Keeping Children Safe
Battyeford Primary School gives the highest importance to the safeguarding and welfare of our children. The governors, Headteacher and staff will carry out their responsibilities efficiently, effectively and diligently to ensure that the school is a safe learning environment for our children.
We recognise that, at times, our children may be vulnerable and we will always adopt a sensitive approach to support our pupils and families.
Everyone in our school is aware of their responsibility to keep our children safe. All staff attend regular child protection training, in addition to this, staff and volunteers also access a safeguarding and child protection briefing and regular updates. Everyone working with our children has a responsibility to help keep our children safe by providing an environment that will allow our pupils to be happy, cared for and to develop a love of learning.
For all safeguarding issues or concerns, please speak to the Designated Leaders for Safeguarding and Child Protection; Mrs Snee, Mrs Norris, Mr Goodliffe, Miss Jackson, Miss King and Mrs Williamson.
Header
Online Safety
Safeguarding our children against possible risk is of upmost priority to Battyeford Primary School. Online safety is taken extremely seriously and is embedded into our curriculum. In school, we encourage the children to keep themselves safe online. If they see something they don't like, they turn off the screen but don't delete or close the webpage and then tell an adult.
As a parent you can also ensure your child’s safety whilst online. Below are a number of links which offer support and guidance:
WWW.SAFERINTERNET.ORG.UK
WWW.CEOP.POLICE.UK
WWW.THINKUKNOW.CO.UK
WWW.NSPCC.ORG.UK
WWW.NET-AWARE.ORG.UK
WWW.NET-AWARE.ORG.UK (INFO ON APPS AND GAMES)
WWW.PARENTINFO.ORG
The internet – on the whole, is an inspiring and positive place.
The internet is an amazing resource which enables children and young people to connect, communicate and be creative in a number of different ways, on a range of devices.
However, the internet is always changing and being able to keep up to date with your children’s use of technology can be a challenge.
Issues that your child may encounter on the internet will vary depending on their age and online activities. These have been grouped into 4 potential risk categories.
CONDUCT: CHILDREN MAY BE AT RISK BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN BEHAVIOUR, FOR EXAMPLE, BY SHARING TOO MUCH INFORMATION
Children need to be aware of the impact that their online activity can have on both themselves and other people, and the digital footprint that they create on the internet. It’s easy to feel anonymous online and it’s important that children are aware of who is able to view, and potentially share, the information that they may have posted. When using the internet, it’s important to keep personal information safe and not share it with strangers. Discuss with your child the importance of reporting inappropriate conversations, messages, images and behaviours and how this can be done.
CONTENT: AGE-INAPPROPRIATE OR UNRELIABLE CONTENT CAN BE AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN
Some online content is not suitable for children and may be hurtful or harmful. This is true for content accessed and viewed via social networks, online games, blogs and websites. It’s important for children to consider the reliability of online material and be aware that it might not be true or written with a bias. Children may need your help as they begin to assess content in this way. There can be legal consequences for using or downloading copyrighted content, without seeking the author’s permission.
CONTACT: CHILDREN CAN BE CONTACTED BY BULLIES OR PEOPLE WHO GROOM OR SEEK TO ABUSE THEM
It is important for children to realise that new friends made online may not be who they say they are and that once a friend is added to an online account, you may be sharing your personal information with them. Regularly reviewing friends lists and removing unwanted contacts is a useful step. Privacy settings online may also allow you to customise the information that each friend is able to access. If you have concerns that your child is, or has been, the subject of inappropriate sexual contact or approach by another person, it’s vital that you report it to the police via the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (www.ceop.police.uk). If your child is the victim of cyberbullying, this can also be reported online and offline. Reinforce with your child the importance of telling a trusted adult straight away if someone is bullying them or making them feel uncomfortable, or if one of their friends is being bullied online.
COMMERCIALISM: YOUNG PEOPLE CAN BE UNAWARE OF HIDDEN COSTS AND ADVERTISING IN APPS, GAMES AND WEBSITES
Young people’s privacy and enjoyment online can sometimes be affected by advertising and marketing schemes, which can also mean inadvertently spending money online, for example within applications. Encourage your children to keep their personal information private, learn how to block both pop ups and spam emails, turn off in-app purchasing on devices where possible, and use a family email address when filling in online forms.
You may sometimes feel that your children have better technical skills than you do, however children and young people still need advice and protection when it comes to managing their lives online. It’s not always easy to keep an eye on your children’s time spent with entertainment devices. These guides have been created to help you do just that;
Games and Apps - Parental Guides
General Information - Parental Guides
Other Top Tips
Viewing Online Videos
ceop guidance: Parent’s guide to watching videos online
Preventing Radicalisation and Extremism
Radicalisation is defined as the act or process of making a person more radical or favouring of extreme or fundamental changes in political, economic or social conditions, institutions or habits of the mind.
Extremism is defined as the holding of extreme political or religious views.
The Department for Education has published advice for schools on the Prevent duty. The Prevent duty requires all schools to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism in the exercise of their functions.
We are already responsible for keeping children safe, including from the risks of extremism and radicalisation, and for promoting the welfare of children in our care. The Prevent duty reinforces these existing duties by spreading understanding of the risks and current good practice across the country.
Battyeford Primary School is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all its pupils. Every member of staff recognises that safeguarding against radicalisation and extremism is no different to safeguarding against any other vulnerability in to-day’s society.