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Beecroft Primary School

Online Safety

At Beecroft we are passionate about the teaching of Online Safety; it is an integral part of our preventative curriculum; it is taught throughout the year as a focus of every computing lesson. Every lesson starts with a reminder of the school “SMART with a Heart” rule that children learn using British Sign Language.

In addition to this, each half-term, we have mapped out the 8 different strands of online safety from (Education For A Connected World). These objectives are taught both in and alongside the pupils’ timetabled computing lessons in PSHE, using up to date resources from the National Online Safety Centre.  We are a certified National Online Safety School and all our staff, including non-teaching members, receive regular online safety training as part of our safeguarding approach.

We realise it is the duty of the school to ensure that every child in our care is safe, and the same principles should apply to safeguarding them in the ‘virtual’ or ‘digital’ world, as would be applied to the school’s physical building. We want to ensure that all our Beecroft pupils create their own positive digital footprint.

Our pupil elected Online Safety warriors work alongside Mr Campbell, to raise awareness of dangers online. They deliver assemblies each half term and produce newsletters on the half termly safety focus, for both pupils and parents.

School rules for keeping safe

Beecroft Rules Keeping Safe KS1
Beecroft Rules Keeping Safe KS2

Top Tips For Parents

Below we have listed some tips to help you be more involved with your child's online world, and some links to websites that can give you more detailed information about keeping safe. If you have any concerns about your child and the internet please feel free to speak to Mr Campbell or your child's class teacher.

  • Encourage the fun and positive side of the internet.
  • Take an active interest in what your child is doing online. Ask questions, have a go yourself.
  • Let your child show you how to do things with computers or gadgets if you are unsure. Do not be worried that they seem to know more than you!
  • Make sure your child knows how to Keep Safe Online.
  • Discuss together the SMART rules on the KEEPING SAFE area of the Beecroft website. Look together at some of the weblinks for children on how to stay safe; play some of the games or quizzes.
  • Site the computer in a family area.
  • Negotiate some family computer / internet use rules.
  • Remember your child may be using the internet at school, friends' homes, on their mobile phone, via games consoles (Wii, x-box, PlayStation etc.) at libraries. ARE THESE PROTECTED TOO?
  • Encourage your child to speak to you if they see anything that upsets them online.
  • Make sure your child knows what to do about 'spam' and 'advertising pop-ups'. This can worry them.
  • Remind your children never to give out personal information online.
  • Regularly discuss 'stranger danger' on the internet.
  • Remind children that they should never meet up with anyone without a trusted adult present.
  • Support age restrictions set by websites or social networking sites which prevent children accessing unsuitable material.
  • Most computers, phones, games consoles, TVs and other electronic gadgets have parental controls.
  • Read the manufacturer's instructions. Set these before giving your child access to the devices.
  • Many Internet Providers now offer excellent support for parents to help you keep your child safe online. This can involve monitoring software, setting time limits, blocking websites and much more. It may not be provided automatically and it is likely that you will need to download some software. Contact your internet provider for more information.
  • Censoring your child's use of the internet is sensible while they are young. Remember as they grow teaching them how to keep safe online and how to make wise choices for themselves becomes more important.

Internet Safety

Visiting websites, playing games online, texting on our mobile phones, chatting with friends on Face Time - all of these are fun ways to use the internet.

Keeping Safe Online

The internet is great to use at home or in school. Wherever you are remember the SMART Rules for keeping safe online.

  • S - SAFE. Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information when you're chatting, texting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, home address, phone number, the name of your school and passwords. If you want to sign up to a website and need to give out your personal details ask for your parent's permission first.
  • M - MEETING. Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous; they may not be who they say they are. Only meet with your parents' or carers' permission and then only when they can go with you. Remember online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.
  • A - ACCEPTING. Accepting emails, IM messages, or opening files, pictures or texts from people you don't know or trust can lead to problems - they may contain viruses or nasty messages!
  • R - RELIABLE. Someone online might lie about who they really are. If you like chatting online or playing games online it is best to only chat or play with your real world friends and family. Facts and information on the internet may not be true. Always check information with other websites, books or someone who knows. You may see all sorts of exciting adverts or offers on the internet - sometimes these can be scams. Let your parent or carer check it out first.
  • T - TELL. Tell your parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone or something on the internet makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online.
Beecroft SMART Poster

Spend some time looking at the weblinks on the bottom of this page which will give you further help and advice for keeping safe online.

Worried about something to do with the internet?

If you have a worry about anything to do with the internet, any messages you have received or anything you have seen on websites it is really important that you tell your Mum or Dad or another trusted adult at home, or your teacher or another trusted adult at school. Trusted adults can solve the problems.

Worried about being bullied online?

If you feel you are being bullied online by messages, texts or something nasty being said about you on websites or social networking sites then tell your Mum or Dad or your teacher or Mr Campbell at school. Remember trusted adults will help stop the bullying. Make sure that you are always polite and friendly online.

Keep safe with your mobile phone.

Most children who have a mobile phone know how to text safely and politely, and how to block unwanted messages or callers. If you are unsure, ask your Mum or Dad to show you how to do these things on your phone.

Keep balanced.

Spending time online playing games and chatting with friends is enjoyable and entertaining - time can fly by so quick! Remember it is healthy to keep a balance between the amount of time you spend online and the time you spend enjoying yourself in the real world. Make sure you spend at least the same amount of time or more on real world activities such as: visiting friends; playing outside in the fresh air on your bike, scooter or making a den; playing games that don't involve computers or TVs; enjoying hobbies; joining a sports team or cubs or brownies.

Below are some very useful websites for both parents and children. We recommend that you take the time to browse the information on the websites and then discuss internet use with your children.

CEOP's Think U Know
Childnet
National Online Safety
Virginmedia Children's Online Safety Test
Parentzone