Blog – Latest stories tagged 'e-safety'

The new NetSupport and eCadets Online Safety Almanac gives a timely and unique insight into the most up-to-date online safety research, relevant to schools and colleges. Henry tells us more...

Our eagerly awaited NetSupport and eCadets Online Safety Almanac launched at the world’s biggest edtech event, Bett 2019 last week. Bringing together key findings from front-line reports and research papers, the Almanac is essential reading for educators who are keen to secure or update their knowledge of online safety and associated safeguarding processes.

I am honoured to be partnering with my great friend and associate, Al Kingsley, MD at NetSupport and his knowledgeable team on production of this much-needed and important directory, which will provide vital advice to ensure the online safety of children in schools and colleges across the UK.

The Almanac is designed to give a valuable understanding of how children and young people are using and interacting with technology within educational settings and at home. As its author, I have drawn on my considerable experience in creating innovative solutions to keep children safe online, to produce a distillation of the most important and thought-provoking research relating to online child-safety.

Bridging the gap between research and best practice, the Almanac will deliver an overview of the most pertinent ‘Stats and Facts’ relating to children’s online safety, covering hard-hitting topics such as: filtering and monitoring; social media use; cyberbullying; sexting; peer on peer abuse and governance. It will also offer ‘Top Tips’ and relevant case studies, providing practical help and guidance to assist frontline teaching staff.

Said NetSupport’s Al Kingsley: “The importance of being able to get the important information into the right hands at the right time is also what motivated the creation of this Almanac. I’m proud our dear friend Henry Platten has authored the report for us. I’d like to thank him for the great deal of research and time he has invested into this report. It is designed to put the information you need in the palm of your hands.”

The Almanac can be downloaded here

Safeguarding Essentials, Safer Internet Day Competition Terms 2019

This competition is open to schools and youth organisations in the UK and schools overseas. You do not have to be a member of Safeguarding Essentials or E-safety Support to enter.

Entries must be received by midnight on Friday 1st February 2019 to be entered into the competition.

Each entry must be a series of internet safety tips as indicated on the information provided and must be a Tweet from a school Twitter account (this can be text, image or video) and include @SafeguardingSGE in the Tweet to be valid. Entries can also be submitted via email to competition@safeguardingessentials.com. Entries must be submitted by a member of school staff and not by the pupils

By submitting an entry, you agree for the Tweet to be used on the Safeguarding Essentials website as well as on social media platforms. Your school name (but no names of staff of pupils) may also be included on these platforms.

There are 2 categories, Best Primary School Entry, Best Secondary School Entry.

A winner will be chosen from each category and announced on 5th February 2019 - Safer Internet Day. If you are a winner, we will endeavour to contact you by phone and email on the same day prior to announcement. However, if we are unable to contact you, we will still announce the winning entries on the 5th February.

If you are chosen as a winner, you will be given 1 years free membership to Safeguarding Essentials for your school. If you are already a member, the free year will be added to the end of your current membership period. Alternatively, you may choose to nominate another school to receive your prize.

For winner’s details please send an email to: competition@safeguardingessentials.com within 28 days of the closing date.

By entering the competition, entrants agree to be bound by the rules and by any other requirements set out in promotional material.

Good Luck!

Our partners at Friendly WiFi discuss the topic of public WiFi accessibility

Technology is a vital part of education in schools today from primary right through to secondary and beyond. We are in an age where the foundation of teaching is via some form of technology and a way to interact with students of all ages. Let’s face it, phones, tablets, laptops, gaming, shopping, etc – all the things our kids love to use and do is based around a piece of new age technology so of course they expect no less in their learning journey.

Parents at home are focussed on protecting their kids online from exposure, information and images that they wouldn’t wish them to see and there are many sites providing information that enables them to do their best to stop this happening. At home is an easier scenario to deal with for parents. What about when our kids leave the safety of the home. When they are out and about with their friends after school or our young son or daughter is bored at a family meal. A phone or tablet is not far from their reach and is usually in their hand! The same is when our kids are in school. Phones are used in many lessons for research to drive learning and obviously used by kids in their breaks. Many lessons are in computer rooms or sat at PC’s where talks are set and the internet is accessible.

Great for learning but what about the risk of exposure to indecent images and inappropriate material. By being in school this risk doesn’t automatically disappear, and parents are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers. Many solutions are put in place to protect data and cyber-attacks but the one area that can be easily forgot is a simple filtering solution. This will ensure that the indecent images and inappropriate material is blocked meaning our kids can’t be exposed and ensures that any visitors can’t also access such material. Important – yes of course it is. This type of material can be harmful to kids and their mental health and wellbeing is of paramount importance. It is also a safety net to stop online predators hanging around schools to access this type of material by jumping on their WiFi.

Figures taken from the Safeguarding Essentials - E-safety Checklist 2017/17 suggest that 20% of schools are still failing to implement adequate filtering and monitoring on their school network*

How can Friendly WiFi help?
The Friendly WiFi certification ensures that these filters are in place and this is checked annually giving peace of mind each year. The colourful symbol can be displayed physically in the school to show all visitors and students that the WiFi service is safe and that they are protected. By displaying the symbol online, it is also very visual to anyone wishing to use the service where it clearly shows that the WiFi service blocks inappropriate material. A great message for parents and provides them with peace of mind, brilliant for the school to show how seriously they take online safe and an essential and a certification which is so important in this every changing and challenging technology driven world.

Download a Friendly WiFi guide for teachers and parents

This downloadable document gives guidance on helping students understand how Friendly WiFi can protect them and is also a useful tool to share with parents about the scheme. Join free and download now

Subsidised memberships available

Here are Safeguarding Essentials, we are delighted to have teamed up with Friendly WiFi to offer subsidised membership to those most in need, with up to 100% discount available to qualifying schools.

Our subsidised memberships are allocated based on current Ofsted rating or school status.

Friendly WiFi are also offering their certification service at an exclusive cost to all Safeguarding Essentials members

Discover your discount now!

*The statistics quoted are taken from the Safeguarding Essentials interactive online e-safety checklist, which is available to all Safeguarding Essentials members. The 9 point checklist gives you an outline of the necessary action or procedure that needs to take place in your school, with references to additional information and support if you need them. Find out more