for children and young people. 

Each year in the UK, Safer Internet Day explores a new issue or theme, which is impacting the lives of young people in the UK. For 2022, the Day celebrated young people’s role in creating a safer internet and the ways they are shaping the interactive entertainment spaces, of which they are a part. The platforms young people use are spaces for connection, community, and collaboration, which is why the Day challenges them to foster supportive relationships and respectful communities, whilst equipping them with the skills they need to keep themselves and others safe in these spaces.

Speaking with young people is key to exploring their experiences on platforms where they can play games, interact with their peers and others, and take part in ‘live’ experiences such as video streaming. These platforms play such an important and positive role, providing young people with the means to interact with friends and as a great pastime, particularly during lockdowns. 

However, there are some emerging safety issues in these spaces as well as issues young people have been navigating for some time; particularly the lack of respect individuals display towards each other, groups ‘ganging up’ against other groups, and the sense that it is easy to ‘get away’ with negative behaviour such as meanness, bullying and swearing. They speak about hate directed at particular groups, particularly LGBT+ users, and misogyny on gaming platforms. They tell us the apparent lack of consequences for negative behaviour has an impact on their safety and wellbeing. 

We need to address these issues so that all young people understand what constitutes respectful behaviour online, and know what to do if they encounter hate or bullying directed at them or someone else.

ONLINE SAFETY ADVICE

The following links offer guidance to support parentsdcarers in keeping your child safe online:

• Advice for parents on cyberbullying
• Online Safety Newsletter Primary November 2023 PDF Outwoods Staff
• Online Safety NewsletterTiktok
• Parental Controls booklet 2022
• Roblox
• TikTok