At Newark Orchard School we believe it is vitally important to proactively engage with parents/carers and collaborate to ensure our children and young people remain safe.
We understand that the online digital world is constantly evolving and the challenges that this subsequently creates.
We believe that we can begin to overcome these challenges by working together and sharing best practice, advice and guidance and by having often difficult conversations.
Our computing curriculum is designed not only to improve the digital skills and expertise of our pupils but to ensure they are aware of the risks involved when entering the online world.
As parents, we believe you have a key role to play in protecting your children from online harm but appreciate the ever-changing digital world creates barriers that are difficult to overcome.
We will endeavour to provide you with the most up to date information and guidance and work closely with you to ensure you have information as to how to use safety settings on popular platforms, devices, games, apps and consoles.
Internet Matters
This page contains a range of helpful user guides and leaflets for various social media platforms targeting different age ranges as well as helpful advice around online safety in general.
Online Safety Leaflets & resources – Internet Matters
Parentsafe
A website helping parents navigate the online world with helpful advice and guidance. Simply scroll through this page for help or click a button to go straight to a particular topic.
Thrive Online – Childnet
These resources are designed to ’empower young people with SEND to build happy and healthy online relationships’. All resources and information can be found here: Thrive Online | Childnet
There are also some parent/carer resources including videos: Supporting young people with SEND | Childnet
The Childnet STAR Toolkit with a range of videos and resources is available here: STAR SEND Toolkit | Childnet
So you got naked online – SWGfL
This resource is for young people, professionals and parents/carers – it ‘provides strategies to support the issues resulting from sexting incidents’.
There is a ‘SEND friendly’ version of the resource, and an audio version available here: So you got naked online guide for children with SEND | Internet Matters
Sexting and nude images – Childline
For information regarding images, the law, how it can make someone feel etc.: Sexting and sending nudes | Childline
There is also a link to the ‘report and remove tool’ – this is for when someone has shared an image and then lost control of it: Report Remove: Remove a nude image shared online | Childline
Respecting me, you, us – CEOP Education / Think U Know
This resource features a series of lesson plans (with adapted resources for children with additional needs) and situational films. It aims to support children to learn about healthy relationships online and off line. All of these resources are free to access here: Respecting me, you, us – RSE lessons (thinkuknow.co.uk)
Support for parents – CEOP Education / Think U Know
Lots of easy to access information about a range of online safety topics – including how to get help from other organisations and how to report issues etc. Parents and carers | CEOP Education (thinkuknow.co.uk)
Think U Know also have an ‘Ask the Awkward’ site, this helps prepare parents/carers for ‘awkward’ conversations about online relationships – there are videos and downloadable help sheets: #AskTheAwkward – help to talk with your children about online relationships (thinkuknow.co.uk)
Internet Matters
Advice around parental controls : Parental Controls & Privacy Settings Guides | Internet Matters
App guides – including how to block / remove: Apps guide for parents | Internet Matters
Inclusive digital safety site and advice: Inclusive Digital Safety advice for Parents and Carers | Internet Matters
Sexting information and support: Sexting: what you should know | Internet Matters
Online Safety for children with SEND – NSPCC
Lots of information about how to support your child online, as well as further links to ‘Ambitious About Autism’ and free downloadable resources: Online safety for children with SEND | NSPCC
BBC Own It
A range of videos, articles and resources to access for free: Parents – help kids make the most of their lives online – Own It – BBC