What is online safety?
Online safety refers to the act of staying safe online. It is also commonly known as internet safety, e-safety and cyber safety. It encompasses all technological devices which have access to the internet from PCs and laptops to smartphones and tablets.
Being safe online means individuals are protecting themselves and others from online harms and risks which may jeopardise their personal information, lead to unsafe communications or even affect their mental health and wellbeing.
In an ever-changing world, ensuring our learners safety online has never been more important. It’s an all-encompassing duty and something every ALP Schools staff member is vigilant of. All of our staff and our Governors are trained in Online Safety. The school is a certified member of National Online Safety.
What are the risks?
It goes without saying that the internet can be an unforgiving place. Aside from the more obvious risks such as online bullying, grooming or device addiction, the way children are engaging with the online world means that we have to take stock of their mental health and wellbeing, the type of content they are viewing and what they are posting online.
This includes the heightened concern around fake news and what impact social media influencers may be having on our learners behaviour. It also includes the growing use of online gaming, social media and the exposures and risks these bring.
Some common online and social media platforms associated to young people are, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, SnapChat, Roblox, Omegle, along with many others.
Helping with the risks
Due to our subscription with National Online Safety, ALP Schools has access to lots of helpful information, tips and guidance for parents and our students. We encourage our parents to complete online training and are learners are educated about the risks as part of their curriculum.
We encourage all parents to engage in training courses, webinars and information videos on Online Safety, we provide access to this via our NOS platform. These means that all parents can access the following:
Training Courses on:
- Online Safety for Parents of Children Aged 7-11
- Online Safety for Parents of Children Aged 11-14
- Online Safety for Parents of Children Aged 14-18
All of these training courses are led by Myleene Klass
We also offer specific guidance for these specific online risks:
If you would like further information about access to these courses please contact our school Online Safety Ambassadors:
- ALP Leicester – kyle.spencer@alpschools.org
- ALP Nuneaton – bradley.rowley@alpschools.org
- Pierview Academy – tom.gasson@alpschools.org
- Parkview Academy – emma.chatzispyridou@alpschools.org
- ALP Sittingbourne – jenny.thomason@alpschools.org
Some Useful Posters:
Policies
Our policies around ICT and online safety can be found in the school policies section.
Cyber Bullying
Cyber bullying is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. Cyberbullying and cyberharassment are also known as online bullying. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers, as the digital sphere has expanded and technology has advanced. If you feel you are being bullied online, you can click this link to report it to the school.
Useful Links
There are many useful websites that help with online safety, but there are also many that provide false or inaccurate information. We recommend the following:
To Report online concerns:
Advice & Resources:
- Safer Internet – https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/
- Thinkuknow – https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
- NSPCC – https://www.nspcc.org.uk/
- Childnet – https://www.childnet.com/
- Childline – https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/staying-safe-online/
- Net Smart – https://www.netsmartzkids.org/
- Internet matters – https://www.internetmatters.org/