Image of Year 2 - PSHE - Online Safety
11 Mar

Year 2 - PSHE - Online Safety

In PSHE today, we had a discussion about what the internet is and how we can stay safe online. We focussed on staying safe when playing games and only playing with people we know. If we don't feel safe we TAG it - tell a grown up!

Image of Pre School - Keeping Ourselves Safe
1 Mar

Pre School - Keeping Ourselves Safe

Today in PSHE we have been looking at keeping ourselves safe looking at safe and unsafe things to put on our bodies and in our bodies. We looked at different medicines and shampoos. We talked about sand and mud and how we have to try and not get it in our eyes and make sure we wash our eyes.

Image of Supporting Children who are Being Bullied
28 Feb

Supporting Children who are Being Bullied

The latest bullying research from the DfE makes for upsetting reading

Image of Online Safety - Self Regulation
21 Feb

Online Safety - Self Regulation

As infants, we all rely completely on adults to help us resolve situations that are causing us to become upset or stressed. This is known as co-regulation. The next phase, once autonomy has begun to develop, is called self-regulation: this is when children start to become capable of exercising more control over their impulses and behaviour, and managing their own emotions. This vital developmental milestone, however, isn’t reached spontaneously. Learning to self-regulate requires sensitive guidance from trusted adults – simply talking with children about their thoughts and feelings, for instance, can ease the route to self-regulation. This #WakeUpWednesday guide has some expert tips for supporting children to reach this goal.

Image of Reception Class - Things that Matter to us
8 Feb

Reception Class - Things that Matter to us

This afternoon the children have been discussing what matters to them. They transferred these thoughts on to paper and they are bringing them home.

Image of Online Safety - Monkey
7 Feb

Online Safety - Monkey

With Omegle finally shutting down in late 2023, the top spot among video chat services is up for grabs – and Monkey has its eyes set on the crown. Randomly matching its users for 15-second conversations, the platform’s developers claim to have created a dynamic online space for people to make new connections and, potentially, even some new friends. Despite these innocuous-sounding intentions, however, Monkey has been criticised for moderation which may not be comprehensive enough to defend against the obvious dangers that unregulated, random video calls pose to the younger element of the site’s userbase. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide tells trusted adults what they need to know about Monkey.

Image of Online Safety - MYLOL
24 Jan

Online Safety - MYLOL

Teenagers’ blossoming interest in romantic relationships and their devotion to online networking is a potent combination – and, regrettably, not always a safe one. It raises all kind of worries about the possibility of sharing intimate images or deeply personal information; and that’s simply with contacts their own age – to say nothing of the chance of connecting with an older stranger. MyLOL – a site which specifically facilitates interaction between 13 to 19-year-olds – has amassed around a million users worldwide, but sadly its safeguarding protocols can’t match that level of success. The ease with which an adult could pose as a teen under a bogus birthdate makes grooming a realistic threat – and that’s far from the platform’s only risk, as our guide explains.

Image of Pre School - PSHE - Feelings
19 Jan

Pre School - PSHE - Feelings

Today in PSHE we talked about our feelings, exploring happy and sad and what makes us feel like this. We talked about who we would go to if we felt sad and who we would share our happy news with. The children then explored different textures that link to how we would feel in our tummy when we are happy and sad. The children had some fantastic answers and loved touching all the different objects and discussing how that made them feel.

Image of Online Safety - Smartphones
17 Jan

Online Safety - Smartphones

According to Ofcom, 69% of under-18s use a smartphone as their main method of going online. Additionally, 49% of children use them for online gaming – putting smartphones only behind consoles (59%) as the device of choice for playing games on. Most people won’t require such statistical evidence, however, to acknowledge the huge importance of phones to young people. Given that Santa’s recent visit is likely to have bestowed smartphones on an even greater number of young people, it’s a particularly opportune moment to ensure that children are able to use their handsets responsibly – and, above all, safely. From passcodes to parental controls, and from screen time to scams, our #WakeUpWednesday guide has the essential advice.

Image of Online Safety - Freedom of Speech
10 Jan

Online Safety - Freedom of Speech

Freedom of expression is enshrined in international law. Some individuals, however, misunderstand the right to share their opinions as a license to target others with the most horrendous prejudice. So how do we balance people’s prerogative to have their voice heard against everyone’s right to live in a respectful, inclusive society? This conflict frequently unfolds in the digital world. Online posters can be falsely accused of hate speech, while actual hate is often defended as merely being ‘free speech’. To help children and young people learn to identify the boundaries and recognise genuine hate speech when they see it, our #WakeUpWednesday guide provides some helpful definitions and guidelines.

Image of Online Safety - Settng Up Parental Controls
20 Dec

Online Safety - Settng Up Parental Controls

At this time of year, it’s highly possible that you have a new phone, games console or other digital device stashed somewhere at home, ready to be unwrapped. Many parents also prefer to place some protective measures on those gifts – to keep their child shielded from potential #OnlineSafety risks – while others would like to, but aren’t sure where to begin. Our guide shepherds you through the process of establishing parental controls on new internet-enabled devices, from smartphones to laptops to consoles. Simply find the device in question and read on to find out what options you have and how to enable them – letting children enjoy their shiny new gadget, without so much of the worry over where it might lead them.

Image of Online Safety - Tech Free Christmas
13 Dec

Online Safety - Tech Free Christmas

With Christmas right around the corner, millions of families are excitedly anticipating the chance to spend some quality time with each other over the festive season. When everyone’s engrossed in their phones or glued to their games consoles, however, genuinely meaningful moments with loved ones can often be difficult to orchestrate. Our Christmas #WakeUpWednesday guide will lend a hand: providing some advice on helping young people to set aside their devices for a while and live in the moment. Even if going full tech cold turkey feels unrealistic, implementing just a few of these tips could still decrease the amount of screen time in your home this festive season – enabling everyone to make the most of it.