E-safety is an increasing issue for children, and staying safe online is an important message we build into our lessons at every opportunity. In school, children follow a code of conduct for IT based on the simple principle that whatever is not OK in real life is also not OK online. This includes sharing private or confidential information about yourself, behaving in an impolite manner, or coming across anything which makes you feel uncomfortable. We talk to children about the dangers of the internet and how to use it in a safe and responsible manner. From a young age we teach the importance of password protection and polite online behaviours, which prepare them to make sensible decisions about their computer use in the future.

Recommended Websites

CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) help children to stay safe online. People who work for CEOP include police officers, teachers and social workers. They also provide the means for children and young people to report anyone who has behaved inappropriately online to them or someone they know. This could be for example sexual chat, trying to meet up with them or being asked to do something that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Parent Zone & CEOP
Parent Info is a collaboration between Parent Zone  and CEOP, a command of the National Crime Agency.

CEOP’s thinkuknow website has a specific information and advice area for parents and carers as well as age related resources for children (5-7, 8-10, 11-16).

Childnet’s KnowITall parents and carers area has resources in a range of languages including British sign language. There are areas for primary and secondary pupils as well as for those with special educational needs.

Kidsmart has information about parental controls and guides to internet devices as well as games and resources for children.

Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. The site contains information and advice on a number of communications issues including internet services and online safety.

BBC WebWise safety and privacy site has sections on online safety, online security and online privacy, computer basics email etc, with clear, comprehensive guides.

The NSPCC website has up to date help for parents and carers about how to keep children safe online, including specific guides relating to current games and apps children are using. We have included direct links to the guides for games that children at Powell tell us they play at the bottom of this page.

The NSPCC’s guide for parents to the apps and social media platforms children are using. Use this to stay up to date and one step ahead in the online world, and check they are using appropriate platforms to communicate online.

Free software for parental controls

These are a few examples of free software that is available to help parents and carers keep their children safe when using the internet. Some of these products can be used on smartphones as well as computers. You can find these products, and others, by searching for ‘free parental control software’ on the internet.

Some of these products are free versions of software with less functionality than equivalent premium versions, which have to be paid for. You may also find that your internet service provider might be able to provide protection and/or parental controls software as part of your broadband package.

We provide these details as links which may be useful, not as recommendations – it is the responsibility of parents and carers to check that these products are suitable and compatible with their systems.

“K9 Web Protection is a free Internet filter and parental control software for your home Windows or Mac computer. K9 puts YOU in control of the Internet so you can protect your kids.”

“Norton Family gives you insight into where your kids go and what they do online. So you can keep them safe and teach them good Internet habits.”

“Qustodio is parental control designed for today’s busy, web-savvy parents. No hardware, no complicated setup—just a simple, web-based dashboard that gives you the info you need at a glance.”

“The kids are online and you’re busy—Family Safety is there to help. Use activity reports to monitor your kids’ computer activity. Choose the websites, games, and programs they can access.

Parent Guides

These guides provide useful information about how to keep children safe online in different situations.

Advice on access to media Advice on Games Consoles Advice on mobile devices location services  Parental Controls for Mobile Phones Top tips for iPads Top tips for iPod Touch Top tips for Nintendos Top tips for Playstations Top tips for the XBox 360 Top tops for Blackberries Tops tips for iPhones Snapchat Checklist Facebook Checklist Instagram Checklist Twitter Checklist YouTube Parent Controls Minecraft Roblox Clash of Clans Pokemon Go