Keeping Children Safe Online

Children at Alexandra use the Internet on a regular basis as part of their learning. In school, we have regular 'e-safety' activities to remind children of the importance of keeping themselves safe online. At home, sometimes children can be unsupervised when they access the Internet. This, potentially, allows them access to inappropriate content and social media. It is important to monitor your child's device usage to make sure they are staying safe.

Please follow the links below to find out more about keeping your child safe on the internet.

Think you know Website   CEOPS Latest information

Digital Parenting by Vodaphone  Lots of advice on how to set Parental Controls on devices to prevent

www.net-aware.org.uk A guide to social networks your child uses.

www.childnet.com Helping make the internet safe

http://www.kidsmart.org.uk/

Setting Parental Controls offered by your internet provider

TOP TIPS

• Compile a list of websites they’re allowed to visit
• Discuss on-line privacy
• Set parental controls on all devices (see this month’s Digital Parenting which has guides for all types of devices)
• Set passwords to stop online purchases
• Set screen time limits
• Monitor your child’s activity

Video & Computer Games

Online gaming is hugely popular with children and young people.  From sport related games, to mission based games and quests inspiring users to complete challenges, interactive games cater for a wide range of interests, and can enable users to link up and play together. Games can provide a fun and social form of entertainment often encouraging teamwork and cooperation when played with others.

There are many ways for users to play games online. This includes free games found on the internet, games on mobile phones and handheld consoles, as well as downloadable and boxed games on PCs and consoles such as the PlayStation, Nintendo Wii or Xbox.

Parents need to be aware of PEGI ratings on Games

What are PEGI ratings?

Age ratings are systems used to ensure that entertainment content, such as films, videos, DVDs, and computer games, are clearly labelled by age according to the content they contain. Age ratings provide guidance to consumers (particularly parents) to help them decide whether or not to buy a particular product.

The rating on a game confirms that it is suitable for players over a certain age. Accordingly, a PEGI 7 game is only suitable for those aged seven and above and a PEGI 18 game is only suitable for adults aged eighteen and above. The PEGI rating considers the age suitability of a game, not the level of difficulty.

Top tips for online gaming:

1. It may seem daunting, but one of the best things parents and carers can do is to engage with the gaming environment and begin to understand what makes it is so attractive to young people as well as the types of activities that they enjoy!

2. Talk with your children about the types of game(s) they are playing. Are they role-playing games, sports games, strategy games or first person shooters? If you’re not sure what they are, ask them to show you how they play and have a go yourself.

3. Some games may offer children the chance to chat with other players by voice and text. Ask them who they are playing with and find out if they are talking to other players. If chat is available, look at the type of language that is used by other players.

4. Look out for age ratings and familiarise yourself with the PEGI icons on games. The PEGI classification gives you a clear indication whether a game is suitable for your child.

Please be aware that if children mention that they have accessed unsuitable games or other material online this will be reported to Mr Waiting.

THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK

Safe: Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information when you’re chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number and password.

Meet: Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and even then only when they can be present. Remember online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.

Accepting: Accepting emails, IM messages, or opening files, images or texts from people you don’t know or trust can lead to problems – they may contain viruses or nasty messages!

Reliable: Someone online might lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true. Always check information by looking at other websites, in books, or with someone who knows. If you like chatting online it’s best to only chat to your real world friends and family.

Tell: Tell a parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone, or something, makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online.

Alexandra E-Safety Curriculum

FOUNDATION STAGE

1. Keeping Safe on the internet Story book  - For children to understand the importance of politeness and courtesy on and off the internet. http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/5_7/hectorsworld/
2. Keeping Safe on the internet Story book - To reinforce the message of ‘Stranger Danger’ and cyber-bullying on the internet. Understand the concept of ‘cyberbullying’ and how this can seriously harm young people. It is really vital to educate young children early that it is as important to be nice on the computer as in the real world. Children can say things on the internet that they would not in the real world because they can hide behind an electronic veil.
3. Keeping Safe Game – To help raise awareness of the dangers of giving personal information on the internet. For children to know what action to take if they feel they are in danger.
4. Dot to Dot Be a Protector - To encourage children’s awareness of what information should or should not be given out on social networking sites. To use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences.
5. Make a mask  - For children to internalise the keeping safe message. For children to use masks or puppets to extend free play and to creative imaginative stories. Children may put a separate human face on the reverse of their puppets to represent a child who is kind, a child who is naughty or a person who is nasty.

Please click here for downloadable support

KEYSTAGE 1 & 2

1. Keep safe game - To teach children that some information is precious or special because it applies just to them.  To teach children that personal information is as valuable online as it is offline, and should therefore not be shared without a parent or teacher’s permission.
2. Keeping safe on the internet cartoon - To help raise awareness of the dangers of giving personal information on the internet. For learners to understand that people are not always who they say they are. For learners to realise the importance of politeness and courtesy both on and off the internet. For learners to know what action to take if they feel they may be in danger. For learners to understand the uses of ICT inside and outside of school and to use it responsibly. http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/5_7/LeeandKim/
3. Make an internet safety poster - For learners to be aware of, and able to use, the rules for keeping safe on the internet. This will be in the format of an information text. For learners to know the importance of sharing any concerns they may have when using online technology with a responsible adult.
4. Be a Protector Board Game - To reinforce the message of safer internet use. Understand the concept of ‘cyberbullying’ and how this can seriously harm young people. It is really vital to educate young children early that it is as important to be nice on the computer as in the real world. Children can say things on the internet that they would not in the real world because they can hide behind an electronic veil.
5. Write a story - For learners to reflect on all aspects of a safer lifestyle both on and off the internet. For learners to develop their understanding of the safety messages through a clear written story. Optional extension: For learners to use drama techniques to act out their story to an audience.

E-Safety Workshop

Thank you to all the parents who attended the E-Safety workshop led by Peter Cowley. I hope you found it informative and helpful. A copy of his presentation to parents can be found here.