Online Safety
Online Safety
“Learning about online safety is a vital life skill. Empowering children at an early age with the knowledge to safeguard themselves and their personal information is something that needs to be nurtured throughout school to see them into adult life.” (Alan McKenzie, e-safety advisor, 2012).
All staff and pupils at St Joseph’s are responsible for using the school computing systems and equipment safely. All members and visitors to the school are expected to sign and return the appropriate Acceptable Usage Policy before being given access to the school system. These policies are reviewed annually.
All staff at St Joseph’s are trained to recognise online safety issues and it is embedded within our teaching curriculum and we continuously plan accordingly to ensure the online safety of our children in and out of school at all times. Online safety is an important issue which as a school we’re committed to teaching our pupils about.
We can only be successful in keeping children safe online if we work with parents to ensure the online safety message is consistent. It is important that parents speak to their children about how they can keep safe and behave appropriately online.
You can email [email protected] if you have any concerns or wish to discuss any issues regarding online safety.
At St Joseph’s we follow the Smart Rules:
Online Gaming:
We all know kids love online games, but to parents the whole thing can sometimes be a bit of a mystery.
Unless you play the games yourself, understanding how they work and what’s involved can be a little overwhelming. We’re all aware of the risks that come with kids playing games online, from cyberbullying and stranger danger to viruses and privacy concerns.
Thankfully, the more we understand something, the better equipped we are to notice if something is wrong and how to step in before it becomes a bigger problem.
All games come with age ratings “PEGI”. PEGI combines age ratings with content warnings to provide a more detailed description. The content warnings explain what it is in the game that gives it its age rating.
Guide to age ratings- BBFC & PEGI Apr 2024 click on this link to view age ratings
Parent Tips:
Play the game with your children
One of the best ways to learn about what your child is playing is to play with them. It can be a great way to bond, see how it all works and have some fun in the process.
Teach kids how to block and report
Make sure kids understand what to do if someone makes them feel angry, scared or upset. Explain that these behaviours are not ok and explain how to block and report offensive players.
Help kids find a balance
While games are a fun way to relax, it’s important to have a balance.
Set time limits for kids to play games, and balance it out with other activities like walking the dog or going for a bike ride.
Games can be a whole heap of fun not just for kids, but the whole family.
By understanding what safety settings are available, we can ensure kids have a happy, safe and fun online gaming experience.
Please see the link below which is a free online safety guide focusing on the best way to guide children towards good gaming health. The guide takes a look at how to tackle a range of potential risks such as screen time, on-screen violence and interaction with strangers.
Policing vs Parenting get to grips with gaming
Games information: Below are guides to a few of the games your child might be/or wishes to play. These guides will assist you in understanding what is involved in the game.
Guide to Fortnite Chapter 4 Apr 2024
Fortnite Battle Royale Online Safety Guide
Search Engines:
Please note that no search engine is ever 100% safe. Below are links to guidance regarding search engines and also two of the “safer” children friendly search engines that you can you set up on home devices. In school all devices are defaulted to Swiggle.
What Parents Need to Know About Search Engines
#WakeUpWednesday:
Children regularly use different websites and apps from their parents, and it can be hard to keep up in this ever-changing digital world. But the things that help keep children safe online are often similar to the things that keep them safe offline.
Encourage your child to think critically and question what they see online. Talk to them about where they go to get information they trust, talk about fake news, fake followers and scams. Help them develop a healthy suspicion of whether people are who they say they are. It’s important to remember that the legal age to have an account on most social media; Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat – is 13 years old!
Share your knowledge and experience of good and unhealthy relationships.
Show them how to report any worrying behaviour they see online – for example through Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command or the Internet Watch Foundation.
We can help prepare children for their futures if we help them go online safely and responsibly.
“WAKE UP WEDNESDAY” click on the PDF below for this week’s guide.
Energy Drinks 17th Apr 24:While the short-term benefits of energy drinks can be attractive, it’s not wise to ignore the potential health risks. Consuming these beverages regularly can have negative effects on the heart and blood pressure, and even cause dependency on these products to keep users’ energy at a ‘normal’ level. Factoring in that it’s illegal to sell these drinks to under-16s, the rise in children and young people using energy drinks is a cause for concern.
This marked increase in young people using highly caffeinated drinks to supplement their energy has heightened the risk of these health issues arising in children – at a time in their lives where such impacts can have greater, longer-lasting consequences. Our guide addresses these possible hazards, letting you know how to minimise them for children and young people who like the occasional can.
Previous weekly guides:
Spotting Ads On Social Media 28th Feb 2024
Stronger Passwords 7th Feb 2024
Persuasive Design Online 31st Jan 2024
Smartphone Safety Tips 17th Jan 2024:
Parental Controls on New Devices 20th Dec 2023
12 Top Tips for children and Young People at Christmas 13th Dec 2023
What Parents and Carers Need to Know About Disney 6th Dec 23
Online Safety Act 29th November 23
Black Friday Cyber Monday 22nd Nov 23
Upsetting Content 8th November 2023
Combat Online Bullying 25th October 23
12 Top Tips For Building Cyber Resilience At Home 18th October 23
Ai Virtual Friends 11th October 23
Data Backups And Storage 27th September 23
Online Financial Scams Exploitation 20th September 23
Setting Boundaries Around Gaming 13th September 23
Sharing Photos Online 6th September 2023
What Parents and Carers Need to Know about W App
Stay Safe Online This Summer 12th July 2023
12 Social Media Online Safety Tips
St Joseph’s Guidance to Children Owning a Mobile Phone Oct 2022
Before a pupil can bring a mobile phone into school parents need to read and sign: Use of Mobile Phones and Other Electronic Devices in School this needs to be forwarded to the school office.
Guides to keeping children safe online:
This button links directly to the CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) agency reporting abuse website. Wherever you see this sign, you are able to report any online abuse.
Kidsmart gives you lots of advice on how to stay safe online.
Thinku
