Online Safety
The internet is a fantastic place for students to learn, create and have fun.
Social media is particularly popular. For many young people growing up with technology and the internet, this is just part of everyday life.
But the internet and social media, like all forms of public communication, come with some risks. Not all these risks turn into actual problems, but by helping our students understand what the risks are, we can play a big part in preventing them from turning into problems.
What we do at Madeley to support students with online safety
Educators and other professionals working with children and young people play a key role in supporting children to learn about how to stay safe online.
It is our experience that this is best achieved by embedding online safety across the curriculum and the work we do across school, through a framework of effective policies and routes for reporting concerns such as cyberbullying. As well as supporting young people to stay safe online. We do this by:
- All our staff regularly undertake training on online safety, as part of our schools continued professional development.
- During PSHCE sessions, PD days, morning registration and assemblies, we tackle a range of online safety topics, looking at the risks, how to prevent them and what to do if it happens. Prevent, Protect and Support.
- We work with the local police, who support us in school educating students on a wide range of internet safety issues.
- We have a range of information screens around the school corridors which display reminders of internet safety and where to access support if needed.
- In our curriculum, across a wide range of subjects, we discuss internet safety where appropriate.
- We participate in safer internet day where students in all year groups undertake a range of activities, some of which from outside agencies or guest speakers.
- We display internet safety reminders in key areas of school.
- We ensure appropriate filters and appropriate monitoring systems are in place and are regularly reviewed for their effectiveness.
Our online safety topics change with the needs of our students. It is important we are addressing concerns which are relevant to the experiences our students encounter, as well as covering every year the key basics and current issues surrounding online safety.
E-Safety Policy
What we do at Madeley to support parents and carers
When appropriate, to support our students and their parents and carers, we send out key information about relevant online safety topics we are addressing in school or are key issues nationally. This might take to form of:
- Newsletters
- Letters to parents and carers with specific information about online safety, this may even target key year groups.
- Parental engagement events
- Emails and announcements
Our pastoral and safeguarding team can be contacted at any time, if you have any concerns about online safety or need support with your child at home.
The risks you need to be aware of:
- Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like cell phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.
- Invasion of privacy.
- Identity theft.
- Fake news and misinformation.
- Seeing offensive images and messages.
- The presence of strangers who may be there to 'groom' other members.
- Online hate.
- Radicalisation.
- Self-harm.
- Sexting.
- Online pornography.
- Online reputation.
Technology can move very fast, for parents and carers it can often be hard to keep up with all the new developments, particularly social media sites. Communicating with your child regularly is often the best way to keep up to date.
Age-appropriate content: Some online content is not suitable for children and may be hurtful or harmful. This also includes social networks, online games, blogs, and websites.
See the guide and resources below for social media apps your child might be using:
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Social media apps: age ratings and features |
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|
Platform |
Age rating |
Features |
|
|
13+ |
Newsfeed to share text, photos & videos, instant messaging, marketplace, friends, likes and comments. |
|
|
13+ |
Photo & video sharing, live-streaming, stories, DMs, hashtags. |
|
Snapchat |
13+ |
Photo & video messaging, snaps, location sharing. |
|
Tiktok |
13+ |
Making & sharing short videos, lip-syncing. |
|
|
13+ |
Tweets (text with restricted character count), photo and video sharing, hashtags. |
|
Wink |
13+ |
Messaging, friends, photo sharing. |
Social Media Groups
Useful resources for parents and carers
- NSPCC: Have a range of online safety guides for parents and carers to access which cover a broad range of issues and advice on what to do if your worried about something your child has seen online.
Keeping children safe online | NSPCC
- The UK Safer Internet Centre: covers a broad range of online safety issues, with a range of guides and resources for parents and carers to access.
Parents and Carers - UK Safer Internet Centre
- Internet Matters Org: have a range of resources relating to online safety issues, advice by age of child, guides and resources for parents and carers, and much more.
Online safety guides and resources centre | Internet Matters
- Young Minds: please see the advice and guidance for parents and carers below, which also signpost you to a board range of services of support you can access for your child.
online-safety-updated-feb-2020.pdf (youngminds.org.uk)
CEOP
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is the UK’s national child protection agency (visit www.ceop.police.uk for more information). CEOP believe the start of the new school year is the perfect time to speak to your child about how they use the internet and how they can stay safe online.
Through the ClickCEOP advice and help centre, members of the public can access guidance on a broad range of topics to help protect their children, or alternatively report a concern directly to CEOP.
When should I report to CEOP?
CEOP children stay safe online. Has someone acted inappropriately towards you online, or to a child or young person you know? It may be sexual chat, being asked to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable or someone being insistent on meeting up. You can report it to CEOP below.