Online Safety

As they grow up, children start to become more aware of the possibilities of the internet and begin to make decisions about what they’d like to do online which is usually either influenced by their peers or by their interests. As they start to become more independent, and start to access different things, it’s essential that parents take an active interest in their children’s safety online, particularly as the online world is becoming such an integral part of their everyday lives.


At Chalkwell, we believe that opening up a dialogue between families is the best way to support children through this time.



Please find below a host of useful information that can equip both parents and teachers in this ever changing world.


Many of these tips and advice come from National Online Safety. As a parent, you can create your own account and access a range of helpful one-page guides and parent courses and webinars that cover a wide range of topics (including social media platforms) within the online world.


To sign up, please follow nationalonlinesafety.com/enrol/chalkwell-hall-junior-school and complete your details. When you are set up, you will be able to set ‘Parent/Carer’ as your user type.


You can access National Online Safety online via any device - including via apps for both Apple and Android. 


CHJS Child's Media Survey Results 2023



CEOP


CEOP is set up to allow parents or children to report inappropriate and sexual behaviour online, with dedicated child protection advisors on hand to support. Some websites have this logo built in, or you can visit the website.


Click the picture below for more information. 




Gaming and PEGI ratings


Many of our children use both the internet and gaming devices to access a whole host of games. However, the content of these may not always be appropriate for the age of your child. PEGI ratings are designed to give you an idea of what the games contain.


PEGI ratings are content appropriate, not a difficulty level.


This site is great for judging games before you buy them or for seeing what other parents and children think: www.commonsensemedia.org



Mental Health and excessive use


Managing time on the internet and gaming can be tricky and some children are spending a huge amount of time online.


www.childnet.com

www.openvieweducation.co.uk



Social media


The legal age for the majority of social media platforms is 13 (with the exception of WhatsApp, which rose from 13 to 16 in May 2018), but we are aware that many of our children use some of these platforms.


Here are some good tips for supporting your children when using social networking sites, and can answer a range of questions that you may have. 



Reporting on social media


When things are inappropriate, for whatever reason, it is important to know what to do and how to report the content to the platform. If it is not reported, there is not a lot the platform can do.


Our workshops with the 2Johns made us aware of just how many of our children are using social media, and how many would speak to a parent if they had concerns.


This link gives a basic guide to some of the bigger social media platforms. Generally, all platforms will have a way to report content, usually in the settings. There is a separate link for WhatsApp, as this platform is not in the first link. 


www.thinkuknow.co.uk

faq.whatsapp.com



Filtering and Privacy settings


Filtering and privacy settings are vital in ensuring that your child is not exposed to inappropriate content or is accessing anything they shouldn’t. Filtering and privacy settings can help with these concerns.


Most devices are different, so please look these settings every time a new app or device is introduced. 



Restricting time


Nearly half of our children have told us that they use the internet or gaming devices – with some of these reporting using devices before school and after they have gone to bed - and some parents have expressed worries about how much time children spend on these devices.


Most iPhones have a system built in where you can restrict screen time, and there are apps you can download for Android devices. You can control the content your children are accessing, or set up set screen times that turn off when you want them to.


iPhone/iPad - support.apple.com

Android - www.androidpolice.com



Useful links


www.thinkuknow.co.uk

nationalonlinesafety.com/hub/browse

www.internetmatters.org

www.saferinternetday.org



Updates


The internet is always changing, and there are a stream of ever-changing trends. Here are a few links and a great website to tell you about how to deal with some of the latest trends:


Latest online safety news (please consider that some of these links report on recent issues that may also be upsetting to read):


www.internetmatters.org


National Online Safety provide a monthly update:


nationalonlinesafety.com

news.sky.com


As a school, we also release one-page advice guides every Wednesday for parents. These come from National Online Safety and aim to target any current issues. You can access guides for most topics at any time by creating an account and logging in.


nationalonlinesafety.com/enrol/chalkwell-hall-junior-school


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