Online Safety
Students and staff follow an Internet and device acceptable use policy, which they sign at the start of each year. Students and staff are not allowed to use their mobiles during the school day and the Internet is filtered by the Centre’s broadband provider.
In a mobile age, however, children can’t be completely protected, even by the best privacy controls, but you can help them to think about how they behave online. The NSPCC have some tips for parents looking to safeguard their children:
Explore the online world together and talk about which sites are appropriate, and which are not. Involve them in the conversation and be prepared to discuss reasons for your decisions.
Ask about things they might see online which make them feel uncomfortable. Reassure your child that they can always talk to you about anything that makes them feel uncomfortable. * Show them how to report or block the sites and apps they use. Use Net Aware to find out how.
Tell them you’ll help them to report anything upsetting they’ve seen, or that you will help them to deal with online bullying.
Report a concern
If you are concerned that your child is in immediate danger, call 999 and report it to the Police.
If you have any online safety concerns regarding education, please contact Shelley Hughes at North Herts Education Support Centre.
If you have been a victim of online abuse or you’re worried about somebody else, you can make a report to CEOP, the Centre for Child Exploitation and Online Protection here.
Useful websites for parents
You can find out more about how children use social media, the apps they use, the risks they face, how to use privacy settings, and advice and tips about how to talk to your children at: * www.internetmatters.org * www.nspcc.org.uk/onlinesafety * www.thinkyouknow.co.uk/parents *
