Keeping your children safe online

Please click here to access the Policies page, where you will find all the school's e-safety policies. 

As we are moving deeper into our digital age, the education, entertainment and communication potential coming from technology is continually increasing. Children will need to use technology like they need to cross roads. The strategy is to teach them how to do it safely, just as you’d train them with road safety.

Technology is moving so fast that it’s hard to keep up! Remember that there is so much information available to keep your knowledge up to date and minimise the online risks.

Risks used to be limited to the family desktop computer but as technology is advancing we are allowing our children access to a wider range of internet enabled technologies: mobile phones, portable gaming devices (PSPs and DSs), games consoles (Playstation, Wii and Xbox), tablets, laptops, computers and Smart TVs!

Did you know?
57% of four-year-olds in the UK use tablets and smartphones (Source: Vodafone/YouGov study, October 2013)

At school, we educate children about using technology safely within specific e-safety PSHE/computing units and messages are referred to throughout all lessons when potential risks could occur. However as children are also using technology at home, these messages should continue to be reinforced by adults around them.

Click HERE for a link to the UK safer internet centre’s parent’s guide to technology. This contains information about various gaming devices and handheld technologies, including important details on how to set up parental controls.

The Childnet International’s leaflet, can be found below , this is aimed at parents for supporting children with their online activity. This includes a checklist of actions you can take towards ensuring your children are safe online. Childnet uses the SMART internet safety rules that we reinforce within school.

Unsure about PEGI game ratings?

Ratings are given to games from the Pan European Game Information (PEGI) system. In Cambridgeshire, we are increasingly made aware of children who have access to games rated above their actual age. click HERE  for a link to the PEGI website for more information. Click HERE for an eye-opening article from The Guardian regarding the importance of observing PEGI ratings.

Children increasingly put pressure on their parents for access to websites and games above their age limitations. Below is a copy of Childnet’s leaflet for parents about online gaming which  includes information on minimising risks online, the importance of PEGI ratings and ways to work with children regarding these issues.

Also below some helpful documents to support parents/carers with navigating and understanding some of the new on-line dangers…

• Do you allow your child to use the internet?
• Do you understand Social Networking?
• Do you know what a blog is?…..or a Wiki…..?
• Do you know what your child is doing online RIGHT NOW ?

Keeping your child safe is a daily, sub-conscious activity. Whether you are a digital native or digitally naive the good news is that you have all skills you need to help keep your children safe on the internet – you may just not have the knowledge or experience…….yet.

It’s not possible for children to have a risk-free life. Nor will it help to ban the access and use of the internet. We believe that what you need to do is to help minimise the risks and dangers and continue to educate.

The resources and information on this page are taken from the Cambridgeshire E-Safety website and it is to help you feel more informed and in control in the online world and better able to manage the potential risks.

Click HERE for Childline - Online Grooming advice

Please click on the below links to view a short videos: