E-Safety

Internet safety is an important part of keeping children safe online. We have security measures in place in school, which are constantly monitored, to help safeguard pupils from any potential dangers. Internet safety is taught to all pupils in our assemblies, ICT and PSHE lessons; explaining and demonstrating how to stay safe and behave appropriately online.

We can only be successful in keeping children safe online if we work with you to ensure the message is consistent. Your help is needed to talk to your children about how they can keep safe and behave appropriately online. The widespread availability and use of social networking application bring opportunities to understand, engage and communicate with audiences in new ways. It is important that we can use these technologies and services effectively and flexibly. You may find your children asking to engage with technology that you have no knowledge or experience of. Children are accessing a greater amount of content online, at a younger age, than we were ever exposed to in our childhood. You will find children can accidently or deliberately be exposed to unwanted or unpleasant content or comments online.

What can parents/carers do?

Ground Rules

• Discuss as a family how the internet will be used in your house. Consider what should be kept private online (personal information, photos etc.) and decide rules for making and meeting online friends. Make sure you know what your child is doing online much like you would offline.
• Handing phone to you before bed as pupils inform us, they are up way past midnight on digital devices.

Online Safety

• Install antivirus software, secure your internet connection, and use Parental Control functions for computers, mobile phones and games consoles to block unsuitable content.
• Remember that parental control tools are not always 100% effective and sometimes, unsuitable content can get past them, so don’t rely on them alone to protect your child.

Location

• Think about locating your computer in a supervised family area. Always supervise the use of webcams in an application, which allows voice or video chat. Consider your child’s use of other devices that allow internet access such as Mobile Phones and Games Consoles.

Dialogue

• Talk to your child and ask them to show or even teach you how they use the internet, learn which websites or tools they like to use and why. Learning together can often open opportunities to discuss safe behaviour with your child.
• Always ensure your child knows how to block or report people online who send nasty or inappropriate messages or content. Encourage your child not to retaliate or reply.
• Make sure your child knows to tell an adult they trust if they see something online that makes them feel scared, worried, or uncomfortable.

It’s essential to be realistic - banning the internet or technology will not work and it often makes a child less likely to report a problem. Education around safe use is essential. We are teaching children to follow these Golden Rules!

1. Keep your personal information safe, share with only people you know.
2. Use websites that are suitable for your age and remember that you are still talking to strangers.
3. Be nice to others online, in the way you would expect other people to be nice to you. 4. Tell an adult if you see or hear something that you think is not right

Websites for more information:

www.thinkuknow.co.uk – Visit the “Parent/Carer” Section and use the “Click CEOP” button to seek advice

www.childnet.com – Visit the ‘Know It All’ Section for an interactive guide about online safety www.getsafeonline.org - Free up-to-date Security advice, age specific advice

https://www.commonsensemedia.org - Excellent advice about Internet Safety Please help your child to stay safe online.

Manchester Safeguarding Board - Digital safety webinars for parents

Manchester Schools are totally committed to the digital safety and wellbeing of their students. As part of this, we are running a workshop dedicated to helping parents understand the risks their children face in their online lives and the practical things parents can do to help. Please join us for this hour-long workshop in which Katherine Howard, Head of Engagement and Education at Smoothwall will provide you with lots of valuable insights and tools.Monday

23rd June 2025, 7-8pm

Slides from the presentation available *here*

Manchester Healthy Schools Workshop

Slides from the presentation held at school in March 2025.

https://spaces.schoolspider.co.uk/uploads/465/page/37464324_page_file.pdf