E-Safety Guide for Parents

At Alder Tree Primary Academy, we take E-Safety very seriously. We know how difficult it can be to keep track of all the latest sites and apps that children are interested in. This page provides advice, guidance and support for parent/carers to help keep their child safe online. You can find links to all relevant policies at the bottom of this page. If you have any concerns about your child’s online safety, please call the Academy and our Safeguarding Team will be happy to help.

Age Related Safety Guides from Internet Matters

Children use the internet in different ways depending on their age and so Internet Matters have developed checklists for parents that give you top tips on how to help them stay safe.

Online Safety Guide for 0 - 5 years Online Safety Guide for 6 - 10 Years Online Safety Guide for 11 - 13 years

Lucy and the Boy: Be Share Aware - NSPCC

Be Share Aware. We tell our children it's good to share - but online it's different. In fact, sometimes it can be dangerous. That's why we're asking parents to be Share Aware - and keep children safe online. The NSPCC website provides advice for parents surrounding all aspects of E-Safety.

Find out more here

Jessie and Friends (Online Safety for 4-7 year old's)

Children are accessing technology and the internet at a younger age than ever before. It’s never too early to talk to your child about what they do online and who to tell if they come across anything online that makes them feel worried, scared or sad.

Jessie & Friends is a series of three animations that follow the adventures of Jessie, Tia and Mo as they begin to navigate the online world, watching videos, sharing pictures and playing games. There’s also a storybook for each episode, to help you and your child keep the conversation going.

This link provides ideas and conversation starters for parent/carers to use when watching Jessie and Friends together.

Watch Jessie and Friends with your child

Net Aware

This website is a guide to children’s social network use. It has been designed for the parents of 8 to 12 year old's and provides information about the social networks, apps or games with an interactive element that children use most frequently.

The purpose of the guide is to provide parents with the information they need to be able to keep their children safe online, to encourage parents to look for themselves and form their own views about the appropriateness of popular sites, and to give parents the confidence to have conversations about what their children are doing online. It is based on other parents' experiences and the views of young people.

Link to Net Aware Guide

Social Media Help

Social media sites and apps are updated all the time, and children seem to know more about the apps than we do! The links below will tell you where to go to find help about the safety features available on these popular social networks. It is important to note that the age requirement for the majority of these social media accounts is higher than the age of primary school children. The links below provide parental advice and support in case something goes wrong or you have concerns in relation to one of these social media sites.

Roblox

Roblox is described as suitable for ages 7+, however recommendations are that parents limit the on-line chat feature which means anybody can chat to your child on-line. The hyperlinked title will provide parents with guidance and support to restrict the on-line chat feature.

Youtube

The age requirement to create your own account is 13+. The hyperlinked guide provides support and advice for parents to apply restriction modes which filters inappropriate content. It is highly recommended that all parents apply this to their devices.

Facebook

The age requirement for a Facebook account is 13+. Children of a primary school age must not have their own account. The information provided in this link provides support and advice to parents in the event that your child sets up an account without your permission or if someone posts images of your child without consent.

Tik Tok

The age requirement for a Tik Tok account is 13+. Children of a primary age must not have their own account. The information provided in this link provides further safety advice surrounding this app.

Instagram

The age requirement for an Instagram account is 13+. Children of a primary school age must not have their own account. The information provided in this link provides further help and guidance surrounding online safety and Instagram.

Snapchat

The age requirement for a Snapchat account is 13+. Children of a primary school age must not have their own account. The information provided in this link provides further help and guidance surrounding online safety and Snapchat.

The age requirement for WhatsApp is 16+ Children of a primary school age must not have their own account. The information provided in this link provides further help and guidance surrounding online safety and WhatsApp.

Twitter

The age requirement for a Twitter account is 13+. Children of a primary school age must not have their own account. The information provided in this link provides further help and guidance surrounding online safety and Twitter.

AskFm

The age requirement for a AskFm account is 13+. Children of a primary school age must not have their own account. The information provided in this link provides further help and guidance surrounding online safety and AskFM.

Video Games

Please click on the links below to find out information about the video games your children play. In addition, the site explains where to find the most up to date information for setting parental controls on consoles and explains how PEGI ratings work.

PEGI Ratings

The Video Standards council sets age ratings for games; this site will help you to understand what those ratings mean.

Ask About Games

This website provides advice and guidance for parents to set up controls and restrictions on all major consoles. It also contains a database of family friendly games.

Staying Safe on Minecraft

Minecraft can be used by children under the age of 13 with their parents' permission. This website provides support, advice and guidance to ensure your child stays safe whilst playing the game.

Pokémon Go

A guide to keep your child safe if they are playing Pokémon Go.

A Guide for Parents

An online guide by O2 for parents to help protect their child online. This website also contains a guide to support setting up your child’s first mobile phone.

Sexting

It may feel awkward, but it's important to explain to children the risks of sexting, how to stay safe and remind them that they can talk to you if something ever makes them feel scared or uncomfortable.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has information about sexting on its website:

Keeping Children Safe – Information about Sexting

Frequently asked questions

My child is accessing inappropriate material on the internet, what should I do?

It is always advisable to set up parental controls to restrict the material your child can access on the internet.

This link provides details of how to apply filtering for all major internet providers. Remember that filtering is only part of the solution as no parental control system is 100% effective.

Take time to discuss safer internet use with your child using the advice and guidance above.

If you are concerned about the material your child has accessed, please contact your child’s Academy immediately and ask to speak to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
My child is being cyberbullied, what should I do?

Please report this immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead at your child’s Academy. If this is happening on social media, it is advisable to block the perpetrator from making further contact, advise on how to do this can be found under the social media section of this page.
My child has been contacted by an unknown adult online, what should I do?

Please report this immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead at your child’s Academy. If you think your child is being groomed by an adult, report it to the authorities immediately.

You can seek further support from the Nation Crime Agency’s CEOP command for support. Further advice about online grooming can be found here.