Education in safe and effective practices

The Internet and digital technologies are powerful educational resources when they are used effectively. Understanding the technology, being a skilful user and displaying safe effective practice is as important as having a written safety policy and code of practice. Education in appropriate, effective and safe use is an essential element of the school curriculum. This education is as important for staff and parents as it is for pupils.

Click Clever Click Safe

The ‘Click Clever Click Safe’ strategy for keeping children safe online has been developed by the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS).

Information on the Click Clever Click Safe strategy can be accessed on the nidirect website.

Internet Safety Education for Pupils

There are a number of courses and resources aimed specifically at pupils dealing with various aspects of safety.

Key Stage 2 Internet Proficiency Scheme

The aim of the Internet Proficiency Scheme is to help pupils to develop 'safe and responsible' behaviours when using the Internet and other interactive digital technologies. The scheme complements work in other curriculum subjects and is particularly aimed at pupils in Years 6 and 7 and consists of a free pack of teaching resources and an accompanying Cybercafe.

The scheme aims to:

Develop a set of safe and responsible behaviours for pupils to adopt when using the Internet and other technologies
Provide teachers with easily accessible support materials
Offer pupils a set of activities that allow them to demonstrate what they know and understand
Support the Continued Professional Development (CPD) of teachers through advice and information
Integrate these safe and responsible behaviours into the skills, knowledge and understanding for ICT, PSHE and Citizenship at Key Stage 2

Signposts to Safety

In order to help teachers embed Internet safety messages into the curriculum, the former Government agency Becta produced free publications Signposts to Safety (primary and secondary versions) which signpost:

Risks and issues associated with using ICT
Free online resources which can be used to teach e-safety messages in the classroom
Opportunities within the ICT, PSHE and Citizenship curricula for embedding safety messages

In brief, the main risks can be summarised as:

Exposure to inappropriate materials
Threat of physical danger due to contacts made online
Psychological danger and online bullying
Dangers of legal, moral, financial or commercial consequences via e-commerce opportunities
Inappropriate behaviours due to feeling anonymous online.

Key Stage 2 - Key Stage 4 KidsSMART

KidsSMART is an award winning practical online Internet safety programme website for schools, young people, parents, and agencies, produced by the children's Internet charity Childnet International. There are resources suitable for primary and secondary pupils including lesson plans, leaflets, posters, activity days and interactive games.

Key Stage 3 – Key Stage 4 - Know IT All for Schools

Know IT All for Schools is an interactive CD-ROM designed to help pupils (KS3/4) understand a broad range of issues when using the Internet or mobile phone. Developed by Childnet International for teachers to use in the classroom, sections from the CD could also be used in a whole school assembly or as self study for pupils.

Key Stage 2 – Key Stage 4 - ThinkUknow

ThinkUknow is the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre online resources for children between the ages of 8-16. The resources draw attention to what young people know about the risks they may encounter whilst using the Internet

How to have fun online
How to stay in control online
How to report online

The interactive package includes films, leaflets, posters, the thinkuknow website and a training pack for all Child protection professionals in the UK. The website includes games,a Cybercafe ,information on emerging technology, chatting, gaming and blogging, and ultimately how to report anything that they think is suspicious. PSNI deliver ThinkUknow as part of their Citizen and Safety Education (CASE) programme. This programme is delivered to schools on request to PSNI.

Childnet Sorted

Childnet’s Sorted website is a resource produced entirely by young people for young people and adults on the issues of Internet security. It gives important information and advice on how to protect computers from the dangers of viruses, phishing scams, spyware and Trojans.

Involving pupils in drawing up safe and effective use guidelines and designing posters for display is a good educational practice.

See examples from Kent Community Network.

Internet Safety Awareness for School Staff

Educators should be fully aware of the Department’s policy and strategy on ICT use in teaching and learning on www.empoweringschools.com

Children and the Net

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's (NSPCC) basic awareness training programme 505KB PDF comprises a CD, DVD and leaflets on the safeguarding implications of information and communication technology (ICT) for practitioners working with children or adult offenders.

Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre

The CEOP agency runs regular one-day courses for teachers in Northern Ireland. These are advertised directly to schools.

Teachers can download lesson plans, teaching activities and pupils' worksheets by registering with the Thinkuknow website.

University of Central Lancashire

UCLAN provides a Certificate in Child Safety on the Internet 1.19MB PDF for teachers, education and child services professionals to enable them to promote safe and responsible use of Internet and mobile technologies and services. (120 hours of e-learning over 14 weeks).

Internet Awareness for Parents and Carers

By promoting Internet safety at home, parents and carers can help to reinforce the messages taught in school and help to equip their children with the skills needed to use technology safely, especially where the filtering and firewalls on C2k systems in schools are not available.

Parents and carers are advised to:

discuss with their children the rules for using the Internet and decide together when, how long, and what comprises appropriate use;
get to know the sites their children visit, and talk to them about what they are learning;
ensure that they give their agreement before their children give out personal identifying information in any electronic communication on the Internet, such as
a picture, an address, a phone number, the school name, or financial information such as credit card or bank details. In this way they can protect their children (and themselves) from unwanted or unacceptable overtures from strangers, from unplanned expenditure and from fraud
encourage their children not to respond to any unwelcome, unpleasant or abusive messages, and to tell them if they receive any such messages or images.

For comprehensive advice for parents on computers, internet and safety, see the nidirect website.

Childnet International

Childnet International provides a range of resources, including the Know IT All resource for Parents, to support schools in sharing Internet safety information with parents and carers, Internet Safety Leaflets and events. The resources include new content presented by children and young people especially for their peers which both parents and teachers can show and children can use by themselves. There is a quick overview and summary of the E-safety advice for parents in 7 different languages and a 'text only' version of all content.

A separate section is available for teachers on how they can use this resource with parents, what other resources and advice is available (including from Becta and CEOP) and how to use the sections for children and young people as 'stand alone' resources in the classroom or in an assembly.

There is also a Parent’s version of KidsSMART an award-winning practical online Internet safety programme website for schools, young people, parents, and agencies.

More advice is available on the Childnet International website.

The Internet Green X Code

A downloadable guide from BT on how to protect you and your family on the Internet.

Community Use of School ICT Resources

Through the Extended Schools and the Empowering Schools strategies, schools are increasingly used as a community resource. Computer use by the community should also be covered by a safe use policy.

When formulating your policy, consider:

Are the school’s ICT facilities ever used as a community resource?
What use is made of the facilities, and who takes responsibility for this?
Is information on ICT use and Internet safety contained within the school’s lettings policy?
How can you ensure that community users of school ICT resources sign a (tailored) acceptable use policy or code of practice?
How will the process be managed?
How will existing technological solutions to Internet safety impinge upon community use?
Will filtering and blocking profiles used during the school day be too restrictive?
Can these restrictions be varied by factors such as time of access or password?
How will community use of school ICT facilities be monitored?
How will incidents of misuse be reported and managed?