At Northgate Primary School, online safety is an integral part of children’s education in today’s digital world and is embedded in their learning at school. We strongly believe that the use of the internet is hugely worthwhile and an essential tool for children as they grow up in the modern world.
But because there are always concerns about children having access to undesirable materials, we have taken positive steps to deal with this risk in school. Children and staff at Northgate Primary School are able to access the Internet through the Hertfordshire Grid for Learning (HGfL), which operates a filtering system that restricts access to inappropriate materials. We also have a monitoring system which alerts staff if inappropriate materials are being searched.
As part of our Computing curriculum, all children from Foundation Stage to Year Six learn about Online Safety, focusing on identifying some of the risks about being on-line and how to keep themselves safe. Online safety is also taught through our PHSE curriculum.
At Home
As a parent, you'll know how important the internet is to children - they use it to learn, play, socialise and express themselves. It's a highly creative place of amazing opportunities.
However, it is essential parents are fully aware of the pros and cons of children using the internet.
If you are ever concerned about online safety, please do not hesitate to contact the school for advice.
The links below are websites which offer advice to parents to help ensure children stay safe while online.
Here are some conversation starter ideas from www.childnet.com that may help you start to protect your children online and decrease the risks they face.
- Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online.
- Ask them about how they stay safe online. What tips do they have for you, and where did they learn them? What is ok and not ok to share?
- Ask them if they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy settings and how to report or block on the services they use.
- Encourage them to help. Perhaps they can show you how to do something better online or they might have a friend who would benefit from their help and support.