How to teach online safety in primary schools

E-safety, internet safety, online safety, digital safety are all terms used to describe keeping pupils safe online. There is no one term that fits all, and you will find different terminology used in different schemes and publications. Generally, the term e-safety has been replaced with online safety. Like the DfE, Kapow Primary uses the term ‘online safety’ in their Computing scheme of work. The RSE and Health Education framework refers to ‘online safety’ elements.

The requirements for online safety within the National curriculum for computing are to:

KS1:

Use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

KS2:

Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.

However, online safety should form part of a whole-school approach and should not be solely the responsibility of the Computing lead or for it to be taught discreetly within Computing lessons. Online safety should be taught throughout the year and not just in a single half term, or on Safer Internet Day.

What does the RSE and Health Education framework say about online safety?

The RSE and Health Education document breaks down the key objectives the children should know by the end of primary school. These objectives can be found in Relationships Education (pg 19-22) and Physical Health and Mental Wellbeing (pg 32-35). “In this guidance where topics occur equally on and offline they are accommodated in the core content under the most applicable theme with the assumption that teachers will deliver them in a way that reflects that pupils will be negotiating issues and opportunities in these areas in all contexts, including online. Where there are topics with exclusively online content or implications this is drawn out explicitly.”

The DfE’s ‘Teaching Online Safety in Schools’ guidance document is also worth a read as Ofsted’s questions have been based around this document. Some key considerations include:

● Do you teach your pupils how to navigate the online world safely regardless of the device, platform or app? ● Are you aware of the risks that your children have? Are you putting appropriate provisions in place for this? ● Does your coverage consider how to support vulnerable pupils? ● Is all the above embedded into a whole school approach?

This guidance document also discusses the use of Education for a Connected World to aid embedding a whole-school approach and ensuring the coverage of the new RSE requirements.

The Education for a Connected World framework provides guidance for teaching children to live knowledgeably, responsibly and safely in a digital world. It is split into eight categories:

● Self-image and identity. ● Online relationships. ● Online reputation. ● Online bullying. ● Managing online information. ● Health, well-being and lifestyle. ● Privacy and security. ● Copyright and ownership.

Each of these categories is then broken down further from EYFS–KS5. As a primary teacher, the first two pages from each strand are relevant to you. You can see how Kapow Primary’s Computing and RSE & PSHE schemes address the Education for a Connected World framework here. It is important to know where, as professionals, you can go for support. Kapow Primary’s Online Safety Toolkit further supports schools with their online safety provision, and includes a range of resources, including posters, an online safety checklist that pupils can share with their parents or caregivers and a set of online safety questions to aid discussion in the classroom. UK Safer Internet has a dedicated helpline that offers free and independent advice for online safety issues.

Top tips for online safety in schools:

● Practise safe browsing in front of your pupils. ● Regularly share the importance of online safety with parents through your blogs, newsletters and website. ● Discuss the importance of a strong password and how to generate them. ● Discuss age restrictions with your pupils and the reasons behind these. ● Ensure pupils know where they can go for help both online and offline. ● Support parents with understanding setting restrictions for their children’s devices. ● Emphasise the importance of thinking before you post online. ● Remind children that anything you post online is permanent. ● Create an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for all pupils to sign annually. ● Ensure you have an effective reporting system for online safety issues including cyberbullying.

Written by Sarah Vaughan