Internet Safety

The internet can be a powerful learning tool. Our children need to learn to work independently in order to develop skills such as researching and analysis of text, however they also need supervision if they are to stay safe in a world where there can sometimes be little editorial control over what they see.

The school has both the technology and processes in place to protect children while using the internet. This includes filtering what they can access, tracking what they do (or try to) access and maintaining records of their computer use more widely including emails sent and received and, on occasion, taking 'snapshots' of their screen. We have internet safety advice in every classroom, formal lessons in internet safety and a process by which any problems that do arise can be dealt with appropriately.

You can help to make sure your child's internet use at home is similarly safe. Most home computers now come with versions of the filtering and tracking technology found in school, albeit less-sophisticated. You can also put in place processes ("family internet rules") to support any technology solutions.

In other words, the same general parenting skills that apply to the "real world" also apply while on-line. Children need parental supervision and common-sense advice in order that their experiences whilst on-line are happy, healthy, and productive.

  • Keep the computer in a family room rather than a child's bedroom.
  • Stay in touch with what your children are doing by spending time with them whilst they are on-line
  • Make sure that you know the services your child uses (common ones include MSN, Facebook, Bebo and MySpace).
  • Better still, learn how to access the services yourself - ask your child to explain how to do this so that you are familiar with and understand the potential benefits and risks.
  • Get to know your child's on-line friends just as you do their other friends.
  • If you are concerned about your child's on-line activities, talk to him/her about it.
  • Find out what types of filtering and security software are available on your computer and learn how to put them into action.
  • Develop an agreed set of 'Family Internet Rules'. If you would like any further assistance from the school please telephone or email us.