With technology playing an ever-increasing part of children’s lives, the importance of ensuring children are safe online has never been more pivotal.
At Peninsula East Primary Academy, we believe that it is essential to teach children how to navigate the online world safely and confidently. Online safety is therefore a key part of our curriculum and is taught across all year groups; a focus as part of Computing in September, then embedded throughout the year.
As a parent, you’ll know how invaluable 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. It is vital that you try to engage with your children regarding their use of the internet while at home.
Here are some conversation starter ideas from Childnet:
- Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online.
- 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?
- Ask them if they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy settings and how to report or block on the services they use.
- 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.
- 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
For other useful resources see the links below:
Think you know Internet Matters
In conjunction with National Online Safety
The aim of NOS is to make the internet a safer place for children.
“At National Online Safety, it is our mission to make the internet a safer place for children. We will achieve this through equipping school staff, parents and children with the knowledge they need to understand online dangers and how best to react should an incident arise.”
NOS achieve this through the execution of multiple initiatives which help reduce online risks:
- NOS certification membership for schools showcasing commitment to Online Safety education.
- Online Safety courses for the whole school community including staff, parents and pupils.
- Specialist training in key topics related to keeping children safe online
- Online Safety educational resources and classroom packs to support teachers to teach Online Safety as part of a broad and balanced curriculum.
- Partnerships forged with educational institutions across the UK.
Joining National Online Safety
This means that you can benefit from the latest practice and research through the power of video. Each of their webinar topics are delivered by education experts and made available to you anytime, anywhere and on any device.If you haven’t already registered, either follow the link sent on your email or download the app from your provided.
Once you are a member of Peninsula East Primary Academy, please follow this link and complete the webinar.
Online class for parents and carers ages 4-7 Online class for parents and carers ages 7-11