During this unprecedented time of school closure and isolation, we would like to do our very best to support our pupils and their parents, while working online, at home.

As a school, we recommend that any primary age pupils, working on-line at home access ‘age appropriate content’ and should be monitored by parents while using any internet based communication service e.g. iPad, iPod, X-box, e-mail, text, smartphone. 

In order to keep your child safe at home our advice would be for you to:

• supervise any and all internet access, while at home, by a pupil of our school (4-11 years old) e.g. while children are on-line they should be in the same room as the adult;
• monitor the applications your child is downloading/using e.g.  from iTunes, Play Store
• limit the amount of time pupils have access to technology to avoid excessive usage of age appropriate on-line gaming and internet access;
• inform your child/ren that you will periodically check internet search histories and follow through e.g. monthly; and 
• regularly monitor and review access to: age appropriate chat rooms e.g. Kik, Moshi Monsters, and other social media.  

Prior to children accessing the internet through:

• Mobile phones
• Laptops
• Tablets
• Ipads
• Ipods
• or on-line gaming via X-Box etc

Parents should ensure up to date security software/protocols are installed and enable any:

1. Fireguards and anti-virus software;

2. Parental controls; and

3. Filters before use by children.

Parents should discuss with their child/ren what they would do, if someone:

• e-mailed or verbalised
• or text
• or sent inappropriate images
• or posted content

they deemed inappropriate or hurtful or they had not given permission to be used.

Encourage and remind your child/ren:

• to tell their parent (and/or teacher/trusted adult) when they are worried about something on-line so appropriate action can be taken;
• that no personal details should ever be shared on-line e.g. name, age, school, address etc. 

During the COVID-19 and school closure, we may signpost Home Learning activities, which may include  websites e.g. BBC Revisewise which we feel may benefit their education.

Any website or blogging tool which is recommended for use at home has been investigated by an adult within school; assessed for its suitability and if needed, various e-safety recommendations and protocols implemented, to keep our pupils safe when working on-line. 

We will continue to do all we can to ensure our children’s e-safety in school and encourage you to do so at home, encouraging our pupils to be responsible and conscientious users of technologies, and, of course, tolerant and respectful of other users.

During the forced school closures  Think U know  have created supporting information for parents and carers during COVID-19 and the closure of schools. 

Each fortnight, they will release new home activity packs with simple 15 minute activities you can do with your child/ren to support their online safety at a time when they will be spending more time, online at home.  They include activities for:

• 4-5 years old
• 5-7 years old
• 8-10 years old
• 11-13 years old

Please CLICK the link to learn more:

The internet can be a wonderful learning tool, but if children are to use it safely, it makes sense to establish  rules for good practice with them right from the start.

At Barrowby CE Primary School, we take e-safety very seriously.  Below you may read in more detail, our school's E-Safety Policy as well as our E-Safety Leaflet, which you can print off, at home.