Online Safety

The online world provides our pupils with a wide range of learning opportunities however we also recognise that children must be taught to use technology safely and responsibly.

Our school aims to:

Have robust processes in place to ensure the online safety of pupils, staff, volunteers and governors.
Provide a curriculum and relevant learning experiences which educate and empower the whole school community to use a wide range of technology (including mobile phones) safely and responsibly.
Have clear processes in place to safeguard pupils from harm and to deal with any incidents of 'cyberbullying'.

Please click here to read our Online Safety Policy.

At school we teach children to use the SMART rules to help keep themselves safe online. We cover these rules regularly with children in Computing and PSHE lessons in addition to our annual 'Safer Internet Day'.

Advice for parents and carers about online safety

At Beaconsfield we work in partnership with our parents and carers to ensure the safety of our pupils when using technology at school and at home. We run annual workshops for parents and carers which cover all aspects of online safety and cyber bullying. Further information can be found here and parents and carers are always welcome to discuss any concerns with their child's teacher or a member of the leadership team.

We encourage all parents and carers to:

1. Understand the risks that children may need to deal with which includes:

What they might see or do
Who they could come into contact with online
How this might affect them

2. Minimise the risks your child might face by:

Monitoring how they use different technology. If possible, ensure that computers and tablets are used in places in the home such as the kitchen or living room where you can see what they are doing.
Ask them to show you which social media apps they use and what they like about them. Talk about how they use them and what makes them so engaging.
Explain how you can use privacy settings to make sure only approved friends can see posts & images
Check if any of their apps have ‘geo-location’ enabled, sharing their location unintentionally.
Show them how to report offensive comments or block people who upset them.
Check ‘tagging’ settings so that when others are posting or sharing photos online, your child’s identity is not revealed. Also, get people‘s consent before sharing photos
Encourage your child to come and talk to you if they see anything that upsets them.

3. Keep talking to your child about the risks they may face and what they can do to help keep themselves safe.

People may not always be who they say they are online: how can this create problems?
Why is it unwise to meet anyone in the real world that you’ve only ever met online?
Even if you think your messages are private, remember that words and images can always be captured and broadcast.
People present themselves differently online - do they really look like that? Are they always having that good a time?
Be aware that screens, and especially being anonymous, can lead people to say things they wouldn’t say to someone’s face.
What does being a good friend and a likeable person online look like?
There can be pressure to be part of a particular group online or to be seen to be following a certain set of ideas. How can you take a step back and make your own decisions?

Online safety guides for parents and carers

Further information can be found here: https://www.childnet.com/

Cyberbullying

What is Cyberbullying?

Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place over digital devices like mobile phones, computers, and tablets. Cyberbullying can occur through SMS, Text, and apps, or online in social media, forums, or gaming where people can view, participate in, or share content. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or mean content about someone else. It can include sharing personal or private information about someone else causing embarrassment or humiliation. Some cyberbullying crosses the line into unlawful or criminal behaviour.

The most common places where cyberbullying occurs are:

Social Media, such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Tik Tok
Text messaging and messaging apps on mobile or tablet devices
Instant messaging, direct messaging, and online chatting over the internet
Online forums, chat rooms, and message boards, such as Reddit
Email
Online gaming communities

Be Aware of What Children are Doing Online

A child may be involved in cyberbullying in several ways. A child can be bullied, bully others, or witness bullying. Parents and other adults may not be aware of all the digital media and apps that a child is using. The more digital platforms that a child uses, the more opportunities there are for being exposed to potential cyberbullying.

Warning Signs a Child is Being Cyberbullied or is Cyberbullying Others

Many of the warning signs that cyberbullying is occurring happen around a child’s use of their device. Some of the warning signs that a child may be involved in cyberbullying are:

Noticeable increases or decreases in device use, including texting.
A child exhibits emotional responses (laughter, anger, upset) to what is happening on their device.
A child hides their screen or device when others are near, and avoids discussion about what they are doing on their device.
Social media accounts are shut down or new ones appear.
A child starts to avoid social situations, even those that were enjoyed in the past.
A child becomes withdrawn or depressed, or loses interest in people and activities.

What to Do When Cyberbullying Happens

If you notice warning signs that a child may be involved in cyberbullying, take steps to investigate that child’s digital behaviour. Cyberbullying is a form of bullying, and adults should take the same approach to address it: support the child being bullied, address the bullying behaviour of a participant, and show children that cyberbullying is taken seriously. Because cyberbullying happens online, responding to it requires different approaches. If you think that a child is involved in cyberbullying, there are several things you can do:

Notice – Recognise if there has been a change in mood or behaviour and explore what the cause might be. Try to determine if these changes happen around a child’s use of their digital devices.
Talk – Ask questions to learn what is happening, how it started, and who is involved.
Document – Keep a record of what is happening and where. Take screenshots of harmful posts or content if possible.
Report – Most social media platforms and schools have clear policies and reporting processes. If a classmate is cyberbullying, report it the school and can also contact app or social media platforms to report offensive content and have it removed. If a child has received physical threats, or if a potential crime or illegal behaviour is occurring, report it to the police.