At St Edward’s, we are committed to helping our children stay safe online and become responsible digital citizens. Online safety is taught across the curriculum through assemblies, workshops, PSHE lessons, and the Computing curriculum.

Pupils learn how to protect their personal information, use technology respectfully, and recognise potential risks. They are encouraged to speak to a trusted adult if anything online makes them feel uncomfortable or unsure.

We revisit key messages regularly to ensure learning remains relevant, and we mark Online Safety Day each year to reinforce important themes and raise awareness across our school community. This year, we used Jeanne Willis' book, Troll Stinks to generate thought and discussion. It would be great if parents could discuss it with their children too. 

Online safety is constantly evolving, and we recognise the important role parents and carers play in helping children navigate the digital world safely. At St Edward’s, we are committed to supporting families by providing up-to-date guidance and advice.

Below are some useful websites and resources to help you stay informed and support your child’s online safety at home.

TikTok – Age 13+ Get clued up on the short video app that has over a billion users. Click here to find out more about what TikTok is(opens in new tab) Click here for a fabulous review of TikTok(opens in new tab)	WhatsApp – Age 16+ WhatsApp is great for free phone calls, video calls and messages, but do you know the dangers of it? Click here for a fabulous review of WhatsApp(opens in new tab)
Snapchat – Age 13+ What do you know about the app that many people use for communicating or a quick bit of silly fun? Click here for a fabulous review of Snapchat(opens in new tab)	Instagram – Age 13+ What is Instagram? Click here for a fabulous review of Instagram(opens in new tab)
A Parents’ Guide to Facebook Would you know whether your son/ daughters profile is set to public or private? Would you know how to check? Do you know what POS stands for when children are online chatting (Parent Over Shoulder)? Do you know what Phishing is? Facebook is very popular amongst young people (and many adults) this guide is produced annually to keep parents up to date with tips for keeping their children safe when using Facebook and informing them of the latest trends for Facebook usage. http://www.connectsafely.org/pdfs/fbparents.pdf (opens in new tab)	Cyber Bullying Cyberbullying is becoming more prevalent amongst children and young people when they are online, particularly as the popularity of online gaming continues to increase. To help parents deal with any incidents of cyberbullying or if you think your child may be a victim of online bullying there is advice and guidance for you as a parent and how to deal with such scenarios. http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/advice/parents-and-carers.aspx

NSPCC is the UK's leading Children's Charity and one of their campaigns is providing ONLINE SAFETY support for children, families and schools.  Please find links below for the relevant topics. 

• Talking to your child about Online Safety - tips on how to start the conversation with your child. 
• Online games - learn about the risks of online games and how to protect your child. 
• Parental controls - advice on setting up parental controls to help you keep your child safe online.

Online Safety Resources:

ThinkUKnow - Stay informed with legal, policy and research based guidance on how to support young people and prevent child sexual exploitation. https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/professionals/resources/

Child Net - Whether you’re puzzled by parental controls or would like to get knowledgeable about gaming, this section can help. We all know that it can sometimes be challenging to keep up to speed with what children and young people are doing online. On this page you’ll find a whole host of useful ways to help keep your child safe. https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers

Net Aware – NSPCC – A guide to social networks, apps and games. https://www.net-aware.org.uk/

Smartie the Penguin - An online safety story for 3 to 7 year olds. https://www.childnet.com/resources/smartie-the-penguin

Digital 5 a day - Easy to follow, practical steps for children and parents to achieve a healthy and balanced digital diet. https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/our-work/digital/5-a-day/

Internet Matters - Helping parents and carers keep their children safe online. https://www.internetmatters.org/

Online Protection Checklist for the Home - Internet Watch Foundation -  The IWF is a not-for-profit organisation that works towards the global elimination of child sexual abuse imagery online. https://talk.iwf.org.uk/

National Online Safety  - Parents and Carers can click the link below for helpful factsheets on a wide range of gaming, social media and online platforms.

Register for free to gain access to helpful and up-to-date parent guides. https://nationalonlinesafety.com/guides