What is 'Online Safety' ?

It is the safe use of Internet and electronic communications technologies.

E-Safety at Westwood

At Westwood Primary we recognise the importance of teaching children about e-safety through lessons that are relevant and engaging. We achieve this by ensuring that children explore key strands in order to be able to keep themselves safe in an ever changing world. Below are the e-safety strands that children explore between Early Years and Year 6.

Why this Journey?

We find ourselves in a world where information drives society and for many media businesses, it’s a valuable commodity. In the centuries before us it was coal; iron; cotton; oil: now its data.

Navigating this complex landscape is difficult at best. Many of us find our way through this tangle of information through trial and error; forging our own unique path and learning as we go. However, as we have seen only too often, some of those “errors” have the potential to lead to harm. 

It’s no accident, then, that Media Literacy; Digital Literacy and Citizenship are a key element of the UK government’s “Online Harms” white paper. Amongst a raft of other regulatory measures, Media Literacy education threads itself through the whole strategy.

But what does good digital literacy education look like? How do we craft something that not only is relevant but achieves positive and realistic outcomes?

Eight years ago there was no Snapchat; no TikTok; no 5G; no Cambridge Analytica and whilst the landscape doesn’t hinge on one development, the interplay of all of these technologies changed attitudes, behaviours and priorities.

Who’d have thought we would be worrying about fake news across the whole media landscape or who we could trust eight years ago? Ransomware hadn’t raised its ugly head and the prospect of “deep fakes” hadn’t emerged. Gaming had not yet experienced the online ascendancy of GTA V or Call of Duty and “Blue Whale” was still six years away.

Gradually, Digital Literacy became more difficult to update and less relevant with each passing month. . 

Time for a rethink.

How can you protect your child online? The internet is an amazing resource for children. It allows children to explore, play and problem solve. However with technology, social media and the internet changing at such a fast pace it is extremely important that children are kept safe. If you understand the internet and understand what the risks are, there are a number of things you can do that will make your child safer online. There is a lot of information available to parents regarding eSafety on the Internet. Below there is a selection of links to information which we feel will help you to increase your knowledge and understanding of the Internet and what the risks are.

Online Safety Websites for Parents, Guardians and Adults

(Please be aware that we have no control of the content that you may find on external websites)

The Internet has become part of our everyday lives and is now easier to access then ever before.

Use of the Internet can also have risks. Young people are more at risk of exposure to inappropriate or criminal behaviour if they are unaware of the dangers.

These dangers include:

• viewing unsuitable content e.g. hate material, adult content, sites that endorse unhealthy behaviour
• giving out personal information
• arranging to meet an online 'friend'
• becoming involved in, or the victim of, bullying, identity theft, or making and sending indecent or illegal images
• spending too much time online (internet addiction), which can effect concentration, sleep and health
• copying information from the Internet or buying work from other people to use as their own.

The links below are for your information, but also to share with your children if you feel that they are appropriate.

How we protect the pupils accessing Social Networking sites such as Facebook, Social networking and personal publishing.

• The school will control access to social networking sites, and consider how to educate pupils in their safe use.
• Newsgroups will be blocked unless a specific use is approved.
• Pupils will be advised never to give out personal details of any kind which may identify them, their friends or their location.
• Pupils and parents will be advised that the use of social network spaces outside school brings a range of dangers for primary aged pupils.

The following information is from Facebook

• The Facebook Privacy Policy states - No information from children under age 13.
• If you are under age 13, please do not attempt to register for Facebook or provide any personal information about yourself to us.
• If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under age 13, we will delete that information as quickly as possible.

If you have a concern about your child's safety when using the internet please talk to your class teacher.