FOLLOW US
e-SAFETY
At RWBA, the safeguarding of pupils is the highest priority. We are committed to ensuring our pupils are safe in school and online. By giving the pupils the knowledge to safeguard themselves and their personal information we are empowering them with a vital life skill.
We run 4 face to face to face parent information evenings per year which aim to make parents and carers feel empowered to control the safety of their children both online and in the real world. Please contact dstorey@rwba.ascendlearningtrust.org.uk for more information about these events.
Useful websites for parents
https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/hotline
https://parentzone.org.uk/home
Keeping children safe online | NSPCC
LGfL Safeguarding - Keeping Children Safe | LGFL
​
Understanding Screen Addiction and Responsible Digital Use
Read the full guide here:
https://www.mytutor.co.uk/blog/the-screen-time-diet-helping-your-teen-find-the-balance-with-tech/
​
ADVICE FOR STUDENTS: DON’T PUT YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION ON YOUR PROFILE.
Never put Items such as your address, phone numbers and full date of birth on your profile. They will instantly become very public information and could come back to haunt you in many ways. Check your profile constantly to ensure that you are not displaying any personal information. Also don’t post too much information on your profile, It might be great to tell your best friend “We’re off to Florida for 2 weeks” but it could be a great invitation to a burglar who you’ve added through a fake profile.
​​
Be careful when placing photos of you or your family on social media
Make sure that you have all your privacy settings set to maximum and never post any photograph that you wouldn’t be happy see appear in a newspaper – because, effectively, that’s what you’re doing.
Your social media page isn’t just private amongst your friends and family.
Should you accept all friend requests? Absolutely not!
The whole purpose of social media is to socially connect with people you know. However, not every friend request is by someone you know. There have been many reported instances of sex offenders, terrorists and other criminals creating fake accounts to gain access to online information. If you do not know the person, then do not add them – Even if your friends have.
​
Watch what you say on social media
Similar to above, you need to watch what you say on social media as it can be very damaging to friendships, your family and professional life. Posting nasty or untrue comments about friends and family can easily cause arguments so it’s best not to do it. There have also been quite a few cases where people have posted things on their wall and lost their job because of a single comment.
Be sure your anti-virus software is up to date
Fake posts on social media are very common at the moment. Just because you see it on You Tube does not make it true. Always think about things critically.
​
Don't be afraid to speak to us
If you are ever bothered by someone on social media there are a number of things you can do. If someone is simply annoying you by sending you messages or posting things on your wall you can Block them or Report them on most social media apps. If you think the person may be a danger to you or others you can report them to the Police or CEOP. If you’re unsure what you should do please feel free to speak to any member of staff in school.
What the students have been learning about this week
Advice for Parents
Be involved in your child’s online life. For many of today’s young people there is no line between the online and offline worlds. Young people use the internet to socialise and grow and, just as you guide and support them offline, you should be there for them online too. Talk to them about what they’re doing, if they know you understand they are more likely to approach you if they need support.
Privacy Settings
Most social networking sites, now give your child a lot of control over what they share and who they share it with. Through a site’s ‘privacy settings’ you are able to control:
It is important that you stay up-to-date with the privacy settings that your child uses and help them stay in control of their profile.
​
Keep up-to-date with your child’s development online. Be inquisitive and interested in the new gadgets and sites that your child is using. It’s important that as your child learns more, so do you.
​
Set boundaries in the online world just as you would in the real world. Think about what they might see, what they share, who they talk to and how long they spend online. It is important to continue to discuss boundaries so that they evolve as your child’s use of technology does.
​
​Consider the use of parental controls on devices that link to the internet, such as the TV, laptops, computers, games consoles and mobile phones. Parental controls are not just about locking and blocking, they are a tool to help you set appropriate boundaries as your child grows and develops.
​
Parental Controls
As a parent or carer it can be difficult to monitor what your child is up to online. Have a think about the following things
-
Filtering – content to restrict access to particular sites, such as pornographic websites.
-
Time limits – restrict the amount of time your child can be online, or set periods of time where your child can access certain sites.
-
Monitoring – where you are informed of certain sites that your child is attempting to gain access to.
-
Reporting – where you are provided with information about what sites your child has used.
​
Online Resources
-
Click to expandThere are thousands of resources available online to help parents and students stay safe online. We’ve selected a few we think are of use below: ThinkUKnow – ThinkUKnow is a website created by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, otherwise known as CEOP. It’s specifically aimed at young people and provides information on how to stay safe online. It covers a variety of topics, dealing with the common ways young people interact with each others, including mobiles phones, gaming, social networking, chatting and blogs. You’ll find the CEOP Report button at the bottom of this page. Childnet Young People – The Childnet website helps students look at how they use communication technology and shows them how to be aware of the dangers that can arise from using them. Bullying Online – Bullying Online is a website covering all aspects of bullying but has a section covering cyberbulling specifically. Lots of advice on how to stay safe on the internet, mobile phone bullying, dangerous and abusive websites. Cyberbullying Research – Resources and tips for dealing with cyberbullying. ParentZone – Digital Schools Safer Internet Day Pokemon GO Parents Guide Parent Info – National Safety Tool BBC Webwise – Help and support for all aspects of internet safety Google Safety Centre – A guide to show parents how they can protect their family online YouTube Safety Centre The Cybersmile Foundation UK Safer Internet Centre – The Parents’ Guide to Technology UK Safer Internet Centre – Setting up Parental Controls offered by your Internet Service Provider Know IT All Resources – Parents Section BBC Webwise – Webcam Safety Cyberbullying – Advice for parents and carers ​Instagram – A Parents Guide Snapchat – A Parents Guide Snapchat – NEW location sharing feature information Vodafone Digital Parenting Guide Understanding Screen Addiction and Responsible Digital Use Guide The Screen Time Diet: Helping Your Teen Find The Balance With Tech Advice for Gaming and Gambling
