E-Safety
Acceptable Usage Policy
In order to ensure high standards of e-safety we need to make sure that there is a clear understanding between the pupil and the Academy about the terms of use of the Academy’s computing facilities. The Acceptable User Policy sets out the rules for the use of ICT at Alde Valley Academy. When students log in to our computer network, they must click an acceptable use policy to agree to the terms and conditions of our acceptable use.
E-Safety
The internet is an essential way to discover, create and connect with people. Whether on a computer at school, a laptop/tablet at home, a games console or mobile phone, children and young people are increasingly accessing the internet whenever they can and wherever they are, it is now a major part of their life especially their social lives.
At Alde Valley we teach E-safety within our Computer Science curriculum, PSHE lessons and also have dedicated E-safety assemblies. We aim to educate our students so that they understand the risks and can make sensible and informed choices online; allowing them to make most of the internet and stay safe whilst doing so.
On this section of our website you can find suggestions about where to find useful information. Please use these to look at some of the ways you can support your children with using the internet and modern day communication.
What is Sexting?
Sexting is when someone sends or receives a sexually explicit text, image or video on their mobile phone, usually in a text message. Find out how you can stay in control and what to do if a photo has fallen into the wrong hands.
Suffolk Constabulary
Suffolk constabulary are active in preventing children from harm online and have produced some handy leaflets that help you think about your privacy online.
Social Media Terms and Conditions
Children often don’t know what they’re signing up to when they join social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, WhatsApp or Instagram. The Children's Commissioner has worked with lawyers to create these simplified versions of Terms and Conditions for the most popular social media platforms. Click the logos below.
Online Safety - Tips for Parents
- Have the conversation early and often.
It’s easier to have conversations about online safety little and often, rather than trying to cover everything at once. As your children get older, and technology changes, make sure you keep talking about what they’re doing online and how to stay safe.
- Explore online together.
Ask your child to show you their favourite things to do online, and show an interest in what they do – just like you would offline.
- Know who your child is talking to online.
It’s important to keep track of who your child’s talking to. Ask them questions like:
who do they know that has the most online friends?
how can they know so many people?
how do they choose who to become friends with online?
- Set rules and agree boundaries.
It’s useful to agree on some ground rules together. These will depend on your child’s age and what you feel is right for them, but you might want to consider:
• the amount of time they can spend online
• when they can go online
• the age rating of websites they can visit or activities they can take part in
• sharing images and videos
• how to treat people online and not post anything they wouldn’t say face-to-face.
If your child plays online games:
• check the age rating before they play
• make sure you know who they’re playing with
• talk to them about what information is OK to share with other players
• negotiate the amount of time they spend playing online games.
- Use parental controls to filter, restrict, monitor or report content.
• Internet Service Providers (ISPs), such as Virgin Media, TalkTalk, Sky or BT, provide controls to help you filter or restrict content.
• Laptops, phones, tablets, game consoles and other devices that connect to the internet have settings to activate parental controls.
• Software packages are available – some for free – that can help you filter, restrict or monitor what your child can see online.
- Check they know how to use privacy settings and reporting tools.
Check the privacy settings on any online accounts your child has, like Facebook or games, and remind them to keep their personal information private. Talk to your child about what to do if they see content or are contacted by someone that worries or upsets them. Make sure they know how to use tools to report abuse.
- Consider limiting your child’s access to mobile devices.
We are experiencing an increasing number of well-being issues due to the misuse of mobile technology. Unwanted and unpleasant messages can arrive at any time of the day or night and can be extremely upsetting. A very good tip is to insist that your child leaves the mobile phone downstairs before they go to bed. It is also advisable that children do not have computers in their bedroom. This way, children can at least get some sleep without interruption or harassment from technology.
