Online Safety
At Gillas Lane Primary Academy we promote the use of the internet and technology both at home and at school as we feel that it is an invaluable tool for teaching, learning and is indeed an amazing resource. Although the internet has many advantages it is also important that we take Internet Safety very seriously. At Gillas Lane we educate our pupils on how to make safe and responsible use of the internet and promote the key message that:
"It is always best to tell a trusted grown up"
Our families can support by:
- having open discussions about your expectations and how to stay safe online
- closely monitoring the sites your children are accessing
- limiting the amount of time your allow your child to spend online or using gaming devices
- discouraging the use of social network sites under the legal age of 13 such as Facebook however if your child does use social media remind them to only communicate with friends and family (people they know and trust in the real world), and also to ensure that their privacy settings are set high and to make them aware of how to report an incident if they feel uncomfortable.
- ensuring they do not give out any personal details to people they meet online including on games consoles such as Xbox and PS4.
- take notice of PEGI ratings - age rating is there for a reason and could mean that your child is being exposed to inappropriate materials if you do not abide by them.
- The designated safeguarding officers in school are Mrs. Monaghan (Headteacher) and Mrs. Straughan (Assistant Headteacher). If you have any concerns about online safety please contact one of these members of staff.
Parent and Carer Guides to Keeping Your Children Safe Online
We know that our children have access to the online world - at school this is rigorously monitored and filtered but we know that this is not always the case at home. We would love nothing more than to say our children are too young for SnapChat, WhatsApp, Be Real and the many other social media apps that are out there so as a primary school we have nothing to worry about. However, that is not the case. We know that our children have access to online devices - phones, tablets and gaming are the ones that spring to mind immediately.
As part of our Computing and PSHE curriculum, children are taught online safety in dedicated units over the year with both planned and reactive assemblies that further drive home these messages.
We also want our families to be informed about the ever changing risks so they can take an active role in supporting their children to navigate the online world safely and confidently.
