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Online Safety

The world our children are growing up in is becoming more and more digital.  Technology can provide new learning opportunities but we need to be aware of the risks involved as it can also provide opportunities for pupils to access material they should not, or be treated by others inappropriately. We want to help our children and their families to make positive contributions online whilst developing strategies for keeping safe and being aware of their behaviour online.  

The online safety of our children is of paramount importance and something that we teach regularly through our computing lessons in school.  We also work closely with The Collegiate Trust to ensure that we are up to date with current advice and practice.  

If you are concerned about your child’s online safety outside of school, please contact our Safeguarding Team at DSL@gossopsgreen.org.uk 

Any illegal online activity should be reported to the police at CEOP (the National Crime Agency’s Child Protection Command) www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre


Useful Websites

Internet Matters

Parental controls are an important tool in helping to keep your child safe online. If you haven’t done so already, please set up parental controls on all your children’s devices. For help on using parental controls and privacy settings, click on the logo above.


Common Sense Media

Common Sense Media offers reviews and information about games, apps, TV shows and websites so that parents and carers can make informed decisions about the content their children are accessing online. Click on the logo above to be taken to their site. 

Think U Know

Think U Know is the education programme from CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline. It offers advice for parents and children from 4-7,  8-10, 11-13 and 14+. For 8-10 year olds, there is an online game to help teach children about online safety in a fun and informative way. Click on the logo above to go to their site. 

NSPCC


The NSPCC site offers a wealth of knowledge and advice on all aspects of internet safety - click on the logo above to be directed there. There is also a free helpline on 0808 800 5000 which parents can ring to get advice.


Childnet

Childnet offers help, advice and resources for parents and carers on a wide range of key online safety topics. Click on the logo above to be taken to their site.


UK Safer Internet Centre


This offers advice, tops and guides for parents and carers. Click on the logo above to go to the site. 

Report Remove


Report-Remove is a new service set up by the Internet Watch Foundation and the NSPCC for children being 'sexploited' online. It is designed to make it easier for children to report if they have been asked to send sexual images and videos and then have them removed from social media platforms/ websites. More information can be found by clicking the logo above. 


Cyber Choices


Cyber Choices is a national programme which aims to help young people about making the right choices in their online behaviour. Linked to Sussex Police, they run webinars for parents and carers and offer news articles and updates on cyber concerns. 





Popular Platforms

TikTok and YouTube

Minimum age 13

    

Tik Tok is an app that is used to create short dance, lip-sync and talent videos to share. YouTube is a video sharing website that allows users to share, view and upload videos.

A user needs to have an account in order to upload videos. The user’s profile will display their username and any other user information entered their videos, activity streams, comments and subscribers.

Both platforms contain content which is unsuitable for children to see and which can cause distress if accidently watched.

If your child is using a Tik Tok account or a YouTube channel, it is important to be aware of what they post and who can view it; remember that personal information may be visible in the background. We strongly recommend that primary children do not have an account as it is very difficult to keep ownership or control of a video once it has been posted on the internet.

Similar to other social media platforms, both Tik Tok and YouTube have a messaging function where users can send each other messages and videos.

What's App

Minimum Age 16

WhatsApp is an instant messaging app which lets you send messages, images and videos in one to one and group chats.

WhatsApp also contains a group chat function. Group conversations usually take place between friends, but users can be added to a group where they don’t know everyone else. Therefore, it’s possible children could see or be contacted by someone they don’t know and could be vulnerable to content posted by this person.

Once photos, videos or messages are shared, they can be copied, re-shared and posted anywhere online.

WhatsApp shows other users your location.

WhatsApp is a common platform for online bullying and unkind messages.  

Roblox

PEGI Age - 12+

Roblox is a gaming platform where you can create your own games or play games that other users have made. There is also the option to chat to other players. 

The PEGI’s rating is 12+ due to ‘Infrequent/Mild Cartoon or Fantasy Violence Infrequent/Mild Realistic Violence’

Children can communicate and play with adults on the platform; all games are multiplayer and include a written chat feature, which is visible to players within each individual game.

Users can make and receive friend requests during gameplay and this means that they can chat to each other outside of the game.

Because content is user-generated, it can mean that some games might not be appropriate for children e.g. some of the games feature weapons and blood.

The game shows links to other apps, such as Granny, which are not appropriate for children.


Fortnite

PEGI Age - 12

Fortnite is a free online game, where users play against people of different ages from across the world and can talk and interact with each other as they play through the in-game chat feature.

Fortnite has a PEGI rating of 12 due to ‘frequent scenes of mild violence'.

You have to create an account using a password and verified email address but you are not asked your age in order to create an account.

You play against players of different ages from across the world and you cannot turn the in game chats off or choose who you play against.

Fortnite features violence when players are in combat with each other.


Grand Theft Auto

PEGI Age - 18+


Grand Theft Auto is an open world crime game that follows the story of different criminals. 

In the UK and Europe, PEGI rates Grand Theft Auto V 18+ for “extreme violence; multiple, motiveless killing; violence towards defenceless people; and strong language”. 

This game is wholly inappropriate for children. It is aimed squarely at adults, and as such, it tries to be as extreme, and at times shocking as it can be.