E-Safety Advice
Parents
The internet is an integral part of our and our children's lives, and it is becoming more and more accessible.
It is important that parents are able to keep their children safe, whilst allowing them the freedom to explore the world and develop their knowledge.
The information below will explain how this can be done.
- Keep your computer in a shared area
- Talk to your child about what they are doing online
- Download a poster, such as this one
- Keep your anti-virus software up to date.
- Keep an eye on social media settings, and their privacy policies. These are constantly changing, so it is advisable to check each site regularly and individually.
Pupils
The internet is an online community, of people who are connected to each other by computers.
Anyone you 'meet' online who you don't know should be treated the same as if you met them on the street- as a stranger.
Have a look at the information below, which provides guidance on keeping safe online.
- Don't give out your details (such as user name, photos, where you live, etc) on-line. The internet keeps information for a very long time and can't be deleted. This is especially important with photos and videos.
- Keep your settings on your social media account to private.
- Be aware that people can lie online, and easily pretend to be someone that they are not.
- Don't say and do anything that online that you wouldn't say and do in real life.
- Don't meet up with strangers you meet online without an adult that you can trust.
- Don't open emails or messages from people that you don't know.
- If something is too good to be true, it usually is, and is best ignored. Spam and junk mail encourage you to open them and click on links with promises that are often lies.
- Do not open attachments in emails from people that you don't know. They could contain images or movies which are not appropriate, or they could contain viruses that could destroy your hard drive or install spyware. Spyware watches for usernames and passwords.
- If something happens that you don't like, tell someone. It is never too late.
Teachers
All teachers have a duty of care to the pupils that they teach, and this includes ensuring good and safe practice when using the internet.
Any activity that requires the use of the internet requires vigilant planning and an awareness of risk to minimise the risk of an e-safety incident.
Below are some pointers to help you keep your pupils safe when online.
- Promote safe use of the internet in your own practice, and in terms of expectations of pupil behaviour.
- Understands the latest trends amongst students, and how to provide guidance in an age-appropriate manner. Be aware that local trends may not match national trends so try to understand what is specific to your school.
- When planning an activity that involves use of the internet ensure that it is assessed for risk to minimise the possibility of an e-safety incident.
