Each month we will be sending out an Online Safety newsletter for parents and carers. Let’s work together to keep our children safe online! If you have any questions or concerns, please speak to your child’s class teacher.

Our online safety policy

The purpose of our online safety policy is to:

• Safeguard and protect all members of the school’s community online
• Identify approaches to educate and raise awareness of online safety 
• Enable all staff to work safely and responsibly, to model positive behaviour online and to manage professional standards and practice when using technology
• Identify clear procedures to use when responding to online safety concerns.

You can read our online safety policy below.

Online Safety training

At Matchborough First School Academy we have used the National Online Safety resources through the National College website to train staff and governors. The resources include Parents & Carers courses (presented by Myleene Klass), online video resources and weekly guides.

To create your FREE account, please follow the link below and complete your details.

Register here on the National Online Safety website

When you’re set up, you’ll be able to set ‘Parent/Carer’ as your user type.  There are lots of useful guides for a wide range of apps and games, which offer safety tips, age restrictions and potential risks.

Here are some examples: 

Safer Internet Day 2024

This year, Safer Internet Day will take place on the 6th February 2024, with the theme ‘Inspiring change? Making a difference, managing influence and navigating change online ’. Intent Online safety and technology is a huge part of our lives so it is essential that we work together to ensure that our children can be safe online.

Intent

Our intent is to give children the skills and knowledge to prepare them for the online world and its risks and challenges. At school on Safer Internet Day, we will be learning about different aspects of staying safe online. These include the risks of being online, about online bullying, how the Internet can affect your mood and feelings and how to get help from a trusted adult. It is important that we teach our children how to use the Internet safely both at school and at home.

As part or Safer Internet Day, we are launching a competition...

Gaming and apps

Sometimes words used online can be baffling at times, especially among younger people who will use gaming jargon and slang words. With new technologies and apps constantly emerging, there are often new words and phrases being used. Games and apps that children use may also be difficult to understand and monitor too. Below are some downloadable guides that you may find useful. They can be found at Parent Guides from ConnectSafely - ConnectSafely with other guides you may find helpful.

Be Internet Legends 

The time has nearly come for our school to become Internet Legends! Are you ready to join Google and Parent Zone on The Legends Family Adventure on Thursday November 12th?

Our pupils and their families are all invited to the launch of this animated online safety adventure!

Your child might have spent a bit more time on the internet lately. That’s why Google and Parent Zone’s Be Internet Legends programme has been busy helping families by giving them tools to be safer and more confident online
– and now we’re inviting all of you on a new adventure!

Read the parent letter below to find out more!

Childnet Online Safety Day

On Tuesday 24^th March, Childnet will be visiting our school to raise the profile of online safety. All of the children will spend the day learning about the digital world we live in and how to stay safe. This day will be for children, staff, governors and parents and carers. We would like to work with you for a better internet. 

Find out more in our letter below.

Safer Internet Day 2020

Our digital leaders delivered an assembly to the school all about staying safe online. Each class spent time learning about being safe and what to do if they see something they don't like. The story #Goldilocks was an amusing but useful way to teach the children about sharing images online.

Safer Internet Day 2019

 Safer Internet Day 2019 took place on Tuesday 5th February with the theme ‘Together for a better Internet: Our Internet, our choice.’ We had a big focus on getting consent before posting and sharing on social media and taking photos.

In Reception, the children learnt about Hector the dolphin and they talked about different apps and games they used on the Internet. They also learnt that they should only use the Internet if they are with and adult.

In Year 1, they used emojis to show how they felt about different scenarios on the Internet. They learnt that they must always get permission from an adult and what to do if they see something they don't like.

In Year 2, learnt to recognise acceptable and unacceptable behaviour on the Internet. They learnt to 'Be Internet Secure and Internet kind.'

In Year 3, the children learnt about online stranger danger and how to deal with inappropriate behaviour online. 

In Year 4, they learnt all about digital footprints and what information is OK to share. they talked about always getting consent before sharing. 

Safer Internet day 2018

On Safer Internet Day we learnt all about how to stay safe on the Internet and what to do if we see something we don’t like. We learnt about not sharing personal information about ourselves and about cyber bullying. We found out which Apps children like to use and we researched them to find out their age rating. If you want to know more about these ratings please visit www.net-aware.org.uk.

Online safety

With children of all ages having access to the internet on a wide range of connected devices, it is of vital importance that both children and parents are aware of the risks and dangers of unsupervised internet access. This is why it is important that online Safety is taught to all pupils at Matchborough First School Academy explaining and demonstrating how to stay safe and behave appropriately on the internet through lessons, assemblies and Internet Safety Days.

We can only be successful in keeping children safe online if we work with you to ensure the online Safety message is consistent. Your help is needed to talk to your children about how they can keep safe and behave appropriately online.

What can parents/carers do? Follow these simple rules.

Ground Rules

• Discuss as a family how the internet will be used in your house. Consider what should be kept private online (personal information, photos etc) and decide rules for making and meeting online friends. Make sure you know what your child is doing online much like you would offline.

Online Safety

• Install antivirus software, secure your internet connection and use Parental Control functions for computers, mobile phones and games consoles to block unsuitable content or contact.
• Use the link below to find parental controls offered by home internet providers  http://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-and-resources/parents-and-carers/parental-controls

Location

• Locate your computer in a supervised family area. Always supervise the use of webcams and applications which allow voice or video chat. Consider your child’s use of other devices that allow internet access such as mobile phones and games consoles.

Dialogue    

• Talk to your child and ask them to show, or even teach, you how they use the internet, learn which websites or tools they like to use and why. Learning together can often open opportunities to discuss safe behaviour with your child.
• Always ensure your child knows how to block or report people online who send nasty or inappropriate messages or content. Encourage your child not to retaliate or reply.
• Make sure your child knows to tell an adult they trust if they see something online that makes them feel scared, worried or uncomfortable.
• It’s essential to be realistic - banning the internet or technology will not work and it often makes a child less likely to report a problem. Education around safe use is essential.

We encourage parents/carers to contact school to make an appointment to speak with Mrs Cartwright, our Computing leader, with any problems, concerns or questions.