The school’s computers are linked to the internet. Sites are checked for suitability and the network has a system in place to vet site content. All communications are monitored through Warwickshire LA.
The internet is a part of modern life, and the children have to learn how to use it sensibly. As part of our computing curriculum they will also learn about e-safety. Parents will be invited to an internet safety awareness session every year, either here or at one of our neighbouring schools. We would advise you to attend one of these sessions, as there are many pitfalls in children using online games and social networks.
As part of the computing curriculum, the children and staff will be posting items on the school website, including photographs. No child will be individually identified by name on the photographs.
Ten Tips for using the Internet
Keep the computer in a common room in the house and position the monitor so it’s available for public viewing.
Establish rules for using the Internet and teach your children important safety guidelines.
Understand social networking. Teach your kids that people online are not always who they say they are. Popular social networking sites are a favourite hunting ground for predators. Teach your children how to use the privacy settings and to keep identifying information off their blogs.
Tell your children to keep their personal information protected. Children should never give their real name, address, phone number, the name of their school or a picture of themselves to anyone they meet online. NEVER let your children meet in person with anyone they’ve met on the Internet.
Protect your children’s passwords and create generic names. Make sure your kids don’t have screen names or aliases that reveal their personal information, including their full name, age, gender, etc.
Frequently check your computer’s Internet history and monitor your children’s email account. Let them know you’re checking these, why you’re doing it, and talk abut potential online danger.
Spend time with your children online. Have them show you their favourite sites.
Teach your children cyber ethics. For example,hacking into someone’s computer is just as wrong as breaking into someone else’s home. You set rules, boundaries, and codes of acceptable behavior in the real world; do the same for the virtual world.
Be computer savvy. Use antivirus, antispyware, and a firewall, and keep them current, but don’t rely on them as your only line of defense. For an easy, step-by-step tech tutorial for parents, go to www.ikeepsafe.org/iksc_partners/symantec.
Teach your children to tell a parent, teacher or trusted adult if they feel uncomfortable about anything they’ve seen on a computer. For more tips from the National Cyber Security Alliance, go online to www.staysafeonline.org.