Digital Learning & Online Safety

Digital Learning at Charnwood

As part of our commitment to safeguarding, it is important that parents and carers feel confident about their child’s online learning. Children regularly use websites, apps and online communication tools as part of school, and the partnership between home and school is key to keeping them safe.

Government guidance emphasises that online safety should be a shared responsibility between schools, parents and pupils, forming part of a whole-school safeguarding approach.

Schools are expected to teach children to use technology safely, responsibly, and respectfully, and to understand where to get help if something goes wrong. Please see the following guidance: Teaching online safety in schools – GOV.UK

Approved platforms list

At Charnwood we use a selection of online tools throughout the school day and as part of home learning.

You can find a list of the tools we use here:

How much screen time do your children get?

In the autumn the government will be producing new guidelines on how much screen time children should access and what forms.

At Charnwood we use digital screens for various different things through the day and monitor the effectiveness and impact of their use through reviewing the curriculum and additional monitoring of wellbeing.

Digital technology can be an enormous support for pupil learning and we want to make sure that children have access to tools which support their progress without putting them at risk.

https://beststartinlife.gov.uk/screen-time-under-5s/

Keeping Your Child Safe.

Steps to help support online safety at home:

Check school communications so you know expectations for online learning
Use parental controls and privacy settings on devices and apps
Keep devices in shared spaces where possible
Agree clear rules about online behaviour and screen time
Encourage respectful communication with teachers and peers

The online world offers fantastic learning opportunities, but children can also encounter risks, including:

Inappropriate content
Unwanted contact from others
Pressure to share information or images
Cyberbullying or harmful behaviour

Platforms are expected to provide easy reporting and blocking tools for harmful content and most platforms also have built-in reporting tools.

When parents understand what children are doing online, who they are interacting with, and how to support them, children are much safer and more confident learners. Working together, we can ensure every child has a safe, positive and secure online experience.