Online Safety
At ACS we recognise that being online is an important part of life for our students, not just as part of education, but for social interaction, leisure and creative expression.
We ensure all our students are given regular esafety training in discrete PSHE lessons, as part of their Computing Curriculum, during core days at post 16 and in assemblies. In this training we cover:
- Online reputations
- Cyberbullying
- Access to inappropriate materials (such as pornography and violence)
- Sexting and sharing images
- Sharing personal information
- Communication with strangers
Parents and e-safety
As parents, we often assume our children know more than us about IT, because many of them spend so much time using it. However, what they don’t know more about is how to be safe, make sound judgements about social interactions and how to get themselves out of a tricky or scary situation.
Although we cover online safety extensively at school, conversations at home are by far the most effective method of protecting our children. Knowing they can turn to someone at home if they make a mistake or if they are unsure about anything can help prevent situations escalating into a more major problem.
There is some good advice to keep your son/daughter safe whilst using devices: we encourage you to read up on PEGI and check out our Parent’s Guide to Technology.
There are lots of other helpful resources online to support parents with having conversations about online safety. We have gathered together a handful below that contain excellent resources to help you.
If you would like any further information, training or support with online safety. Please don’t hesitate to get in contact graham.manson@abbeywoodschool.com
Child Safety on Fortnite
Parent factsheet available here.
Digizen
The Digizen website provides information for educators, parents, carers, and young people. It is used to strengthen their awareness and understanding of what digital citizenship is and encourages users of technology to be and become responsible DIGItal citiZENS. www.digizen.org
Kidsmart
A Website where you and your children can learn more about the internet and being a SMART surfer. www.kidsmart.org.uk/parents
Know IT All
Award winning resources for teachers and parents. www.childnet.com/resources/kia
NSPCC
This website gives you information on technology you can use to keep your child safe including links to how to set up parental controls and information on online gaming and social networking.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety
Snapchat
Please click for important information regarding Snapchat.
Staying safe online
Please click here to view a short BBC video and information is available here from the NSPCC and O2 who have partnered to help parents keep their children safe online.
Thinkuknow
This website is managed by CEOP, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection government agency, this site has lots of up to date information on the new technologies available for use and explains the risks of using these technologies in and easily digestible format. https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
UK Safer Internet Centre
The UK Safer Internet Centre have produced a useful guide to share with parents to help ensure safer browsing in You Tube.
You can find the information – How to use YouTube in Restricted mode here
Please click here for the answers to parents commonly asked online safety questions
Vodafone digital parenting
This site gives you up to date information on threats to children, new technologies and the latest trends. It also covers how to have awkward conversations with your child
http://vodafonedigitalparenting.co.uk/
Young People and Social Networking Sites
Click here for useful information.
You can find more information and how to find, control and block apps and tools on smart phones here:
https://appsolutelyapril.com/2018/03/21/10-apps-teens-are-using-that-parents-need-to-know/
You can also get some helpful information on different apps and how to discuss their use with your child here:
https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/apps-guide/