In our ever-developing technological world, we know that computing is an essential life skill. Therefore, we strive to develop knowledge and skills, which will equip children to be able to communicate with the wider community responsibly, to understand the communication systems in use, and have greater knowledge of software, which may be used in a future work place. 

Staying safe online is extremely important in a world where children have easy and regular access to the internet therefore e-safety is planned for and delivered throughout the school. Children learn to evaluate the technology that they use and make safe choices when using the internet. Pupils are given the knowledge of how to keep safe when using the internet, allowing them to be successful members of a digitally literate community.

On this page there are links to websites that can give you lots of information to help you to protect your child online.

Age Limits for Social Media

One of the most important aspects of internet safety is ensuring parents know the minimum ages children must be to use social media sites. The following information is taken from the UK Safer Internet Centre website:

Which social media services are age restricted?

WhatsApp announced in 2018 that users need to be 16 to use WhatsApp.

Nearly all other social media services require users to be at least 13 years of age to access and use their services. This includes Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and Skype.

Whilst there is no age restriction for watching videos on YouTube, users need to be 13 or older to have their own YouTube account (enabling them to subscribe to other channels, like videos, post comments, share their own content and flag inappropriate content).

The five golden rules are:

• Don’t give out personal information
• Never send pictures to strangers
• Keep passwords private
• Don’t download anything without permission
• Tell an adult if you receive a mean or strange message

Or watch them in this video.

…and also have a listen to this.

E-Safety Sites for Parents

thinkuknow.co.uk Thinkuknow is the education programme from NCA-CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline. Explore one of the six Thinkuknow websites for advice about staying safe when you're on a phone, tablet or computer.
childnet.com Childnet is a non-profit organisation working with others to help make the internet a great and safe place for children.
Child Exploitation and Online Protection command If you're worried about online abuse or the way someone has been communicating online, let CEOP know.

Screen Time – How much is ok?

The amount of time children spend on an internet device, be it a smartphone, tablet, game console or computer, has increased significantly in recent years. The Government and the Chief Medical Office have published very clear guidelines which give advice about how much screen time we should allow our children.

Screen time on an iPhone can be easily limited using the ‘Screen Time’ function in the phone’s settings and on an android phone, if your child’s Android device is running Android Nougat or newer, you can set time limits on apps to manage how much time your child can spend on a specific app each day. Select your child. On the “Today’s activity” card, tap Set limits. Set a daily time limit for the app.

There are also a number of applications which will limit screen time whilst connected to the house WiFi broadband connection. One such is ‘Disney Circle’ which can be found in the App stores. It allows parents to have complete control of all devices connected to a home’s WiFi.

If any further information is required about keeping our children safe online, please contact the school office.