On-line-Safety at Beaconside

At Beaconside we understand that the online world is a significant part of our pupils’ lives and that it can be a positive tool, e.g. to enhance their learning. We also know that there are risks posed to pupils online.

We  believe it is important for us to work in partnership with parents to keep pupils safe online.  

What is the school doing to help protect pupils?

We adopt a whole-school approach to online safety, meaning that online safety is integrated through all aspects of school life to ensure we are doing everything we can to protect pupils from online harms. 

As part of our approach to online safety, we:

• Ensure that all staff at the school receive high-quality training in online safety and know what to do when a concern is raised, or an incident occurs.

• Teach pupils about the importance of online safety.

• Implement policies and procedures. 

• Implement appropriate filtering and monitoring software. 

• Support families with their knowledge and understanding of online safety.

What can parents do to help protect children online?

As parents, you play an essential role in protecting your children online. There are lots of ways you can help to minimise the risks and increase the awareness of online safety in your home. We have listed some of the ways you can do this below:

• Talk to your children about why it is important to stay safe online. Explain that whilst the internet is a fun, exciting and knowledge-rich tool, it is also a place where people may wish to bring them into dangerous activities or expose them to harmful material. It is important to be clear that you are not saying your child may never use the internet again, or that everything on it is harmful – it is about teaching them to have a greater awareness and to be able to manage and report any risks.
• Only give your children devices or access to devices that you feel comfortable with, and not as a result of peer-pressure deriving from their classmates and/or friends who are also using those devices.
• Discuss rules for being online and draw them up together, including which sites, games, etc., are acceptable. If certain games are off-limits, try to explain why –  for example, because of excessive violence. If your child uses online gaming, consider setting rules such as only talking to others in the same age range and having the conversation on speaker, rather than headphones, so you can monitor it.
• Discuss what information should be private and what is ok to share; for example, addresses, names of schools, and names should never be given out to strangers online, as this could allow them to identify where your child goes to school or lives. 
• Keep an open dialogue with your child – letting them know they can always talk to you about anything that has made them feel uncomfortable online is key to keeping them safe.
• Ensure all devices used by your child are kept in a communal space, or a space where they can be supervised whilst using their devices.
• Set parental controls – do this as a dialogue with your child so they are aware of what they are not allowed to view; however, do not rely on parental controls on devices, as they are not always 100 percent effective and many children know how to bypass them.  
• Make sure your child knows how to report or ‘block’ unsuitable content, messages or people online – show them how to block on the websites or games they frequently use and explain that they can always tell you, a teacher or another adult if they experience anything which makes them feel uncomfortable. 

No electronic equipment, including mobile phones, should be brought to school unless prior agreement has been sought from the Headteacher.