What is online safety?

Online safety is an awareness of the risks involved for children when using the internet and mobile technologies such as mobile phones, tablets and ipads. Online safety guidance can help you ensure your children are watching and playing appropriate console games and films and accessing age appropriate websites.

What are the risks?

Your child could potentially be at risk of cyberbullying, accessing inappropriate websites/material, loss of control of personal pictures and information and grooming.

What does the school do?

At Shaftesbury, we promote online safety and take the matter of online safety very seriously. We hold regular assemblies and deliver lessons which advise the children about the potential risks and what they should do to remain e-safe.  We hold online safety coffee mornings and drop in sessions for parents and carers every term.  Throughout the academic year,  we set online safety homework and run competitions. We celebrate Safer Internet Day and have a Safer Internet Week in school. Safer Internet Day this academic year is Tuesday 9th February 2021.

What can I do?

As a parent / carer you should ensure that you always know what your child is doing online, the games they are playing, films they are watching and how they use their mobile phone and other devices. You can do this by putting parental locks in place, ensuring devices are kept in a communal room and by having a password on devices. You can also attend our online safety coffee mornings where we have specialist trainers who come into school to advise parents and carers about online safety.

Where can I get advice?

At Shaftesbury we offer regular online safety meetings for parents where we offer help and advice. You can also get information from websites such as CEOP (Child Exploitation & Online ProtectionCentre) and Thinkuknow which have sections aimed specifically at parents / carers as well as for children. If you would like any further information from school, please contact Ms McDonnell and she will be happy to help you.