E-Safety
Online safety is an important aspect of your child's learning. We take cyber safety very seriously at Fairfield.
Each class is taught about e-safety throughout the year. This is done through each subject, where appropriate, as well as through our Safer Internet Week and PSHE, RSE and Computing curriculums. In addition, we teach every 'Online Safety' Purple Mash unit to each year group as part of their computing lessons this year.
We hold e-safety assemblies hosted by Google and assemblies to support Year 6 with the digital transition to Year 7, also hosted by Google. We hope to have an assembly from Google every year owing to their success.
We also celebrate Safer Internet Day and involve our KS2 Computing Committee members to deliver an e-safety assembly to their classes. See some pictures of them practising below:
This assembly was part of a wider 'e-safety' week we held during the same week as Safer Internet Day. We have also held an e-safety parent information session, hosted by our Year 6 Computing Committee members and hope that this is to be repeated once again this year.
Any incidents of cyber-bullying are logged and parents are informed. We aim to deal with such incidents in a sensitive and pro-active way.
Technology is at the very centre of all our lives today – especially our children’s. Learning how to use technology wisely is an essential skill for life and learning in the 21st century. However, at a time when there is increased access to numerous different technology platforms, many children are at a greater risk of online grooming, cyber bullying and exposure to inappropriate or illegal content online. Fairfield Primary School believes that both school and parents/carers need to work in partnership in order to safeguard children from harm online.
At Fairfield Primary we have extensive security measures in place which keep children safe whilst using technology in school and their usage is monitored to help safeguard them from potential dangers or unsuitable materials. Parents/carers have a highly important role to play in keeping children safe online. There are many ways parents/carers can help minimise the risks associated with children being online and increase parents/carers awareness of online safety. The list below provides ideas to help parents/carers keep children safe online:
Age Appropriate
Only give your child access to devices, websites, apps, games and social media sites that are age appropriate. Access the PEGI guidance (https://pegi.info/page/pegi-age-ratings) on age ratings to inform your choices when buying games for your child, or deciding whether the games they are playing are appropriate, by following the age-ratings assigned to each game. Read each game’s advice for parents and play the game yourself to help you understand what it involves.
Common Sense Media Common offer a trusted library of independent age-based and educational ratings and reviews for movies, games, apps, TV shows, websites, books and music which can be found using the following link https://www.commonsensemedia.org/.
Below is a poster produced by National Online Safety which offers information on age ratings.
The Online Safety Act 2023
After a lengthy gestation period, the UK Government’s wide-ranging changes to the legislation around digital safeguarding have become enshrined in law as the Online Safety Act. The first of its kind in Britain, the act aims to improve protection for children online and clamp down on illegal material. Regulated by Ofcom, it will primarily impact social media platforms and companies which host user-generated content.
The new legislation, however, also carries implications for schools and their staff. Although further developments are expected, our #WakeUpWednesday guide summarises the main points of the act that schools need to be aware of so far – outlining some specific areas that the new laws address and what effect, in practical terms, this will have on education providers.
Appropriate Content
Only give your child access to devices, websites, apps, games and social media sites that you feel comfortable with and not as a result of peer-pressure.
Below are a selection of posters produced by National Online Safety which offer information on some of the current and popular websites, games, apps and social media sites that children are asking their parents/carers if they can access. These posters offer parents/carers the information they need to make an informed decision on whether it is in their child’s best interests to access this material.
E Safety Guides
Communication
Talk to your child about why it is important to stay safe online. Explain that whilst the internet is a fun, exciting and knowledge-rich tool, it is also a place where people may wish to bring them into dangerous activities or expose them to unpleasant material. It is important to be clear that you are not saying your child may never use the internet again, or that everything on it is harmful – it is about teaching them to have a greater awareness and to be able to manage and report any risks. Keep an open dialogue with your child – letting them know they can always talk to you about anything that has made them feel uncomfortable online is key to keeping them safe.
Below is a child friendly poster produced by National Online Safety which helps to give advice to children about online safety and advice to parents/carers on how to talk to children about online safety.
Rules and Boundaries
Discuss with your child rules for being online and draw them up together, including which websites, games, apps, social media sites etc., are acceptable. If certain materials are off-limits, try to explain why, for example, because of excessive violence or bad language. If your child uses online gaming, consider setting rules, such as only talking to people you know and having the conversations on speaker, rather than through headphones, so you can monitor it.
Information Sharing
Talk to your child about what information should be kept private; for example, name(s), date of birth, address, contact details, school name etc., should never be given out to strangers online. Remind your child not to give out their passwords and ensure they change it occasionally. Teach them to unclick the ‘remember me’ option on public computers such as at school and the library.
Supervision, Monitoring and Parental Controls
Ensure all devices used by your child are kept in a communal space, or a space where they can be supervised whilst using their devices. You can check what your child has been doing by looking at the history in your internet browser, Set parental controls which are designed to help parents/carers manage their child’s online activities. However, do not rely on parental controls on devices over you offering support and advice to your child online, as they are not always 100% effective and some children know how to bypass them. The use of ‘SafeSearch’ is highly recommended for use with children. Most web search engines will have a ‘SafeSearch’ function, which will allow you to limit the content your child is exposed to whilst online. Look out for the ‘Settings’ button on your web browser homepage (often shaped like a small cog).
For further information on setting up parental control see the following link:
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/articles/Parental-controls/
For further information on how to set up parental controls on different devices see the following link:
https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/
To make a referral to CEOP see the following link:
https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/
Resources for Parents/Carers and Children
Resources for children aged 4-7 year olds
Jessie & Friends is a safe and age appropriate resource for children aged between 4-7 years old. The Jessie & Friends animations are age-appropriate. The video clips and story books show safe, non-scary situations which help young viewers identify things which might worry them online.
Episode 1 – Watching Videos (4-5 years)
Video Clip:
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/jessie-and-friends-videos/
Worksheet:
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/globalassets/thinkuknow/documents/thinkuknow/parents/pdf/thinkuknow-4-5s-home-activity-sheet-1.pdf
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/globalassets/thinkuknow/documents/thinkuknow/parents/pdf/thinkuknow-4-5s-home-activity-sheet-2.pdf
Episode 2 – Sharing Pictures (5-6 years)
Video Clip:
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/jessie-and-friends-videos/
Worksheet:
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/globalassets/thinkuknow/documents/thinkuknow/parents/pdf/thinkuknow-5-7s-home-activity-sheet-1.pdf
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/globalassets/thinkuknow/documents/thinkuknow/parents/pdf/thinkuknow-5-7s-home-activity-sheet-2.pdf
Episode 3 – Playing Games (6-7 years)
Video Clip:
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/jessie-and-friends-videos/
Resources for children aged 8 – 10 year olds
Band Runner is a safe and age appropriate resource for children aged between 8-10 years old. Band Runner is a fun game that puts children’s knowledge about online safety to the test by asking them to help characters make safe choices. Players can choose to play the game as characters Ellie or Sam who use their guitars to eliminate all obstacles in their path as they run through school in order to make it to their next gig. If players miss a jump or take a tumble they then need to help Alfie solve an online safety dilemma to be able to continue play. As players pass to the next level, the running gets faster!
Band Runner also provides clear and practical safety advice under the following headings:
Play – Playing games online
Like – Being kind to others online
Share – Sharing videos and photos online
Chat – Talking to others online
Lock – Keeping information private
Explore – Exploring the internet
The Band Runner game can be found on our informative 8-10’s website:
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/8_10/
Worksheet:
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/globalassets/thinkuknow/documents/thinkuknow/parents/pdf/thinkuknow-8-10s-home-activity-sheet-1.pdf
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/globalassets/thinkuknow/documents/thinkuknow/parents/pdf/thinkuknow-8-10s-home-activity-sheet-2.pdf
Other resources for Parents/Carers:
For more information and resources on ensuring your child’s safety online, you can visit the websites below:
www.childnet.com
www.internetmatters.org
www.thinkuknow.co.uk
www.nspcc.org.uk
www.getsafeonline.org
https://parentinfo.org/
https://parentzone.org.uk
Please click below to access further help and advice on keeping children safe online or access the help links on our Parents pages:
December 2024 E-Safety NewsletterNovember 2024 E-Safety NewsletterOctober 2024 E-Safety NewsletterSeptember 2024 E-Safety NewsletterJuly 2024 E-Safety NewsletterJune 2024 E-Safety NewsletterMay 2024 E-Safety NewsletterMarch 2024 E-Safety NewsletterFebruary 2024 E-Safety NewsletterJanuary 2024 E-Safety NewsletterDecember 2023 E-Safety NewsletterNovember 2023 E-Safety Newsletter
Specific parental guides for a range of consoles:
Self RegulationPersuasive DesignManaging Screen TimeDisney+ ChecklistNetflix ChecklistOnline PerformancesRoblox ChecklistSafer Remote LearningSnapchat ChecklistTiktok ChecklistInstagram ChecklistGames GuideSupporting SEND onlineInternet MattersLife online for children with SENDManaging sexting incidentsFacebook ChecklistUsing Technology SafelyParenting in the digital worldDigital Parenting GuidanceParental ControlsSafer InternetMobile PhonesNSPCC Share AwareNet AwareInternet Rules at Home