8th February 2022 – Safer Internet Day
In school today we held a special assembly to discuss being safe on the internet.
We talked about how often we use the internet, why we use it and how to be safe whilst being online.
The children talked about:-
- Lots of ways that the internet is a positive resource because it helps them with their learning, they can access games and can talk to their friends.
We also learnt about how the internet can sometimes be a negative resource because:-
- The internet is run by everybody and anybody can upload content.
- Not everything on the internet is true.
- Not to give out any personal information to people online because we do not know if they are really who they say they are.
- To ALWAYS tell an adult if they see something that made them feel sad or scared or a stranger tries to contact them.
-Not to keep ANYTHING to themselves/ or bottle up their feelings, due to something they have seen or read online, which causes them concern.
- Why ‘parental controls’ are extremely important and put in place. This is not their parents being “mean”, it is their parents protecting them.
We revisited our 'Stranger Danger' assembly and the children learnt that the same sort of stranger could approach them, the only difference being, they are online.
We also spoke about Bullying and feelings and that unfortunately, this can happen online too. We talked about what to do if this was to happen and how/who would deal with it.
Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people and inspire a national conversation. The theme for 2022 is “All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online”.
The internet has an amazing range of information and opportunities online, but how can we help support children to separate fact from fiction?
Safer Internet Day 2022 celebrates young people’s role in creating safer internet, whether that is whilst gaming and creating content, or interacting with their friends and peers. The Safer Internet campaign will focus on how we can decide what to trust online, supporting children to question, challenge and change the online world for better.
Safer Internet Day challenges everyone to play their part in fostering supportive relationships and respectful communities online. From discussing ways the internet can be used to communicate, to creating positive change in online groups when bullying behaviour arise, the Day empowers young people to be at the heart of creating a better internet.
Often we hear about the negative impact that the internet and new technology has on young people, but on Safer Internet Day we want to celebrate the positives and to explore what we can all do to make sure that all young people have a positive time online. Parents and Carers play a crucial role in supporting their children to navigate the risks and make the most of the opportunities offered by technology.
The most important thing you can do is to have conversation and stay engaged with your children’s digital lives.
Please find attached links with helpful information and guidance on a range of key online safety topics.
https://www.internetmatters.org/safer-internet-day/
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/parents-and-carers
https://www.childnet.com/