Online Safety
Here at Doubletrees we are aware that we now live in a digital age and the use of technology is a powerful tool to support learning. We are also aware of the risks posed by the internet and social media, and endeavour to educate our young people on how to use technology safely and how and where to seek help when this is not the case.
Our school has an online safety group who seek to review and improve practice, using the 360 safe auditing tool to guide us. Online safety is an integral part of our PSHE curriculum and every term we have a focus on an aspect of Online safety, linked to the current strand of the PSHE curriculum.
Please watch out in our fortnightly newsletter for these focus weeks and termly themes.
In an ever-changing digital landscape, it is essential that our young people know how to stay safe and harness the positives offered by the online world, whilst being aware of the pitfalls and problems it can create. Used correctly, digital media offers young people the opportunity to explore, connect, create, and learn and, as a school, we believe in the importance of teaching young people about these opportunities as well as safeguarding them against the problems of misuse.
As a school, we share advice and guidance with our school community, highlighting both the positive and negative aspects associated with living in the modern, digital world. Through our learning, we explore the consequences of our actions and the ramifications associated with: cyberbullying, digital cheating, identity, self-image, digital footprint, communication and internet safety. We understand that it is essential for all to have the necessary skills to be able to manage the online world.
The government has recently announced new measures to keep children safe online. At Doubletrees School we have appropriate filters and monitoring systems in place, so that no learner can access harmful content via the school IT systems and concerns can be spotted quickly. We also teach our learners about safeguarding, including online, through our PSHE lessons.
Please see below for links to some great online resources for families about online safety. They provide helpful support and information on understanding the risks and benefits of social media and advice on how to prevent risks becoming problems.
Useful websites to support all parents with parental controls can be found below -
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
https://www.internetmatters.org/
https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/
https://www.parentkind.org.uk/online-safety-toolkit
https://www.headstartkernow.org.uk/parents--carers/parent-digital-offer/
There are also links below on how to report something you are concerned about online.
https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/parents/
https://safercornwall.co.uk/staying-safe-online/
Here is a link to a child-friendly story promoting Internet Safety -
https://www.childnet.com/resources/hanni-and-the-magic-window/
