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The first Pupil Voice Week runs from 26th – 30th September 2016

Following the success of tootoot's first year they are launching the first Pupil Voice Week with the theme ‘It's Good to Talk!'.

The week aims to highlight the importance of talking about bullying and providing all pupils with a safe and accessible way to report their concerns.

Pupil Voice Week calls upon pupils, parents, carers, teachers, social workers, councils, companies and policy makers, to join together and explore ways that we can empower pupils, giving them the knowledge and tools they need to feel confident to talk about their concerns.

The week will be celebrated nationally, and internationally, with hundreds of schools getting involved and letting their pupils know it's good to talk.

To support Pupil Voice Week we have developed a range of resources that your organisation can use to promote the week. This includes a range of posters, social media resources, as well as activities and lesson plans. These are available at pupilvoiceweek.co.uk.

For more information you can also follow @tootootofficial on Twitter and Instagram, or search tootoot on Facebook.

Pupil Voice Week partners include; Ditch the Label, Internet Matters, Commando Joes, eCadets, and the Anti-Bullying Alliance

Schools across the UK are being invited to take part in a national survey of Internet use by pupils when at home.

Education consultant Brett Laniosh from Catshill Learning Partnerships, who are carrying out the survey, said that the results will provide valuable information to schools on the range of hardware such as laptops, tablets, consoles and smart phones being used by young people. Brett said, “We know that children are using a wide range of technology to get online at home including games consoles, tablets and even their parents’ smart phones. This will be a chance for schools to find out what devices their pupils are using and then compare their results alongside the national average when the results are published in time for Safer Internet Day in February 2017”. He added, “We will also be asking schools to collect information about the “Internet of things” as we may well find that Internet fridges, kettles or even dog collars are being used at home”

The National Internet of Things survey is supported by education technology association Naace.

About the survey
Once signed up, schools will be sent a survey form that will be completed in each class during the Autumn 2016 term.

Each class will be shown a number of devices and pupils will be asked which they use at home. No personal information will be collected; only the number of devices used.

Once each class has carried out the survey, schools return the completed form. Numbers will be collated for each school with the national results published in time for Safer Internet Day on 7th February 2017.

Schools can sign up for the survey here

Innovative peer-to-peer education programme now open to all UK schools

Childnet has announced that it is extending its innovative Childnet Digital Leaders Programme to all UK schools; putting young people at the forefront of educating their peers about staying safe online.

The new programme for primary schools was announced today, following a successful first year of the secondary schools programme that has seen over a thousand young people undergo training to equip them to educate their peers, parents and teachers about staying safe online.

This programme is delivered by leading internet safety charity Childnet as part of its work as one of three charities in the UK Safer Internet Centre, alongside its role coordinating Safer Internet Day which reached 40% of UK children in 2016.

Outstanding e-safety practice

School inspectors in the UK have set out that outstanding e-safety provision in schools involves the active involvement and leadership of young people. However, evaluation data from the school self-assessment tool 360 Degree Safe finds that while this is improving year on year, it is still one of the weakest areas of e-safety provision in schools.

To help schools harness the power of youth voice and make e-safety learning fun and effective, Childnet is inviting schools to join its youth leadership programme to train young people to be peer educators in their school community.

Power of community

The Childnet Digital Leaders Programme offers young people access to an exciting online community. In this community they will access training and support from Childnet’s expert team, record achievements and earn badges, and collaborate and share inspiration with schools across the UK.

This approach has been welcomed by the 13 primary schools involved in the pilot. As Carolyn Ellis-Gage from Norwich Road Academy said: "My pupils are really enthusiastic about the training and love working through and gaining the badges!"

Digital Leaders online platform for primary schools

This programme will build on Childnet’s work placing young people at the centre of creating a kinder and better internet. As Childnet CEO Will Gardner said:

“Children and young people have the power to help create a kinder online community and we want to harness their passion and knowledge to enable them to be role models for their peers and younger generations. It has been inspiring to see the huge range of activities delivered over the last year by Childnet Digital Leaders in secondary schools across the UK. We are now very excited to announce the launch of the programme for primary schools which we developed and tested with the involvement of 13 primary schools across the UK."

Find out more and register now at www.childnet.com/digital-leaders.