Great Wood School

"Aim high... and make a difference"

Beaufort Road, Morecambe, LA4 6UB
01524 416971
office@greatwood.lancs.sch.uk

Online Safety

Online Safety Newsletters

Acceptable Use of ICT

Online Safety Week and progression of learning

The Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, in 2026 published a “What I wish my parents knew!” Guide to digital safety for children.

Children are clear that they value firm, informed and protective boundaries when adults have concern about the content they are accessing online. As parents, carers, and educators, our job must begin and end with our children’s care and safety. It’s what they expect and what they want from you.

Smart Phone Survey (Parents) Oct 2024

Online Safety Guidance for Parents 

Advice and Activities for Children

These are links to E-safety games on the Lancashire website which will help to embed children’s understanding of the need for Internet Safety rules and what they mean. Please try them with your children. Links are also available in the children’s section of the website.

CBBC Newsround Online Safety Information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/35522934

Lots of resources and games: https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/advice-centre/young-people/resources-3-11s

Learn about privacy by playing this online game:(Excellent, but doesn’t work on devices that don’t use Flash) http://mediasmarts.ca/sites/default/files/games/privacy_playground/flash/privacy_playground_en/start.html

Advice, videos and games from ChildNet: http://www.childnet.com/young-people/primary

Reception, Y1 and Y2 games and videos used in school: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/5_7/

Y3 – 6 can visit the Cyber Cafe: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/8_10/

Advice for Parents
The Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, has collated a “What I wish my parents knew!” Guide to digital safety for children.

Children are clear that they value firm, informed and protective boundaries when adults have concern about the content they are accessing online. As parents, carers, and educators, our job must begin and end with our children’s care and safety. It’s what they expect and what they want from you.

 
Lots of information and advice provided by Lancashire County Council: http://www.lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk/online-safeguarding/parents-and-carers.aspx
 
Information provided by CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection – police) for parents:https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
 
The NSPCC have a helpline which you can call for advice on devices and privacy settings. Lots of other information and advice can be found at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/parental-controls/

Please be aware if your child is using Omegle – It is an unmoderated online video chat site and primary age children in local schools have been reported using it. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-56085499 is an article outlining concerns, particularly that predators have been known to use Omegle, so please be careful.

Children Using Social Media
It is not advised but we find it is common that parents are aware that their primary aged child has set up a social media account and lied about their age to do so. Although giving the wrong age is not “illegal” in the sense that can be controlled by the law, however, be aware that the device may calculate ahead from the birthdate given and provide adult material when it calculates the user is 18 (which if the user has lied they won’t be ready to view). Children be made aware of the implications of slander, harassment,
racism and verbal abuse – all of which is covered in courts and after the age of 10 children are responsible for their own actions. 
 
Parents should make sure that children understand that whatever they share online is available for everyone to see forever! Even with privacy controls if there is a legal case brought against you then investigations into what you have written would not remain private. If your underage child (child under the age of 13) has created an account on Facebook, you can show them how to delete their account by having them log into their account and following this link.