The internet is an amazing resource and has certainly made the world a much smaller place.

Through social networking sites like Instagram and Facebook, and online gaming platforms like Fortnite, Roblox and Minecraft, it has become possible to communicate, share pictures, files and even videos with people all around the globe at the touch of a button.

In a recent survey conducted by the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP), 82% of parents did not know what their children were doing on the internet, who they were talking to or what websites they were accessing.

Whilst we are confident that this is not true of the St Bartholomew’s community, we hope that you will take the time to familiarise yourself with the information contained on this page for the benefit of the children.

We have also created leaflets that outline the areas of online safety that concern us most, with ideas on how you can help your child at home:

• Cyberbullying and SM
• Gaming and SM
• TikTok

We are aware of the challenges parents face at home in a constantly changing, technology-driven world.

Due to a number of recent incidents in school, we want to make you aware of some common apps and games our pupils are using, as well as the associated concerns or dangers of allowing your child unrestricted access to them.

For more information, please see the pages below, covering most of the games and apps we hear your children talking about:

• Parent Zone Guide
• Net Aware Guide

There are some great resources online to help you understand the issues your child may face, along with strategies to help explain the different areas of online safety. You could even visit these sites with your child to start a conversation about staying safe online:

• • Childnet
  • CEOP
  • PEGI
  • NSPCC
  • Internet Matters
  • Freegenday

The ‘Connect Safely’ website (www.connectsafely.org) is an excellent resource for parents concerned about their children’s online presence. It is based in Silicon Valley, California, but most of its advice rings true for parents across the globe.

Childnet (childnet.com) is a UK equivalent and has produced a number of guides for parents and carers that can be downloaded for free.

You can also sign up for their newsletter to ensure you are kept up to date with any new concerns or threats your child may face. Guides to the most-used internet and gaming platforms are listed below:

• • Gaming
  • Cyberbullying
  • Social Networking
  • Grooming
  • Keeping Children Safe
  • Apps

Below are some links for our pupils to use to help stay safe when using technology:

• NetAware - 'Share Aware' is designed to help parents and children talk about staying safe on social networks.
• Newsround Quiz - Internet Security - Test your knowledge of internet safety with this quiz from CBBC Newsround.
• Safe Surfing With Doug - Find out about safe surfing with Doug
• Kidsmart - Kidsmart gives lots of advice on how to stay safe online. There's a section for children under 11 years old and a separate section for those over 11 years old.
• GoCompare - Online activity can be monitored via your broadband provider to ensure that your child stays safe on the internet. GoCompare have compiled a guide to broadband parental controls and internet safety for children.

If you are worried about cyber bullying or anything else on the internet please tell an adult. You can also report internet abuse by clicking here. You can also call Childline on 0800 1111 or visit their website here.