The internet has become an integral part of our daily lives and is now more accessible than ever. However, using the internet also comes with risks. Children and young people are particularly vulnerable to exposure to inappropriate content or criminal behaviour if they are unaware of the dangers.
Digital resilience refers to “the social and emotional literacy and digital competency that enable pupils to respond positively to and manage any risks they may encounter when using social media or going online. “Being digitally resilient means having the ability to handle incidents that may go wrong online, especially on social media.
Our goal is to equip pupils with the emotional resources needed to:
- Recognise when they are at risk online
- Know what to do and where to seek help
- Learn from past experiences, both their own and others’
- Recover when things go wrong
By fostering digital resilience, we empower young people to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.
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How do we teach Online Safety at school?
Online safety is an integral part of our Computing curriculum (click here) . For example, in Year 2, children learn how to take photographs while also discussing the importance of seeking permission before photographing others. In Year 3, when learning to use email, they explore the importance of recognising spam emails and communicating kindly online.
At the start of every half term, the first Computing lesson focuses on Online Safety. We follow the objectives set out in Education for a Connected World, covering one of its eight strands each half term. Digital Wellbeing is also embedded within Whinstone’s PSHE curriculum (click here).
Additionally, we take part in the national Safer Internet Day, reinforcing the importance of staying safe online.
We have lots of links to useful information below. If you have any further questions, our Computing Lead (Mrs Woodley) is a trained CEOP Ambassador and will try to answer your question or direct you to the specific help you need.
What can you do at home?
At Whinstone, we are committed to keeping children safe—both in school and in the wider world. Online Safety is an important part of our computing curriculum and daily teaching, but keeping children safe online is a shared responsibility.
Parents play a crucial role in ensuring that home devices, such as computers, tablets, and smartphones, are safe for children to use. By working together, we can help children develop the awareness and skills they need to protect themselves and others online. ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ states there are 4 main C’s of keeping children safe: content, contact, conduct and commerce (sometimes referred to as contract). Read more here from the NSPCC.
For reliable advice on keeping your child safe online, visit these trusted websites. Just click on the images to access.
Whinstone celebrates Safer Internet Day every year
Stories about Online Safety
