Online Safety
Online safety is embedded within our curriculum. The school provides a comprehensive curriculum for online safety which enables pupils to become informed, safe and responsible. This includes teaching to prevent radicalisation, for which staff provide a narrative to counter extremism.
The curriculum is flexible and can respond to any immediate online safety issues and risks as they emerge.
It is necessary for pupils to develop skills of critical awareness, digital resilience and good online citizenship to enable them to use internet, mobile and digital technologies safely and responsibly. Pupils are taught to recognise the creative, collaborative, cultural, economic and educational opportunities provided by the internet, mobile and digital technologies. Curriculum work will also include:
- Understanding how to use the internet, mobile and digital technologies in a balanced and appropriate way to avoid negative impact on wellbeing, e.g. regulated screen time and diverse online activity
- Learning how to develop a positive online reputation and enhance future opportunities e.g. in relationships and employment
- Developing critical thinking skills in relation to online content e.g. recognising fake news and extremism, understanding commercial manipulation, maintaining an authentic sense of self that is resilient to online pressure, learning how easy it is to lie online (i.e. users may not be who they say they are and may have ulterior motives)
- Understanding the dangers of giving out personal details online (e.g. full name, address, mobile/home phone numbers, school details, IM/email address) and the importance of maintaining maximum privacy online
- Thinking carefully before placing images online and considering their appropriateness and understanding the importance of gaining consent before posting photographs of others
- Understanding the permanency of all online postings and conversations
- Understanding relevant legislation, including copyright, and the importance of respecting other people’s information, reputation and images
- What constitutes cyberbullying, how to avoid it, the impact it has and how to access help.
The support of parents/carers is essential to implement the online safety policy effectively and keep all children safe.
The full Online Safety Policy can be accessed from the Policies page.
The Online Agreement and IT Acceptable Use Agreement for pupils is available from the Letters and Forms page under the Virtual Office.
Online Safety Newsletters and Resources:
Herts for Learning Online Safety Newsletter for Parents and Carers Summer 2024 (PDF format and opens in a new tab)- Herts for Learning Online Safety Newsletter for Parents and Carers Spring 2024 (PDF format and opens in a new tab)
- Childnet Parents and carers resource sheet (PDF format and opens in a new tab)
- Let’s talk about life online (PDF format and opens in a new tab)
- Online Family Agreement (PDF format and opens in a new tab)
