Digital Safety For Parents
You may have seen the internet and technology making the news – for the wrong reasons…
At Yardley Primary School, we take digital safety extremely seriously. We believe that it is the right of all children to feel safe and secure when using technology. We know that the internet can sometimes be a tricky place to be, but at Yardley Primary School we teach our pupils to be resilient online – from Reception all the way through to Year 6!
We teach children to use the internet and other technologies safely, and we show them how to behave in an appropriate manner. They know what to do if they feel uncomfortable with anything they see or hear either online or through other technology such as mobile phones.
It is really important that parents and carers work with us to ensure children stay safe in their use of technology. When we talk about digital safety, we are not just talking about the internet. We are talking about the use of computers, games consoles (such as Xbox), mobile phones, televisions, tablets (such as the iPad) and many other things.
Ask your child what they have learnt in Digital Safety this year – the more they talk about it at home and you are aware of it, the greater digital citizens they will be!
On this page you will find useful websites to support you with digital safety at home, downloads of useful leaflets and guides, and videos showing the dangers of the internet and how we can make it safer for children.
Safer Internet Day 2023
On Tuesday 7th February 2023 we joined schools and youth settings across the UK in celebrating Safer Internet Day 2023. Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February 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.
Using the internet safely and positively is a key message that we promote in school, and celebrating Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity for us to re-emphasise the online safety messages we deliver throughout the year.
Visit our Safer Internet Day page to find out more and to see what we got up to in school.
Parents’ Guide to Gifting Tech
When you gift a device that can access the internet, you’re not just gifting the device itself: you’re giving a portal to the entire online world. And while that includes all the fun bits, like chatting with friends and finding new favourite games, it also comes with a whole host of potential safeguarding risks.
Check out this useful guide from our friends at Safer Schools about gifting technology to others. Click here to access the guide.
My Child's First Device
This Christmas, you might have decided to give your child their first phone, tablet, or laptop (or third, fourth, fifth – even a new update). This is a big decision. The responsibility and freedom that comes with owning a device is a big step for children – and you! It might even be their first “grown up” responsibility.
Check out this useful guide from our friends at Safer Schools about setting up your child's first device. Click here to access the guide.
Helping your child cope with media coverage of traumatic events
Seeing coverage of upsetting world events in the news, online or on social media can be distressing for children, especially in today’s 24-hour news cycle. But there are things parents can do to help children make sense of them:
If you have a serious problem, you can click on one of the following buttons for advice or to report it:
Very useful websites
Supporting children online
Supporting preschoolers online (0-5s)
Supporting young children (6 -10s) online
Supporting pre-teens (11 - 13s) online
Help with your internet at home
Internet Matters offer step-by-step instructions to set controls on major broadband providers and mobile networks. Click here.
Digital Parenting Magazine
Help your family stay safe online with Vodafone's Digital Parenting magazine. This magazine provides parents and carers with the latest useful information and advice regarding online safety. View the latest and previous issues below:
Help with technology, games, services and issues
Our friends at National Online Safety have produced some great guides and resources for apps, websites, current issues and generally keeping safe online, Check them out below:
Gambling






Gaming















































Mental Health























Online Bullying











Online Identitiy












Online Information




























Online Platforms















































Online Relationships














Privacy




























Social Media














































Streaming










Technology



































Fairy Tales for the Digital Age
In partnership with Andersen Press, Vodafone have produced digital copies of three great digital safety books - Chicken Clicking, Troll Stinks and Old Macdonald Had a Phone, written by author Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Tony Ross. The books explore themes of internet bullying, managing screen time and being mindful of internet predators in fun and engaging stories.
Download the books for free below along with a fun activity sheet.
Age Restrictions on Social Media
Videos
Screen time tips to support 0-5 yrs (Early years)
Screen time tips to support 5-7 yrs (Key stage 1)
Screen time tips to support 7-11 yrs (Key stage 2)
How to be a positive digital role model for children
Safer Internet Day 2022
On Tuesday 8th February we joined schools and youth settings across the UK in celebrating Safer Internet Day 2022. Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February 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.
Using the internet safely and positively is a key message that we promote in school, and celebrating Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity for us to re-emphasise the online safety messages we deliver throughout the year.
Visit our Safer Internet Day page to find out more and to see what we got up to in school.