As a school we are both mindful and proactive in ensuring all our students remain safe on-line. Clearly at school IT use is filtered and monitored but we recognise and are aware that the increased use of mobile phones and the out of school use of technology can lead to unsafe situations and temptations for young people to make risky decisions.
We revisit ‘internet safety’ again and again in all year groups. We remind students about dangers in the virtual world and the need to be safe and responsible on-line. We return regularly to remind students to think about their digital footprints, the sending of communications that are inappropriate or that could be misinterpreted. We talk to young people about the pressures of society and friends that can easily influence what is posted or sent on-line and then bitterly regretted the next day. We warn our students about creating virtual relationships that are not real and that can lead to distress, alarm and danger. We remain concerned that so many young people feel the need to close their doors at home and play games in front of a screen and in some cases play games against strangers who can become so easily their ‘good friends’. We know that cyberbullying remains the most common and harmful form of unkindness and hurt to children.
Safer Internet Day 2018 will be recognised and celebrated here and globally on Tuesday 6th February 2018 with the slogan “Create, Connect and Share Respect: A better internet starts with you”.
For resources for parents/carers to join in use with your children