Milton Primary Academy, Leek Road, Milton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST2 7AF
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Milton Primary Academy
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Digital Safety

28th February 2024

In school we teach children to safely navigate the digital world so that these positive behaviours can be replicated at home. It is important to talk to your child about online safety openly and regularly. Ask your child about their interests online and ask them to show you the apps and websites that they enjoy. Talk to them about their online friends and reassure them that they can share any concerns with you. Always ensure that parental controls are set up and check all devices regularly.

Here are some tips to use to talk to your child in a calm and supportive manner:

  • Ask your child about their life, online and offline.
  • Ask them to show you the apps and websites that they enjoy.
  • Be positive about your child’s interests but open about your concerns.
  • Talk to them about any concerns they have.
  • Ask them about their online friends and how they know if they are really who they say.
  • Listen to your child’s reasons for wanting to access apps and websites that they choose.
  • Ask your child what they think is appropriate for different age groups.

In school we teach children the SMART acronym:

SAFE – Keep safe by being careful not to give out personal information when you’re chatting or posting online. Personal information includes your email address, phone number and password.

MEETING – Meeting someone you have only been in touch with online can be dangerous. Only do so with your parents’ or carers’ permission and even then only when they can be present. Remember online friends are still strangers even if you have been talking to them for a long time.

ACCEPTING – Accepting emails, messages, or opening files, pictures or texts from people you don’t 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. Always check information with other websites, books or someone who knows. If you like chatting online it’s best to only chat to your real world friends and family

TELL – Tell your parent, carer or a trusted adult if someone or something makes you feel uncomfortable or worried, or if you or someone you know is being bullied online.

We will also teach them about the dangers of the internet, discourage the use of social media sites, privacy, passwords, being respectful and responsible, and what to do if they have a concern.

Personal Devices

Many children have their own phone or device, which enables them to continue to communicate with their friends outside of school. However, it is important to remember that this means children cannot escape any disagreements or fall outs that they have with their friends. When these situations continue for a prolonged period of time or happen repeatedly, they can lead to cyberbullying. You can ensure that any communication your child has online is safe by regularly checking any devices they use to communicate. A top tip is to ensure all devices are kept downstairs before children go to bed at night. 

Keeping Children Safe

Regardless of parental controls, innocent searches can sometimes produce unexpected results and sites such as YouTube can easily lead a child ‘down a rabbit hole’ to inappropriate content. Children may also search for things out of curiosity. However your child came upon the content, it is important that you stay calm and discuss this with them. Click here and here for advice on how to discuss these things with your child.

The NSPCC website provides useful tools, resources and guidance to support parents and carers with online safety in the home. Below are some useful links to find out more about keeping safe online:

Click here to access the NSPCC website

Click here for advice on how to keep your child safe when gaming.

Click here for advice on dealing with these apps and websites, including how to handle a video of your child being shared without their consent.

 

For more specific age-related advice, follow the links:

https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/0-5/
https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/6-10/
https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/11-13/