Online Safety
At Brandlehow Primary School we want staff, children, parents and carers to create a school community that embraces the use of new technologies. We promote the use of ICT to enhance learning and thinking and teach all of the children how to keep themselves safe. All adults in school ensure that pupils know how to report incidents and problems confidently and straight away.
We strongly recommend that parents monitor their children’s activity on the internet. There are a variety of ways in which children can access the internet for example through laptops, tablet computers, smartphones and games consoles.
At Home
As a parent you'll know how important the internet is to children - they use it to learn, play, socialise and express themselves. It's a highly creative place of amazing opportunities. But the technology children use every day can seem a bit daunting and you might worry about the risks your child can face online - such as bullying, contact from strangers or the possibility of them seeing illegal or inappropriate content.
You can download a simple checklist here that may help you start to protect your children online and decrease the risks they face. This checklist will help you engage with your child regarding their use of the internet while at home. This website has a few topics to use as conversation starter ideas: www.childnet.com
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Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online.
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Ask them about how they stay safe online. What tips do they have for you, and where did they learn them? What is OK and not OK to share?
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Ask them if they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy settings and how to report or block the services they use.
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Encourage them to help. Perhaps they can show you how to do something better online or they might have a friend who would benefit from their help and support.
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Think about how you use the internet as a family. What could you do to get more out of the internet together and further enjoy your lives online
Web Links For Parents
It's worth looking at each of the following sites to get a balanced view of the potential risks of what is really an invaluable resource.
NSPCC This website has a wealth of information about how to keep your child safe online
National Online Safety Twitter Blog This blog is another great resource for safety advice and tips
LGFL E-Safety Blog This blog has more information on the latest developments with technology and social media
VPNMentor This is an incredibly in-depth guide that will help you protect your child online. It covers a range of media and is useful right in to their teenage years.
Internet matters.org A really useful site with, among other things, information about how to set up parental controls on devices around your home.
Get Safe On-Line This is a UK Government sponsored site containing lots of helpful information.
The Virtual Global Taskforce The VGT is an international organisation dedicated to making the internet a safer place, especially for children. It was set up by police forces in Britain, America, Canada and Australia.
Internet Watch Foundation Here you can report any illegal content that you come across on the internet.
CEOP This website gives you information about how you can report online abuse
Social Media