Today’s pupils are growing up in an increasingly complex world, living their lives seamlessly on and offline. This presents many positive and exciting opportunities, but also challenges and risks. We want to equip our pupils with the knowledge needed to make the best use of the internet and technology in a safe, considered and respectful way, so they are able to reap the benefits of the online world. Pupils will be taught about online safety and harms. This will include being taught what positive, healthy and respectful online relationships look like, the effects of their online actions on others and knowing how to recognise and display respectful behaviour online. Teachers will address online safety and appropriate behaviour in an age appropriate way that is relevant to our pupils’ lives. 

Our computing curriculum teaches pupils how to use technology safely, responsibly, respectfully and securely, and where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

We aim to help pupils to recognise acceptable and unacceptable behaviour by:
 looking at why people behave differently online, for example how anonymity (you do not know me) and invisibility (you cannot see me) affect what people do
 looking at how online emotions can be intensified 
  teaching techniques (relevant on and offline) to defuse or calm arguments, for example a disagreement with friends, and disengage from unwanted contact or content online
 considering unacceptable online behaviours often passed off as so-called social norms or just banter. For example, negative language that can be used, and in some cases is often expected, as part of online gaming and the acceptance of misogynistic, homophobic and racist language that would never be tolerated offline.

For Pupils

• Childline

• BBC Own It

For Parents

• Childnet
• Parental controls
• Parent Zone
• Internet controls and privacy settings
• NSPCC
• Internet Matters