E-Safety

At Shepherdswell the children regularly use the internet as part of their learning. In school we regularly remind the children how to stay safe online through ‘e-safety’ activities.

At home, children are not always supervised when they are using the internet. This can potentially allow children access to a whole world of information and online communities, some of which may be unsuitable for children to access.

Whilst the internet is a wonderful place, we need to make sure that our children are safe and responsible internet users.

Here are some useful tips and links to keep your children safe online:

Make sure your children use the internet in a shared area – Talk to your child about what they are doing online and, if possible, make sure that they access the internet in a shared area at home so that you can all share in the great sites that are available online.
Talk about what you are happy for your child to do on the internet, and set up ‘ground rules’ for using the internet – Make sure that you talk with your child about what you do and do not want them to do on the internet, including who you are happy for them to communicate with using online chat forums etc.
Explore E-safety sites – there are links to useful e-safety sites for children in at the bottom of this page. They are great fun to explore, so why not browse through them with your children?
Social Networks have age limits on them – Sites such as Facebook, Bebo, Instagram and apps such as Snapchat have a minimum age limit of 13, so our pupils should NOT be using them. These sites are also not moderated and can allow your children a means of communication to people that they may not necessarily know.
Don’t be afraid to ask! – There are always new websites, apps and social networks that the children are using. Try to establish open lines of communication, where you can talk with your child about what they are doing so that you are aware of how and who they are communicating with.

Parent’s Guides

Keeping up to date with the games and social media platforms that children are using can be difficult sometimes. Here are some helpful ‘Parent’s Guides’ to give you the information that you need and highlight things that you should be aware of.

Useful Websites

Think U Know – This site is produced by CEOP (the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) and has materials for children, teachers and parents.
Kidsmart – An award-winning internet safety programme for children.
Know IT All – lots of useful advice for keeping yourselves and your children safe on the Internet.
Vodafone Parents – Vodafone have lots of fantastic practical advice for parents. You can also read their ‘Digital Parenting‘ magazine.
Internet Safety Zone – Look in the ‘Under 13s’ section for useful safety advice and information.
Bullying UK – Information and advice about bullying for children, parents and schools.
Kidscape – An organisation which helps to prevent bullying and child abuse.
Childline – ChildLine is the free helpline for children and young people in the UK.