E-safety
At BCPS, we believe that using the internet and communicating with others are important skills to have in order to develop and live in the modern world. Doing it safely and respectfully make children into responsible digital citizens.
At School
To help the children develop their own online skills we have a fully embedded curriculum of e-safety that runs through the children’s regular computing lessons as well as through the school’s PSHE curriculum. This enables the children to put into practice the skills they have been taught under teacher supervision as well as having the opportunity to discuss and discover the wider impact that their decisions can have on their own and other people’s lives.
At Home
At home, the internet and mobile technologies are an amazing resource. They enable children to explore the world, to socialise, to play games, to develop writing skills, create music and artwork as well as providing entertainment. But often home networks don’t come with the stronger filtering settings and restrictions that are used in schools in order to protect children and keep them from accessing or viewing potentially harmful material.
However, there are a few steps you can take to help limit the risk to children while they operate online:
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Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online.
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Ask them about how they stay safe online. What tips do they have for you, and where did they learn them? What is OK and not OK to share?
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Ask them if they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy settings and how to report or block on the services they use.
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Encourage them to help. Perhaps they can show you how to do something better online or they might have a friend who would benefit from their help and support.
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Think about how you use the internet as a family. What could you do to get more out of the internet together and further enjoy your lives online
Cyber Bullying
Cyber bullying is any form of bullying that takes place online or through the use of mobile phones and tablets. It covers social networking platforms, messaging apps, collaborative gaming and chat rooms. The biggest problem with cyber bullying is that it can happen anywhere and at any time of the day or night. Research conducted by the charity BullyingUK suggests that 52% of young people in the UK have witnessed incidents of bullying online and 42% of young people have felt unsafe.
Through the PSHE curriculum, children are taught the importance of being respectful to each other online as well steps that they can take to deal with incidents of bullying that they witness or are subject too.
Below are several useful links that can give handy tips and advice on how to keep your children safe online while they grow up in this digital age.
Useful Links
Bullying UK - information and support on all aspects of bullying.
CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection command) - Official website for the policing of the internet.
NSPCC - Official website for the NSPCC with information in what to look out for and advice on dealing with issues of bullying and online abuse.
ParentZone - Information site full of ideas for effective parenting in a digital world.
Always be careful when you are using the internet. It can help you to keep in touch with your friends and help your education – but it can also cause harm – to you and to others. Remember help is always available at school if you are having any problems online. Don’t be afraid to talk to your teacher or another adult at school.
If you or anyone you know is worried about Child Exploitation, Online Protection or anything related to Internet safety please click the link below which will take you to the CEOP reporting website:
Helpful links to look at with your family.
Age 5-7
Age 8-10
Age 11-13
Tips for staying safe online: · Make sure you keep new online friends strictly online. If someone you don't know asks to be your online friend you must ensure an adult knows about it.