E-Safety
E-Safety is an integral part of children's education in today's digital world and it is embedded in their learning at school. Technology and the way in which our children engage with the internet is changing rapidly and we need to equip our young people for the changing demands that new technology brings. E-Safety is an important part of keeping children safe at Oak Tree Primary School. We teach our children how to use the internet safely and responsibly.
At Oak Tree we teach the SMART principles as part of our embedded Computing curriculum:
Curriculum
Alongside the Computing curriculum all year groups teach three modules (2 modules for EYFS) about E-safety the children, which will cover age appropriate topics. Our curriculum focusses on the progression of skills for the children so that they can deepen their understanding.
If you would like more information surrounding what children learn in each year group in regards to E-Safety you can access the 'E-Safety Progression of Skills' document below:
As part of your child's curriculum and the development of computer skills we provide access to the internet only in teacher supervised lessons. We strongly believe that the use of the web and email is hugely worthwhile and an essential tool for children as they grow up in the modern world. However because there are always concerns about children having access to undesirable materials, we have taken positive steps to deal with this risk in school. Our school internet access provider operates a filtering system that restricts access to inappropriate materials. At the start of the school year, each class discusses how we can all stay safe online and the dangers we may face on the internet. We then ask every child to sign an 'Acceptable Use Agreement' so that we know they have read and understood our school's rules on staying safe. We have also created an 'Online Safety Book for Children' which the teachers share regularly with the children. They are also kept in the classrooms where the children can access them.
Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices such as phones, computers or tablets. Cyberbullyng includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false or mean content about someone else. This can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation.
At Oak Tree we take cyberbullying very seriously and we equip our students with the skills needed to identify online bullying and how to respond to it. National Online Safety have created a guide to help young people understand cyberbullying, which can be found here.
Alongside teaching our pupils about cyberbullying we also teach about the importance of digital wellbeing. With the online world being such a huge part of young people's lives, it is very important that we help them to understand how to use it safely, sensibly and with an awareness of how it can impact on them. Childnet have created a page on their website with further information as to how you can support your child's digital wellbeing, tailored to their age. You can find this page here.
At Home - Resources for Parents
As a parent you will know how important the internet can be to our children - they use it to learn, play, socialise and express themselves. It's a highly creative place of amazing opportunities. However the technology children use everyday can seem a bit daunting and you might worry about the risks your child can face online - such as cyberbullying, contact from strangers or the possibility of seeing illegal or inappropriate content. We want to help our parents improve their own understanding of E-Safety issues so they can help their children use the internet in a safe and secure way. In order to help with the fast moving and changing world of the internet and social media we have created an 'Online Safety Booklet for Parents' which can be found in the resources section below. This includes a checklist to help you keep your child safe online. We have also attached a range of links in the resources section to different guides that you may find useful regarding different internet and social media sites.
Helpful Websites
You may find the following websites useful in regards to keeping children safe online.
CEOP
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre delivers a multi-agency service dedicated to tackling the abuse and exploitation of children in the real and ‘e’ world. Often it is referred to as an online 999. By clicking on the button, young people and parents can get advice on a range of issues such as viruses, hacking and dealing with bullying online. In the child part of the website, there are a number of videos for children to help them understand issues such as cyberbullying and talking to strangers online.
https://www.ceop.police.uk/Safety-Centre/
Childnet
Childnet International has a range of resources available to parents regarding online safety. It has up-to-date guides and an online chat forum if you need to speak to an expert.
Internet Matters
Internet Matters is a new online portal designed for parents to access simple, easy and practical advice about online safety for their children, right through from pre-school to teens. It provides tips on protecting children from online grooming, cyberbullying, privacy and identity theft and inappropriate content. Internet Matters is a not-for profit organisation set up by BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media.
https://www.internetmatters.org/
NSPCC
NSPCC have teamed up with O2 to help parents keep children safe when they are using the internet, social networks, apps and games.
Childline
Childline have created a new webpage called 'Calm Zone'. It gives strategies and activities to help children when they are feeling worried or anxious.