E-Safety

In today’s ever developing society, children use lots of different technologies and the internet. These may include:

  • Tablets
  • Laptops
  • Mobile phones
  • Games consoles 

At Thornaby Church of England, we take E-Safety very seriously. This page aims to provide you with tips and advice regarding E-Safety. We believe that children should be empowered and educated so that they are equipped with the skills to make safe and responsible decisions as well as to feel able to report any concerns. 

Parents and carers play a crucial role in supporting children to navigate the risks and make the most of the opportunities offered by technology. The most important thing you can do is to have a conversation and stay engaged with your children’s digital lives. We regularly communicate up to date e-safety information to our families. 

Help your children stay SMART online:

SAFE – this reminds children to keep all personal information safe when they are chatting or posting online. Personal information can include email address, phone number and password.

MEET – this reminds children never to meet up with someone they have been talking to online. They are reminded that online friends are still strangers even if they have been talking to them for a long time.

ACCEPTING– emails, messages, or opening files, images or texts from people children do not know or trust can lead to problems — they may contain viruses or nasty messages!

RELIABLE- someone online might lie about who they are and information on the internet may not be true.

TELL – children are told to tell a parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone, or something, makes them feel uncomfortable or worried.

 

Top Tips to help monitor and keep your children safe online:

  • Talk to your child about what they are accessing online
  • Set boundaries in the online world just as you would in the real world
  • Know what connects to the internet and how e.g. games consoles, mobile phones, music devices
  • Keep all equipment that connects to the internet in a family space
  • Use parental controls on devices that link to the internet, such as TVs and games consoles
  • Watch e-safety films and cartoons with your child and talk about the issues raised
  • Check the minimum age for accessing sites/apps and playing on games before your children access them

If you are concerned or unsure of how to ensure that your child is staying safe online then please contact the school for support.

 

Click here to view a leaflet on parenting in a digital world. This leaflet will provide you with tips and advice

 

E-safety Information