Introduction | Alder Coppice Primary School

E-Safety

New technology is transforming our world. Computers, the Internet, and mobile phones are now such a part of everyday life that it is hard to imagine what life was like without them.

However, technology is not all positive, and an awareness of the downsides and risks is essential. As a parent you should be aware of the dangers, so you can monitor, support and advise your children. It is impossible and possibly unreasonable to "ban" your son or daughter from accessing these technologies, but it is important that you discuss with them what the dangers are, and help them to understand the risks.

The Internet

The Internet is a fantastic source of information for all ages. However, there is information on the Internet that is unsuitable for young people, or that is misleading or inaccurate. Some sites are constructed by fraudsters and criminal gangs, that either try to extract personal information ("phishing") or install malicious software on your machine without your knowledge ("trojans" or "keyloggers"). With sites such as YouTube, young people can be exposed to video footage that might not be age appropriate. Users can also leave comments about videos that could contain unsuitable language.

Bear in mind these points:

It is advisable to keep computers in family rooms rather than in bedrooms so you can keep an eye on what your child is doing.

Make it clear to the children in your home that they should never publish personal information about themselves on the Internet as it could be accessible to people they do not know and therefore put them at risk.
It's not just computers that can be used to access the Internet. Mobile phones and games consoles, eBook readers and even MP3 players can also be used. Anything you could do on a computer connected to the Internet can also potentially be done with these devices. You can turn on "safe search" options on some search engines such as Google, and on YouTube. This can help to prevent inappropriate material being seen by children.
Avoid file sharing sites, and avoid downloading and installing software unless you are certain it is trustworthy.
Installing an up to date virus checker can prevent problems.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is bullying via digital technologies like mobile phones and computers. This is just as upsetting as physical bullying, and in some ways worse, because the victim can be bullied in their own home, and can never really "get away" from the bully. However, it can be easier to investigate and prove because the evidence usually can be saved, stored or printed.

Key Points:

If the bullying is happening in school, contact our Assistant Headteacher, Mrs Jo Randall, to get help.

It is always worth trying to solve the situation amicably if you can. If you know the other child, consider talking to their parents if you can do so to resolve the issue, without potentially making the situation worse.
Make sure your own children are aware of the hurt bullying causes and aren't involved in bullying themselves.
Save any evidence by saving/storing/printing it e.g. as a screenshot.