Our children at Middleton Parish School use the Internet on a regular basis as part of their learning. In school we have regular online safety activities to remind our children of the importance of keeping themselves safe online.
There has been lots of news in the media about the dangers children face when communicating online. Sadly, the potential risks do not only relate to children of high school age – many primary school children are being exposed to inappropriate games and activities. It is vital that we, as parents and educators, are fully aware of the very real risks that our children do and could face when playing online games, using mobile phones and when they are connecting with others via the Internet.
Here are some tips and useful links to help you to keep your child safe online:
- Facebook and other social media sites - Many of these sites have a minimum age limit of 13, so pupils should NOT be using them. Check the 'Age Restrictions' document below for more guidance.
- Keep your computer and tablets in a shared area - Talk to your child about what they are doing online and if possible set up your computer in a shared area so that you can all share in the wonderful sites that are available online.
- Privacy settings - Ensure privacy settings are regularly checked and updated to avoid exposure to the wider public, i.e only invited friends.
- Make sure Computer games are age appropriate - Do not allow your child to play or be exposed to games intended for an older or adult audience. Computer games have age limits put on them to keep your child safe.
In school, we promote the 'Zip it, Block it, Flag it!' Campaign, so that children know what to do if they come across something offensive or suspicious online.
Some links to more online safety information:
- How to turn on restrictions:
- Advice from Apple about family safety
- Apple guide for using the Screen Time app to monitor usage and set limits
- Tips for enabling restrictions on other computers and devices
- An example of a parent monitoring application
- Guide to the Digital 5-a-Day
- Article ''How much screen time is too much?''
- Article "Limiting children's screen time linked to better cognition"
- TIKTOK advice and support
Social Media Guides
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