E-Safety

Children have the right to enjoy childhood online, to access safe online spaces, and to benefit from all the opportunities that a connected world can bring to them, appropriate to their age and stage. As they grow older, it is crucial that they learn to balance the benefits offered by technology with a critical awareness of their own and other’s online behaviour and develop effective strategies for staying safe and making a positive contribution online.

Our E-safety Curriculum

We have a large stock of iPads/laptops in school and pupils use the internet on a regular basis to support and enhance their learning not only, through the Computing curriculum but on a daily basis when working in class and for a variety of interventions.

Our E-safety curriculum follows the ‘Education for a Connected World’ framework by the UK Council for Internet Safety. The 7 key topics covered are: 1. Self-image and Identity 2. Online relationships 3. Online reputation 4. Online bullying 5. Managing online information 6. Health, wellbeing and lifestyle 7. Privacy and security. We use quality, age appropriate video lessons and activities created by ‘National College’ experts to support our teaching.

There are also a number of risks to children’s welfare and safety when using internet enabled technology that we teach the children about:

• content: being exposed to illegal, inappropriate, or harmful content.
• contact: being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users.
• conduct: online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm to children or
others.
• commerce: illegal, inappropriate, or harmful online commercial activities that can
compromise the health and wellbeing or security of children or others.

Our Online Safety policy and ICT & Internet Acceptable Use policy guides staff, pupils and parents to use ICT safely and we are all expected to abide by these rules whenever using ICT devices and technologies. The general principles of acceptable use forms the basis of the first Computing lesson for children in the Autumn term.

Our pupils take part in a range of classroom experiences throughout the year to promote e-safety. These include our ‘Safety Afternoons’ week, talks from West Mercia Police and other opportunities.

E-Safety Awareness

Coleham school is committed to developing staff and parents/carers e-safety awareness. We have a membership with National College which provides quality training, updates and a range of resources for the whole staff community, staff and families.

Training – CPD accredited training for the whole community with tailored courses for DSL’s, Teachers, SENDCO, ICT Leads, other school staff and parents and carers.

Monthly Updates-supporting the school community to stay up to date with online safety related news, social media updates, gaming updates and evolving online issues.

Specific Resources-containing over 250 1 page guides on numerous devices, games, apps, social media/chat platforms plus explainer videos and webinars.

School also circulates a monthly E-Safety Newsletter, giving information about the latest crazes and tips and advice on how to keep your children safe on line. Recent editions can be viewed by clicking on the relevant links below.

Parents access to National College

What does this mean for you?

You will have access to hundreds of courses, explainer videos and online safety guides to support your awareness of the online world. Topics range from understanding apps like TikTok and Instagram to recognising the signs of online harm and what you can do to help.

Sign up is easy

Signing up to the platform is simple. Just follow this link and complete your details. Once you’re set up, you’ll be able to choose ‘Parent/Carer’ as your user type and get instant access to all training and resources.

Download the app for free

Another fantastic benefit of The National College is its National Online Safety app, which you can download for free. It gives you access to all their parent and carer resources on the go, whenever you want.

You can download the National Online Safety app using the links below:

They’re always here to help

The National College has a brilliant support team if you have any questions. Their help centre provides a comprehensive bank of answers to most FAQs, but if you still can’t find the answer you’re looking for, you can always get in contact with them.

Setting up Parental Controls on your child’s devices and Apps at home

This handy booklet below has everything you need to know:

Parental-Controls-booklet-2026

Go to this website or links below for videos showing you how to set up Parental controls on different devices.

Android Parental Controls

Iphone/Ipad Parental Controls

Gaming Parental Controls

YouTube Kids App Controls

The Smartphone Free Childhood movement

We are have collaborated with The Priory School and parents from the Smartphone Free Childhood Movement Shropshire to open up the conversation around What is the right age for a child to have a smartphone? With new research being published about the known risks to children and Australia’s government saying it will introduce “world-leading” legislation to ban children under 16 from social media it is an ideal opportunity to find out more. The aim of this collaboration is to keep up with the legislation and changes that are happening in the world and challenge the societal norm around children using smartphones. By talking with each other and opening up the discussion, families have more information to make choices that is right for their family.

The top 5 reasons to delay smartphones for children:

Smartphone apps are addictive
Their use correlates to the mental health concerns in children
Being exposed to harmful content
Fundamentally changing children’s childhoods with less outdoors activity, family time and hobbies developing.
They are an academic distraction

The Smartphone Free Childhood Movement highlight the use of ‘Feature Phones’ instead whereby children can call and text but are free from the pressures of smartphone apps, social media and group chats.

Parents

To share your commitment to the Smartphone Free Childhood, sign the pact HERE

If you are worried about your child having a smartphone and are thinking of delaying this for your child, then you aren’t alone. A growing number of parents in Shropshire are doing the same.

Find out how many parents have signed the pact for schools in Shropshire? HERE

West Mercia Police Training

Please see details of a new online Exploitation and Vulnerability awareness training courses for parents (1 hr online training)

The course covers areas such as dangerous apps, the need for balancing screen-time, sextortion, the impact of online influencers, and more.

Exploitation and vulnerability training | West Mercia Police

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