Online Safety
Online Safety
At our school, we are committed to empowering pupils with the knowledge and skills they need to stay safe online in today’s digital world. Through engaging lessons, pupils are taught to recognize online safety practices and make confident, informed decisions to protect themselves both online and offline.
To further support this learning, a Police Liaison Officer regularly visits the school to reinforce key safeguarding messages and provide valuable insights for both children and staff, ensuring everyone is equipped to navigate the digital world safely and responsibly.
Safe Searching
As part of the pupils' curriculum, Maes y Morfa Primary provides supervised access to the Internet. Pupils are regularly given opportunities to use websites designed to support their learning. They are also taught research and evaluation skills to help them use the Internet effectively and efficiently. The following are useful child friendly search engines:
http://www.swiggle.org.uk/ - Swiggle
http://search.kidoos.org/uk - Kidoos
http://www.kidsclick.org - Kidsclick
http://kids.aol.com - Aol - Kids
To reduce the possibility of children accessing undesirable materials our Broadband provider operates a filtering system that restricts access to inappropriate materials. All of our computers are in public view and access is supervised. Children are also taught the SMART rules for using the Internet, in order to help them to stay safe wherever they use the Internet.
Screen Time
Balanced screen use means using devices for different purposes. This may be playing video games or browsing social media but could also include completing homework, doing school work, learning new skills, practising wellbeing and more. It also means taking breaks from digital to focus on offline activities like school, spending time with family and friends, staying active and more. In many cases, children need support to help manage this balance, especially at the primary level.
44% of children aged 5 to 11 have their own mobile phones. They use a variety of devices and platforms including video games, video-sharing platforms and social media apps. On average: boys play around 4 hours of video games per day while girls play around 2 hours; children aged 7-16 spend just under 3 ½ hours per day online; children aged 4-15 spend just under six hours per week watching video content. Additionally, 62% of 7-16s have access to their mobile phones at all times, which means they may spend more time than is recorded.
In a report from Ofcom (link to Ofcom report) 40% of parents say they struggle to manage their child’s screen time. For more information on how to support screen time, cyberbullying, inappropriate content and privacy - click this link ➡️ (internetmatters.org
Useful links
Hwb - https://hwb.gov.wales/keeping-safe-online
CEOP - https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/
UK safer internet Center - https://saferinternet.org.uk/
Childnet - https://www.childnet.com/
NSPCC - https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
National Online Safety - https://familytoolbox.co.uk/organisation-list/national-online-safety/
BBC Own it - https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/bbc-own-it/#online-safety-videos
Online Safety Guidance
At Carmarthenshire County Council, we believe that using information and communication technologies in schools provides tremendous benefits. However, understanding the challenges of online safety and planning accordingly is essential to ensure technology is used in a safe, effective, and positive way.
Guidance for Parents and Carers
Below are some resources to help parents and carers of primary school-aged children keep them safe while online.
Social Media
If you’re unsure whether your child should use social media websites or apps, the Internet Matters website offers helpful guidance on age restrictions for various platforms.
It’s important to note that all social media platforms require users to be at least 13 years old, as stated on this website.
Click here for more information - internetmatters.org
Who Can I Contact for Help or Support?
CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection)
CEOP, part of the National Crime Agency, works to protect children from online grooming and sexual abuse. They offer an online reporting system for children, families, or trusted adults.
If you need to report something, ensure a trusted adult helps with the process.
https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/
Childline
Childline offers confidential support to children who have concerns about any aspect of their lives, including online issues.
Common Sense Media
Common Sense Media provides parents and carers with detailed, age-appropriate reviews of apps, websites, video games, and other types of media.
