Online Safety (E-Safety) at Elloughton Primary School
Promoting safe and responsible use of technology
At Elloughton Primary School, online safety is an important part of our safeguarding culture. We recognise that technology plays a significant role in children’s lives and learning, and we are committed to ensuring that pupils learn how to use technology safely, responsibly and respectfully.
Through our curriculum and wider school approach, pupils develop the knowledge and skills needed to recognise online risks, make safe choices and understand how to seek help if something worries them.
Online Safety in the Curriculum
Online safety is taught throughout the school as part of our Computing and PSHE curriculum.
Each year group learns about different aspects of online safety including:
At the beginning of each academic year, pupils discuss and agree the acceptable use rules for their key stage. These rules are referred to regularly throughout the year and when using technology in lessons.
Online safety is also taught as part of dedicated computing units so that pupils develop the knowledge and understanding needed to use digital technology safely.
Pupils are also taught what to do if something online makes them feel worried or uncomfortable, including how to report concerns to a trusted adult at school.
Safer Internet Day
Each year the school celebrates Safer Internet Day as part of a wider Safer Internet Week. Pupils take part in a range of activities designed to help them understand online safety issues in an engaging and age-appropriate way.
These activities are shared with parents through Reach More Parents so that families can continue conversations about online safety at home.
Regular Online Safety Discussions
Online safety is discussed regularly in class through weekly circle questions in Key Stages 1 and 2.
Each week pupils explore a themed question linked to online safety. These discussions allow pupils to share their ideas, reflect on different situations and develop their understanding of how to stay safe online. Teachers guide these conversations to address misconceptions and reinforce important safety messages.
The weekly questions are also shared with parents through Reach More Parents so that families are aware of the topics being discussed in school.
Working with Parents and Carers
We believe that working closely with parents and carers is essential in helping children stay safe online.
Each week we share a ‘Wake Up Wednesday’ guide with parents via Class Dojo. These resources, produced by National Online Safety and other trusted organisations, highlight current online safety issues and provide practical advice for families.
These guides help parents stay informed about the latest apps, games and online trends so they can support their children in using technology safely.
Safe Technology Systems
The school works closely with our IT provider, Primary Tech, to ensure that appropriate filtering and monitoring systems are in place. These systems help protect pupils from accessing inappropriate content and support staff in identifying potential online safety concerns.
Our IT provider also offers advice and guidance to ensure our systems remain up to date and aligned with national safeguarding guidance.
Online Safety and Safeguarding
Online safety forms an important part of our wider safeguarding approach. Staff remain vigilant to potential online risks and work closely with pupils and families to ensure concerns are addressed quickly and appropriately.
Pupils are encouraged to speak to a trusted adult if they encounter anything online that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
Following National Guidance
In line with guidance from many social media platforms, we advise that primary-aged children should not have their own personal accounts on platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp or Facebook.
Many of these platforms have age restrictions and may include features such as location sharing or communication with unknown users.
We encourage families to make use of parental controls which can help:
Advice for Parents and Carers
Parental controls are software tools which can be installed on phones, tablets, games consoles, laptops and home broadband to help manage what children can see and do online.
Parental controls can help parents:
plan what time of day children can go online and how long for
prevent downloads of age-inappropriate apps
manage the content different members of the family can access
Many devices also include settings that allow parents to manage location sharing and communication features.
Further guidance about setting up parental controls can be found through the UK Safer Internet Centre and Internet Matters.
Games consoles are also internet-enabled devices, which means children can communicate with other players or make in-game purchases. Safety settings can allow parents to:
Search engines can also be made safer by enabling filters such as Google SafeSearch or by using child-friendly search engines such as Swiggle or Safe Search UK.
Talking regularly with children about online behaviour is just as important as setting controls. The NSPCC Online Safety website provides helpful guidance for families when discussing internet safety with children.
Safeguarding
Online safety is an important part of our safeguarding responsibilities.
Our approach to online safety is supported by our safeguarding and child protection policies, which outline the procedures followed by the school if any concerns about pupil safety arise.
Further information can be found in our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy available on the school website.
Further Information
If you would like further information about online safety at Elloughton Primary School, please contact the school office who will direct your enquiry to the relevant member of staff.
Promoting safe and responsible use of technology
At Elloughton Primary School, online safety is an important part of our safeguarding culture. We recognise that technology plays a significant role in children’s lives and learning, and we are committed to ensuring that pupils learn how to use technology safely, responsibly and respectfully.
Through our curriculum and wider school approach, pupils develop the knowledge and skills needed to recognise online risks, make safe choices and understand how to seek help if something worries them.
Online Safety in the Curriculum
Online safety is taught throughout the school as part of our Computing and PSHE curriculum.
Each year group learns about different aspects of online safety including:
- keeping personal information safe
- communicating respectfully online
- recognising online risks
- understanding digital footprints
- knowing how to report concerns
At the beginning of each academic year, pupils discuss and agree the acceptable use rules for their key stage. These rules are referred to regularly throughout the year and when using technology in lessons.
Online safety is also taught as part of dedicated computing units so that pupils develop the knowledge and understanding needed to use digital technology safely.
Pupils are also taught what to do if something online makes them feel worried or uncomfortable, including how to report concerns to a trusted adult at school.
Safer Internet Day
Each year the school celebrates Safer Internet Day as part of a wider Safer Internet Week. Pupils take part in a range of activities designed to help them understand online safety issues in an engaging and age-appropriate way.
These activities are shared with parents through Reach More Parents so that families can continue conversations about online safety at home.
Regular Online Safety Discussions
Online safety is discussed regularly in class through weekly circle questions in Key Stages 1 and 2.
Each week pupils explore a themed question linked to online safety. These discussions allow pupils to share their ideas, reflect on different situations and develop their understanding of how to stay safe online. Teachers guide these conversations to address misconceptions and reinforce important safety messages.
The weekly questions are also shared with parents through Reach More Parents so that families are aware of the topics being discussed in school.
Working with Parents and Carers
We believe that working closely with parents and carers is essential in helping children stay safe online.
Each week we share a ‘Wake Up Wednesday’ guide with parents via Class Dojo. These resources, produced by National Online Safety and other trusted organisations, highlight current online safety issues and provide practical advice for families.
These guides help parents stay informed about the latest apps, games and online trends so they can support their children in using technology safely.
Safe Technology Systems
The school works closely with our IT provider, Primary Tech, to ensure that appropriate filtering and monitoring systems are in place. These systems help protect pupils from accessing inappropriate content and support staff in identifying potential online safety concerns.
Our IT provider also offers advice and guidance to ensure our systems remain up to date and aligned with national safeguarding guidance.
Online Safety and Safeguarding
Online safety forms an important part of our wider safeguarding approach. Staff remain vigilant to potential online risks and work closely with pupils and families to ensure concerns are addressed quickly and appropriately.
Pupils are encouraged to speak to a trusted adult if they encounter anything online that makes them feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
Following National Guidance
In line with guidance from many social media platforms, we advise that primary-aged children should not have their own personal accounts on platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, WhatsApp or Facebook.
Many of these platforms have age restrictions and may include features such as location sharing or communication with unknown users.
We encourage families to make use of parental controls which can help:
- limit screen time
- filter inappropriate content
- manage in-app purchases
- control who children communicate with online
Advice for Parents and Carers
Parental controls are software tools which can be installed on phones, tablets, games consoles, laptops and home broadband to help manage what children can see and do online.
Parental controls can help parents:
plan what time of day children can go online and how long for
prevent downloads of age-inappropriate apps
manage the content different members of the family can access
Many devices also include settings that allow parents to manage location sharing and communication features.
Further guidance about setting up parental controls can be found through the UK Safer Internet Centre and Internet Matters.
Games consoles are also internet-enabled devices, which means children can communicate with other players or make in-game purchases. Safety settings can allow parents to:
- create individual family profiles
- disable internet access
- turn off chat functions
Search engines can also be made safer by enabling filters such as Google SafeSearch or by using child-friendly search engines such as Swiggle or Safe Search UK.
Talking regularly with children about online behaviour is just as important as setting controls. The NSPCC Online Safety website provides helpful guidance for families when discussing internet safety with children.
Safeguarding
Online safety is an important part of our safeguarding responsibilities.
Our approach to online safety is supported by our safeguarding and child protection policies, which outline the procedures followed by the school if any concerns about pupil safety arise.
Further information can be found in our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy available on the school website.
Further Information
If you would like further information about online safety at Elloughton Primary School, please contact the school office who will direct your enquiry to the relevant member of staff.
