At Thackley, we believe that the internet is a fantastic resource and we want staff, children, parents and carers to create a school community that embraces the use of different technologies to enhance learning and thinking, as well as teach all of our children how to be safe and responsible digital citizens, who make informed decisions about their actions online.
While there are huge benefits to being online, it is important to be aware that any time children use the internet, they do face some potential risks, such as accessing inappropriate or harmful content, negative interactions with other users, oversharing their own personal information, grooming and abuse, online bullying, gambling and manipulation by online organisations and radicalisation. Online safety has to be more than a reminder not to speak to strangers online. Children need to be taught about the technological, social and emotional aspects of being safe and successful online.
In addition to teaching the children in school time, we want to support our parents and families to improve their own understanding of online safety issues. We want to ensure that all the children of Thackley are using the internet and digital media in a safe and responsible way in every aspect of their lives.
Please click on the links to access further Online Safety information.
(These are on the left if using a PC, or via the drop down arrows above if using a mobile device.)
Internet access in school
Whilst the internet is an essential tool for children as they grow up in the modern world, there are always concerns about access to undesirable materials. In school, we have taken positive steps to deal with this risk. As part of your child’s curriculum, and the development of computing skills, we provide access to the internet only in teacher supervised lessons and activities. Our school internet access provider operates a filtering system that restricts access to inappropriate materials and all internet use in school is monitored. Any online safety incidents are reported and logged according to the school’s online safety policy.
We understand that no filtering or monitoring system is 100% effective and so educating children is our most important method of keeping our community safe. A thorough and age appropriate online safety curriculum is delivered to teach all children how to stay safe when using computing technology in school or at home. This learning is delivered through explicit online safety lessons in addition to contextual teaching of online safety throughout the curriculum.
Online Safety Curriculum at Thackley
Each half term a new topic is covered, which is appropriate to the children's age and computing topic that they are studying. Further online safety teaching is provided through Computing lessons, PSHE (personal, social, health and economic education) lessons and reinforced in different areas of the curriculum, whenever technology is used. Additionally, there are assemblies throughout the year on new and important online safety topics so children and adults can stay up to date with new online safety risks and concerns.
In Years 3 and 4, the children have annual sessions with a Police Officer from the Bradford Cyber Team to give additional information and advice on keeping safe online. In Years 5 and 6, the children have these sessions in addition to annual sessions on Cyberbullying.
As a school, we celebrate 'Safer Internet Day' every February, which gives a whole-school focus to current issues and themes relating to using the internet safely and responsibly.