e-Safety
ESafety Evening
On Tuesday 8th February as part of 'Safer Internet Day' we held a parents ESafety evening. The documents to accompany the presentation and further information about the topic can be found below.
Please click the link below to view the presentation.
ESafety at Rainow Primary
We know that use of the internet, social media and online gaming is growing rapidly, presenting us with both opportunities and risks. If you want to stay safe online, you need to understand these risks and learn how to avoid them.
The internet is now such an integral part of children's lives; it opens up so many educational and social opportunities, giving them access to a world of information and experiences. Whether on a computer at school or home, a games console, tablet or mobile phone, children and young people are increasingly accessing the internet whenever they can and wherever they are. The internet can expose children to things that they may not be ready for, such as violent content, extreme ideas and adult content either by accident or through an intentional search. As they start to communicate with others through gaming or social networks there is the temptation to overshare information which could lead to incidences of cyberbullying or put them at risk of being approached by those that may wish them harm. We recognise the importance of equipping our pupils with the knowledge and skills that they need to be safe and confident when using the internet.
Top Tips:
National Online Safety's Six Questions to ask your children:
- What apps/games are you using at the minute?
This will give you a good overview of the types of things they are doing on their devices and what they are interested in. Remember, they might not tell you everything they are using. New apps and games are released regularly, so have this conversation often to keep up to date with your child’s activities. - What websites do you enjoy?
Similar to the first question, this will help you discover what your child is doing when they are online. Additionally, ask them what they do on these websites. - How does this game/app work? Can I play?
Show a genuine interest in what they are doing. Whilst you are playing a game or using an app with them, it might highlight something that they don’t necessarily think is a danger to them. If they act like they don’t want to share their activities with you, question why. - Do you have any online friends?
Children can form positive relationships with people online, but they may not fully understand the difference between a friend and a stranger. You could make the question more specific to your child, for example, “have you met anyone online that they like to play games with?” They may not want to share this information with you, so ensure you teach them about healthy relationships. - Do you know where to go for help?
You may be their trusted adult, but your child may find it difficult to tell you certain things. Take sexting as an example, if something was to get out of hand, they may feel uncomfortable telling their parent. Sit down with your child and show them some websites where they can go to report incidents and speak to professionals for free about any concerns they may have. - Do you know what your personal information is?
Your child may already know what their personal information is. But they might not think about how it can be shared. Have a conversation about what personal information is and how this can affect them if it is shared.
The following links provide information about how to use the Internet safely:
CEOP - Child Exploitation and Online Protection
Childnet - learn how to stay safe and surf SMART on the internet.
Thinkuknow - excellent website for everything parents need to know about keeping children safe online.
NSPCC Keeping Your Child Safe On-Line - Part of the NSPCC web site.
Digital Parenting - guides for parents produced by Vodafone
CBBC Stay Safe - A fun site for children to test their e-safety knowledge.
AskAboutGames - PEGI ratings and guidance about video games
National Online Safety - Guides to different apps, games and websites
Internet Matters - information and advice for parents
Click here to access all school policies including our e-Safety Policy.