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Online Safety

Staying safe online is just as important as staying safe in the real world.

At St Mary’s C of E Primary School, we want every child to enjoy the internet safely, confidently and responsibly. The online world offers wonderful opportunities to learn, play and connect with others, but it is important that children know how to recognise risks and where to turn for help.

Online safety is taught throughout the year and forms an important part of our commitment to safeguarding and promoting pupils’ wellbeing.

For Parents & Carers

You play an important role in helping your child develop safe and positive online habits.

  • Talk regularly: Take an interest in the games, apps, websites and videos your child enjoys.

  • Set clear boundaries: Agree age-appropriate rules about screen time, online activities and device use.

  • Use parental controls: Check privacy settings, content filters and safety settings on devices, apps, games and your home internet.

  • Know who they are talking to: Talk about online friendships, gaming chats and the importance of never meeting an online contact without a trusted adult’s involvement.

  • Encourage openness: Reassure your child that they can always tell you if something online makes them feel worried, uncomfortable or upset.

  • Lead by example: Model respectful communication and healthy digital habits.

For Pupils: Be SMART Online!

  • S – Safe: Keep personal information, passwords and private details to yourself.

  • M – Meet? Never alone: Never arrange to meet someone you have only met online without a trusted adult’s knowledge and support.

  • A – Accepting files and messages: Never open suspicious links, files or messages. Ask an adult if you are unsure.

  • R – Remember: Not everyone online is who they say they are, and not everything you see or read is true.

  • T – Tell: Tell a trusted adult if something worries you, upsets you or just doesn’t feel right.

Always be kind and respectful online. Never share photographs or videos of yourself or others without thinking carefully and getting appropriate permission.

If someone asks you to keep an uncomfortable secret, share personal pictures or do something that feels wrong, stop and tell a trusted adult.

Remember: You will not be in trouble for asking for help.

Our Commitment

We teach online safety throughout the school year, including through computing, PSHE, assemblies and activities linked to Safer Internet Day.

We encourage pupils to think critically about what they see online, communicate respectfully, protect their personal information and understand how to report concerns.

We work in partnership with parents and carers to promote safe, responsible and positive use of technology. Our aim is to equip every child with the knowledge and confidence to make sensible choices online and to seek help whenever they need it.

Who to Contact for Online Safety Concerns

If you have any concerns about your child’s online safety, please contact Ms Walker at St Mary’s C of E Primary School on 01245 320505 or via the school office.

Ms Walker is the school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). We take online safety concerns seriously and will handle them sensitively, working in partnership with parents and carers to help keep children safe.

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services where appropriate.

Useful Links & Support

The following websites provide advice, guidance and resources to help children and families stay safe online.

Together, we can help every child become a safe, kind and confident digital citizen.

 

Filtering and Monitoring

At St Mary’s C of E Primary School, keeping our pupils safe online is a shared responsibility. We use London Grid for Learning (LGfL) to support our approach to online safety, including filtering and monitoring to help protect children when using school technology and accessing online content.

Filtering helps to prevent pupils from accessing inappropriate or harmful websites and online material. Monitoring helps us identify potential safeguarding concerns, unsafe online activity or attempts to access unsuitable content using school systems.

Our filtering and monitoring arrangements form part of our wider safeguarding approach. We review concerns and alerts appropriately and take action where necessary, in line with our safeguarding and online safety procedures.

We also teach children how to use technology responsibly, recognise online risks and report anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Filtering and monitoring are important safeguards, but they cannot remove every online risk. We therefore encourage parents and carers to talk regularly with their children about their online activities and to maintain appropriate safety settings and parental controls on devices used at home.

If you have any questions or concerns about online safety, filtering or monitoring at school, please contact Ms Walker, Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), on 01245 320505 or via the school office.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Online Safety

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming an increasingly common part of everyday life. AI tools can support learning, creativity and problem-solving, but it is important that children understand how to use them safely, responsibly and appropriately.

At St Mary’s C of E Primary School, we aim to help pupils develop the knowledge and critical-thinking skills they need to navigate emerging technologies safely.

Our Approach to AI

We encourage children to:

  • Think critically: AI-generated information can be inaccurate, misleading or out of date. Always check information with a trusted adult or reliable source.

  • Protect personal information: Never enter names, addresses, passwords, photographs or other private information into AI tools.

  • Use AI responsibly: AI should support learning, not replace children's own thinking, effort or creativity.

  • Recognise that AI can be misleading: Images, videos, voices and messages can be generated or altered by AI and may not show what really happened.

  • Be kind and respectful: Never use AI to create or share hurtful, embarrassing or inappropriate content about another person.

  • Ask for help: If an AI tool produces something upsetting, frightening or inappropriate, stop using it and tell a trusted adult.

Guidance for Parents and Carers

We encourage parents and carers to take an active interest in their child's use of AI tools, chatbots, games and online platforms.

Please check age restrictions and terms of use before allowing your child to access an AI service. Many tools have minimum age requirements, and parental supervision is important even when a service appears child-friendly.

Talk to your child about the difference between AI-generated content and reliable information. Remind them that AI chatbots are not people and should not replace trusted adults when children need advice, reassurance or help.

We recognise that AI technology continues to develop rapidly. Our approach will evolve alongside changes in technology, safeguarding guidance and educational practice.

If you have concerns about your child's use of AI or encounter AI-generated content that may pose a safeguarding risk, please contact Ms Walker on 01245 320505 or via the school office.

Together, we can help children become safe, responsible and thoughtful users of technology, both now and in the future.

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