Do you know how to keep your child safe online?
 
At the Academy we take Online Safety extremely seriously. Our staff have undertaken training to ensure they know how to keep children safe in school. However, we know that the majority of online safety incidents take place out of school when children are on their mobile phones and other devices. Parents and carers are often left trying to resolve issues but, as technology, websites and apps are constantly changing, this can be very difficult to do.
 
Children, young people and adults are all spending far more time online these days. With this comes an increased risk of grooming, exploitation, radicalisation and falling victim to scams. It has become normal for children to have online friends who they have never met in real life and it’s really important that appropriate boundaries are put in place to ensure they’re not sharing information or images that may put them at risk of harm. A lot of apps and websites like TikTok risk exposing children to inappropriate content and fake news.
 
The Academy buys into National College. This is a fantastic platform with a wealth of resources for staff, parents and carers. Resources include explainer videos covering topics such as online bullying, gambling and trolling. There are also a number of useful guides relating to a variety of apps, games and online practices. At the Academy we strongly encourage parents, carers and even grandparents to sign up to the platform and to use it as a first port of call with any queries they may have around social media and online behaviour. 

Ms Keen, the Academy’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, recommends that parents and carers undertake one of the Annual Awards in Online Safety. There are different courses depending on the age of your child. Please click the image below and then log in to access the course that you require.

There is also a course on cyber security, which can be found here:

A list of other organisations that can help with Online Safety can be found here.