Online Safety UK came into school last week to offer parents / carers and children the opportunity to learn more about the digital world they live in, how to enjoy it, how to be healthy and how to stay safe. In the morning they provided a parent session, talking about how the technology we use can be harmful to children and how to prevent or reduce the harm caused whilst still allowing them to enjoy a social digital world. We were so pleased this was attended.

During the day they spoke to all classes, talking about strangers online, the effects of blue light and how that can effect their sleep and in turn their health, and covered AI and how it works within our devices, starting to recognise the patterns in our day to day behaviour and how they’re so closely linked to what we experience online.

They encouraged “safe play” whilst gaming, realising that a lot of their games they play also have adults who they do not know on there, they were quick shocked that almost 60% of users within most of their games are in fact adults.

Lastly, they discussed how new safety measures are coming into place to protect them including age verification within games, not to cheat it as it’s their to protect them, and what they should expect over the next year in terms of other measures that are coming to protect their experience online.

Overall it was a very positive and enjoyable day and we hope that the children came home speaking about what they’ve learnt! We look forward to welcoming Lee back next term.