Online Safety

Online Safety Policy

Welcome to our Online Safety page. We understand the importance of keeping our students safe while they are using the internet. As parents, it is crucial that you are also aware of the potential risks and how to protect your children online. Our school is committed to providing resources and guidance to help you navigate the digital world with confidence.

At Dronfield Junior, we believe that education is key to promoting online safety. We encourage open communication with your children about their online activities and the importance of responsible internet use. By working together, we can create a safe online environment for our pupils and help them develop the necessary skills to navigate the digital landscape securely.

As technology continues to advance, it is essential for parents to stay informed about the latest online trends and potential risks. Our school is here to support you in this journey and provide you with the tools and knowledge needed to protect your children online. Together, we can empower our pupils to make smart choices and stay safe in the digital world.

Whisper

Whisper, on our school website, is an anonymous reporting service for pupils, families and the local community that allows a message to be sent to a confidential school email account where staff experienced in responding to issues will receive it.

How does it work?

Clicking on the Whisper button on our site will take you to an online form where you can leave your message. You can choose to send it anonymously or, if you want us to get back to you, you can leave your contact details. Whisper does not collect any information to identify a sender unless they choose to leave it.

Keeping children safe online is the biggest child protection challenge of this generation. Parents have a vital role to play in this.

All pupils receive lessons on Online Safety as part of the Computing sessions as well as during PSHE. They have discussions about how to keep themselves safe online and what to do if they ever feel uncomfortable.

In each of the videos below (click on the links), David Wright, Director of the UK Safer Internet Centre talks about online parenting.

">An Introduction to Online Safety for Parents (Part 1)

Run time 4 minutes 40 seconds.

">An Introduction to Online Safety for Parents (Part 2)

Run time 4 minutes 52 seconds

">An Introduction to Online Safety for Parents (Part 3)

Run time 5 minutes 4 seconds

">An Introduction to Online Safety for Parents (Part 4)

Run time 5 minutes 8 seconds

Children and young people spend a lot of time online and may face risks such as cyberbullying, being exposed to inappropriate content or sexual exploitation. The internet isn’t a thing, it’s a place and it can be a very dangerous and scary place for young people to visit. Having no parental control of your child’s access to the internet is like your child going to a distant city or foreign country without your permission. You may think your child is safe upstairs in their bedroom but who are they talking to, what are they seeing, experiencing, what advice are they being given, are they being blackmailed or being sexually exploited?

There are lots of ways to help you keep your children safe online.

Internetmatters.org is a great place for parents to start. Supported by the major UK Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and a range of online safety organisations, it offers parents the opportunity to:

Get age appropriate Online Safety advice
Read our parental guides to apps and technology - they have produced an extensive guide for parents about parental controls that covers nearly all devices in the home. It explains the features and benefits of the device and what specific content can be restricted.
Learn about children and social networking

What is Child Sexual Exploitation? To read an introduction for parents and carers, click here.

Alternatively, click here for more information on sexual exploitation.

The following websites contain helpful information to help you keep your children safe online

ChildNet https://www.childnet.com/

Childnet International is a registered UK charity that aims to make the internet a safe place for children and young people.

BBC website https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/online-safety/z8w8bqt

The BBC provides a range of information about the laws that protect you and your data online as well as content on online security and safety both for adults and children.

Cyber Aware https://cyberaware.com/
A government produced site that provides information about how you can protect yourself as well as your device, data, and business online by being cyber aware.

Digital living magazine from Vodafone.
https://www.vodafone.com/content/parents/digital-parenting/magazines.html

Read about the very latest technology and challenges in this magazine - Expert View articles, ‘How to’ guides and Take Action checklists will help parents stay up-to-date and feel more confident about getting involved.

INEGE Safeguarding Group https://ineqe.com/2021/11/26/my-childs-first-device/

As a parent or carer, it’s important to remember that even if a child is tech-savvy, they need to be taught how to be tech-safe. This can be daunting with various device brands, apps, and settings to choose from. Online safety experts have created 5 steps to help you make that first device (or brand-new model!) safer for the child or young person in your care.

ChatGPT/AI https://www.childnet.com/blog/what-do-i-need-to-know-about-chatgpt-a-guide-for-parents-and-carers

What do I need to know about ChatGPT? A guide for parents and carers:

Get Safe Online https://www.getsafeonline.org/
Guidelines to protect both yourself and your business online with information on securing your computer, safeguarding children, and using social media safely.

Safer Internet https://saferinternet.org.uk/

A parents’ guide to technology - The UK Safer Internet Centre has created this guide to answer commonly asked questions and introduce some of the most popular devices used by children, highlighting the safety tools available and empowering parents with the knowledge they need to support their children to use these technologies safely and responsibly.

Internet parental controls

The four big internet providers – BT, Sky, Talk Talk and Virgin Media – provide their customers with free parental controls that can be activated at any time. Video tutorials on how to download and use these controls are available on the UK Safer Internet Centre website.

Childnet International

Resources for children, parents, carers and professionals around keeping young people safe online

https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers

https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/hot-topics/keepingyoung-children-safe-online

https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/hot-topics

https://parentzone.org.uk/article/disney-parents%E2%80%99-guidewhat-it-and-it-safe-kid

Where to get help

Information about what to do if a child comes to you for help and advice about how to report online concerns such as cyber-bullying, inappropriate content, or illegal behaviour.

Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) https://www.ceop.police.uk/ceop-reporting/
A police agency tackling child abuse on the internet. This web site includes a unique facility that enables parents and young people to make reports of actual or attempted abuse online.

Think U Know https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
This website contains information for children and parents, as well as a link for children to report abuse online.

Internet Watch Foundation https://www.iwf.org.uk/

Part of the UK Safer Internet Centre, the IWF is the UK’s hotline for reporting illegal content found on the internet. It deals specifically with child abuse and criminally obscene images hosted in the UK and internationally.

NSPCC https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
The NSPCC online safety helpline for parents and carers will answer questions and address concerns about a child’s online safety – 0808 800 5000.

True Vision https://www.report-it.org.uk/
Online content which incites hatred on the grounds of race, religion and sexual orientation can be reported to True Vision; a UK website set up to tackle all forms of hate crime, including those on the grounds of disability and transgender identity.

Childline
Children can chat to a counsellor online or talk to someone for advice and support at any time by contacting Childline on 0800 1111.