Teaching children about technology so they are ready to confidently face whatever the future holds is a key part of the curriculum at St. John the Baptist.  The future is uncertain, with many jobs in the future not even known yet, which is why it’s so important to give children the confidence to understand technology and embed it seamlessly through their learning.  In tandem with this comes responsibility and ensuring children are equipped to understand how to keep themselves safe online.

Teachers regularly hold age-appropriate sessions with the children to discuss e-safety, including cyber-bullying, and address issues in the media relating to online safety for children and new social media apps as they grow in popularity.  Children are encouraged to speak freely and be open about their use of the internet to help foster openness where teachers can look to support children their understanding and help them develop the skills to learn how to behave appropriately and safely online.  A lot of time is also spent exploring the concept of a digital footprint and reminding the children to be mindful of what they post online.

We can only be successful in keeping children safe online if we work with parents to ensure the online safety message is consistent.  Limiting screen time and knowing how to set up devices is a vital part of keeping children safe online.  To this extent, the school has produced this document to help parents:

• How to set Screen Time restrictions on Apple Devices

To help support parents, we regularly provide information via online sessions, email updates and parent workshops.  Check newsletters for more information.

Key tips for parents:

• Talk to your children regularly – establish openness and trust
• Explore new apps and smartphone technology together
• Don’t panic if you see something that worries you.  Understand the context first
• Listen to your child’s concerns or reasons for wanting a particular app
• Speak up – don’t be afraid to ask for advice or help.  The school will always help
• Share knowledge with other parents and agree collective rules on smartphone access and social media use
• Show children how to block someone and set high privacy settings
• Ensure children are aware of helpline numbers: Childline 0800 1111

If at any point you have any concerns about your child’s safety on line please report it to CEOP (a police led online crime and safety service).  CEOP always recommend the following;

• If you need urgent help, i.e, your child is in immediate danger such as meeting a stranger they have met online, then call 999.
• Don’t delete any emails, images or conversations related to this report
• Don’t contact the suspect yourself.  Let them do the detective work

The School works closely with Hackney Police, who recently updated their guidance on social media to help support parents and carers:

• Guide to TikTok
• SnapChat – a parent’s guide
• WhatsApp – a parent’s guide
• Screen Addiction – what to look out for
• Online Gaming – a parent’s guide
• Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre
• Internet Safety Advice
• Using Apps
• Is Roblox safe for children?

Our online safety policy holds detailed information about how we ensure our children remain safe in their use of technology. Please contact the school if you would like a copy of the Online Safety Policy.

Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”