Online Safety
It is important that when you are using the Internet, you stay safe. You should never give out any personal information such as your full name, address or phone number when you're online, no matter who you think you're talking to.
- Please see our Byfleet Online Safety Policy under the 'Policies & DfE Financial Benchmarking' section in 'Our School'.
- Remember to speak to Mrs Meyrick (DSL) if you have any concerns, as a parent or a child.
- Parent Letter - steps to work collectively to keep our children safe
- Year 6 Parent Letter - online safety and child-on-child abuse
Be SMART
Remember to be SMART when you're on the Internet!
- Safe - be safe on the Internet.
- Meeting - NEVER meet up!
- Accepting - don't accept anything (it may be a virus).
- Reliable - check your source.
- Tell - Always tell someone when you don't feel safe.
For advice, help or to make a report visit the website below by clicking on the 'Click CEOP' button.
Supporting online safety at byfleet primary
- Online Safety Policy
- Acceptable Use Agreement
- Mobilephone, Smart Watch, Camera and Electronic Devices Policy
Useful Websites for parents
Below are some useful websites that will help you to learn about Internet safety and test your knowledge on using the web safely.
- CEOP/Think You Know is an education programme from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command. 'Think You Know' aims to ensure that everyone has access to this practical information – children, young people, their parents and carers and the professionals who work with them.
- NSPCC Helpful advice and tools for parents to use to help keep children safe whenever and wherever they go online.
- Parent Zone provides a collection of articles, tips, expert advice and resources designed to help parents keep up with what their children are doing online.
- UK Safer Internet Centre delivers a wide range of activity to promote the safe and responsible use of technology. The website updates parents and carers to help meet emerging trends in the fast-changing online environment.
- How to Protect your Children on their Smartphone
- Common Sense Media is a great resource to help you review the game your child desperately wants you to purchase for them - useful to check if it's appropriate or not.
- PEGI is another great website that helps parents make informed choice about the appropriateness of games.
- NetAware (a collaboration with NSPCC and 02) share some eye-opening dangers for us to look out for on the Internet. Being informed means we can keep our children safe online.
PLAY, Like, Share - Some excellent videos here for parents to watch with their children at home
How you can use Play Like Share to help keep your child safe online
You can watch Play Like Share with your child and use this to start a conversation with them about the internet and being safer online. All three episodes can be found on our website for 8-10 year olds, where you will also find a fun interactive game called Band Runner that helps this age group learn how to be safer from risks they might encounter online.
When opening the conversation with your child, start with positives, finding out as much as you can about what your child does online and what it means to them.
Things you could try:
- Ask your child to show you their favourite websites, apps or social media and what they do on them. Listen and show interest. You could also encourage them to teach you the basics of the site or app.
- Ask your child if anything ever bothers or worries them about going online. You could use examples of events from the films and ask if they’ve ever heard of something similar happening. Talk in general about what children can do to stay safe online.
- Use examples from Play Like Share to start a conversation about online ‘friends’ or ‘followers’. Ask them about who they chat to online, and whether they know and trust them ‘in real life’.
- Talk about the importance of privacy settings and how they can help your child stay in control of what they share with others. Together, look at the privacy settings for the services they use, encourage them to only share things with people they know and trust in person.
- Using examples from Play Like Share, talk to your child about what might be appropriate or inappropriate to share online – this includes photos, videos, comments and personal information.
- Talk to your child about how their online actions can affect others. Remind them to consider how someone else might feel before they post or share something.
- Ensure your child understands that if anything ever happens online which worries or upsets them, they should always tell you.
- Explain that you would never blame them for anything that might happen online, and you will always give them calm and non-judgemental support.
- Make online safety an on-going conversation in your house… and involve the rest of the family in the conversation too.
Useful Websites for children
There are also some websites that are safe places for you to join the online community.
- Childnet International The Internet is a wonderful place to explore and discover new things, to connect and communicate with others and to be creative. Use this website to get help, get answers, get SMART and have fun! Engaging online safety stories for young children age 3-7 - Digiduck and Smartie the Penguin online safety story for age 3-7 year olds
- BBC Own It Questions, answers and tools to help you make the most of your time online. You may even get to hear an important message from your favourite Youtuber!
- Net Smartz Kids A fun and interactive website which helps you to recognise the dangers and increase self-confidence whenever you go online. Includes games, puzzles, videos and activities.
- The Adventures of Kara, Winston and the SMART Crew These cartoons illustrate 5 e-safety SMART rules and include a real life SMART Crew of young people, who guide the cartoon characters in their quest, and help them make safe online decisions.
- Think You Know Learn about online safety by reading information, playing games and watching videos.
- Online Safety Quiz This Online Safety Quiz is your chance to show that you know how to be a safe Internet surfer. Answer each question and, when you get it right, you'll go to the next question!