Online Safety
Information for parents
The safety and well-being of our students is our primary concern. Great steps are taken to ensure that they can work and develop in a safe, secure environment and this includes when they are online.
In school we have several security programs, all serving to keep students safe while online. The programs allow us to effectively monitor our IT network, while giving students the freedom to research and work safely. We also educate students about online safety, ensuring that they possess the skills and knowledge to behave responsibly while online.
It is essential that parents support us in this work and ensure that while at home their children are using the internet responsibly. Here is some helpful advice on how to do this.
- Be open about internet safety – talk to your child about the benefits and dangers of the internet to help them understand that they have a responsibility to themselves and others while online. Ensure that they know to talk to someone they trust if they feel scared or hurt by something which has happened online.
- Set up internet filters – Contact your internet provider for the instructions on how to do this.
- Set up safety settings on your home devices – safety settings can be adjusted on any device that connects to the internet, meaning that children are not able to access inappropriate material. Information on how to do this can be obtained from the device manufacturer.
There is lots of information for parents available on the ThinkUKnow website, including how to keep your child safe and what to do if you are concerned.
You can also find a wealth of information on the UK Safer Internet website. Subscribe to their newsletter for up-to-date information directly to your inbox.
Information for students
Every student is expected to act responsibly when using IT in school and to always respect others. Our school’s IT equipment is exclusively for students to transform their education and develop their knowledge and understanding. Students should only use school equipment for their work in school.
Each student must agree to the school’s Online Safety Policy. A failure to do so will result in sanctions. Students are taught the three simple steps that can help them to stay safe online.
Zip It – Keep personal information private and think about what you say or do online.
Block It – Block people who send hurtful emails or messages and do not open suspicious emails or attachments. Do not access illegal or inappropriate websites.
Flag It – Tell someone you trust if someone upsets you online or you see upsetting or harmful content. Tell someone you trust if someone asks to meet you offline.
Students can report anything they are worried about by clicking on our Student Worry Wall.
If students are worried about something when the school is closed (school holidays, weekends, or after school) there are some useful websites, they can access. The ThinkUKnow website has lots of information about the good and bad parts of the internet and Childline, a free service, lets children talk to someone confidentially if something is worrying them.