Safer Schools - Safeguarding Advice for parents
E-Safety encompasses not only Internet technologies but also electronic communications via mobile phones, games consoles and wireless technology. Anyone can send messages, discuss ideas and publish material with little restriction. This is why there is a great need to educate children, young people and adults about the benefits, risks and responsibilities of using information technology.
All partner agencies, stakeholders, schools and educational settings and all other organisations within the community providing services to children have a duty to understand e-safety issues as part of its wider safeguarding duties; recognising their role in helping children to remain safe online while also supporting the adults who care for children.
Parents and carers can access important information by downloading the "Safer Schools App" and following these steps:
Step 1: Download the App for free by searching for "Safer Schools" in the Apple App store or on Google Play.
Step 2: Enter St Alban's Catholic Primary School (Doncaster)
Step 3: Enter the code 7440 (for parents)
If you need help accessing these resources please contact the school office on admin@st-albans.doncaster.sch.uk
MAKE SURE YOUR PUSH NOTIFICATION SETTINGS ON YOUR
SAFER SCHOOLS APP ARE UP TO DATE!
Online Safety
Why is online safety important?
Here at St. Alban’s, we do everything in our power to safeguard children. In the quickly evolving world of technology and social media, online safety has never been more important. Our curriculum is being transformed and there are many opportunities to use technology in our classrooms, in alignment with the world around us. Both St. Alban’s and parents/carers have the responsibility to ensure technology is used in a fun and explorative, but ultimately safe, way.
How and when do we teach the children how to stay safe online?
Online Safety is taught seamlessly throughout the school, beginning in EYFS, and progressing into Year Six. Children are typically joining our Nursery with the ability to navigate applications like Youtube and this is why the foundations of ‘how to stay safe online’ are immediately introduced.
The ‘Education for a Connected World – 2020’ Framework document that is used to inform our method can be found below:
Education for a Connected World – March 2018 (2MB)
In addition to the explicit online safety lessons, there are multiple explicit units in both our Computing and PSHE curriculums which act to deepen children’s knowledge of what it means to be safe online and how to respond – physically and emotionally – to something that they see online that makes us feel uncomfortable. The comprehensive units collectively include: how to use technology safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely, as well as advising the children where they can go, and/or who they can speak to, should they have any concerns about any digital content they have experienced. Online safety is promoted elsewhere throughout the academic year – in our everyday use of iPads and laptops; during specific times of the year like and Safer Internet Day; and with external visitors and workshops.
Online safety support – links and resources for parents and carers:
- https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/– This website is one that is always recommended as extensive research has taken place and the resources and tools offered to support your children are endless.
- https://www.ceop.police.uk/Safety-Centre/– This website is essentially the online police. It provides detailed support for reporting concerns.
- https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/– A website with almost twenty years of experience providing information and support to children, parents and carers, and professionals.
- https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/esafety-leaflets-resources/– A website that contains a range of help and advice, including setting controls on devices, a ‘device setup safe checklist’, and guides to various applications.
- https://nationalonlinesafety.com/guides– A website focused on up-to-date guidance for specific apps: how to use them safely, informing parents and carers what their children are using them for, interesting articles, free webinars, and monthly updates.
- https://safetonet.com/– This website is linked with an application that can be downloaded where it then changes the keyboard function on your child’s device: the aim of this is to immediately detect danger and automatically filter and report harmful messages.
Online safety support – for children at home:
- https://www.bbc.com/ownit
- https://www.childnet.com/resources/smartie-the-penguin/(EYFS/KS1)
- https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/4_7/(EYFS/KS1)
- https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/8_10/(KS2)
- https://www.childline.org.uk/toolbox/games/wall-of-expression/(KS2)
Online safety Workshop:
Thank you to the parents and carers who attended our Online Safety Workshop! Please see the PowerPoint below if you missed the workshop.
Guides to apps and social media platforms can be found in the Files to Download below:
Files to Download
