e-Safety and your Child

In today’s world, being online is an integral part of children and young people’s lives. This could be through social media, online games, websites and many apps. These areas can be accessed through mobile phones, computers, laptops and tablets which a lot of our children have access to at both home and school.

We know that the internet offers many exciting opportunities to our pupils but it can also expose them to all types of risks.

This is why e-safety forms a fundamental part of schools’ safeguarding procedures.

How does my child learn about E-safety?

As a school, we have a responsibility to ensure that our school’s online procedures keep our pupils safe and to teach them about online safety both in and out of school. We also encourage pupils to ask questions and participate in conversations about the benefits and dangers of the online world not only in their Computing lessons but across the curriculum too. Each year group covers E-safety through our Purple Mash Computing Scheme and we also have access to National Online Safety. Please find below the units and the content taught for years 1-6.

Year 1

Unit 1.1 - Online Safety and Exploring Purple Mash

Lesson 1- Safe Logins                                                      

Lesson 2- My Work Area

Lesson 3- Purple Mash Topics

Lesson 4- Purple Mash Tools

Unit 1.9 – Technology Outside School

Lesson 1- What is Technology?

Lesson 2- Technology outside school

Year 2

Unit 2.2 – Online Safety

Lesson 1- Searching and Sharing

Lesson 2- Email Using 2Respond

Lesson 3- Digital Footprint

Unit 2.5- Effective Searching

Lesson 1- Understanding the Internet and Searching

Lesson 2- Searching the Internet

Lesson 3- Sharing Knowledge of the Internet and Effective Searching

Year 3

Unit 3.2- Online Safety

Lesson 1- Safety in Numbers

Lesson 2- Fact or Fiction?

Lesson 3- Appropriate Content and Ratings

Unit 3.5- Email (including email safety)

Lesson 1- Communication

Lesson 2- Composing Emails

Lesson 3- Using Email Safely: Part 1

Lesson 4- Using Email Safely: Part 2

Lesson 5- Attachments

Lesson 6- Email Simulations

Year 4

Unit 4.2- Online Safety

Lesson 1- Going Phishing

Lesson 2- Beware Malware

Lesson 3- Plagiarism

Lesson 4- Healthy Screen-Time

Year 5

Unit 5.2- Online Safety

Lesson 1- Responsibilities and Support when Online

Lesson 2- Protecting Privacy

Lesson 3- Citing Sources

Lesson 4- Reliability

Year 6

Unit 6.2- Online Safety

Lesson 1- Message in a Game

Lesson 2- Online Behaviour

Lesson 3- Screen Time

How can I keep my child safe on the internet?

We know that keeping your child safe online can be daunting as you may have concerns about your understanding of a topic and of the latest developments in technology. Keeping your child safe online is more about communication skills than the technology itself. It isn’t enough to protect children from online harms by banning sites or installing firewalls and filters (NSPCC, 2022). There are many search engines which can be used by children to search the internet safely like Kiddle and Swiggle.

You can also find parent guides on social networks, games, apps and more at Common Sense Media, Net Aware or download the app that has been created for parents by National Online Safety. In addition, we recommend creating a YouTube Kids account if your child uses YouTube regularly.

Alongside the websites that are listed above, the NSPCC has a guide to internet safety on their website too. The UK Safer Internet Centre suggests 4 top tips for parents which are:

• Having conversations without judgement
• Knowing where you can learn more about their favourite apps and games
• Getting support if things go wrong
• Reassuring your child that whatever happens online, you are there to support them.

Miss Parkes (Computing lead)