E-safety at Hobbayne Primary 

E-safety is an integral part of children’s education in today’s digital world and is embedded in their learning at school. We also want to help our parents and children improve their own understanding of e-safety issues so they can learn to use the internet and all digital media in a safe and secure way.

At Home

As a parent you'll know how important the internet is to children - they use it to learn, play, socialise and express themselves.  It's a highly creative place of amazing opportunities.  But the technology children use every day can seem a bit daunting and you might worry about the risks your child can face online - such as bullying, contact from strangers or the possibility of them seeing illegal or inappropriate content. 

Here are some conversation starter ideas from www.childnet.com

• Ask your children to tell you about the sites they like to visit and what they enjoy doing online.
• Ask them about how they stay safe online. What tips do they have for you, and where did they learn them? What is OK and not OK to share?
• Ask them if they know where to go for help, where to find the safety advice, privacy settings and how to report or block on the services they use.
• Encourage them to help. Perhaps they can show you how to do something better online or they might have a friend who would benefit from their help and support.

• Think about how you use the internet as a family. What could you do to get more out of the internet together and further enjoy your lives online

At School

As part of your child’s curriculum and the development of computer skills, we provide access to the internet only in teacher supervised lessons. We strongly believe that the use of the web and email is hugely worthwhile and an essential tool for children as they grow up in the modern world. But because there are always concerns about children having access to undesirable materials, we have taken positive steps to deal with this risk in school. Our school internet access provider operates a filtering system that restricts access to inappropriate materials. 

At the start of the school year, each class discusses how we can all stay safe online and the dangers we may face on the internet.  We then ask every child from Reception to Year 6 to sign an Acceptable Use Agreement so that we know they have read and understood our school's rules on staying safe.

Tuesday 22nd February 2022, was Safer Internet Day at Hobbayne and the theme this year was about how we can all #PlayYourPart to have a safer internet. Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people, and to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively.

In support of this campaign, we would like to share with you a few of the resources available.   The quiz is a great way for children and parents/carers to engage together and assist in those conversations around online use and use the “golden rules” sheet as well as the tips below to further aid that conversation. You can support this campaign by sharing safety advice with friends and family. 

For more information you can download our E safety policy here.  

If you or anyone you know is worried about Child Exploitation, Online Protection or anything related to Internet safety please click the link below which will take you to the CEOP reporting website:

Tips for staying safe online:

· Make sure you keep new online friends strictly online. If someone you don't know asks to be your online friend you must ensure an adult knows about it.

· Know how to use the CEOP Button and how to report it to the CEOP Centre if you are concerned about someone’s online behaviour towards you.