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At Litton School we take online safety very seriously and recognise the dangers of allowing children unrestricted access to the internet. In school, children are taught about the dangers of sharing information and access is controlled both by staff and by a strict firewall and access control measures.

Staff have regular training to keep up to date with current dangers in this area and the children also receive age appropriate lessons from staff and expert external providers.

There are lots of resources available online, but hopefully this page will provide you with some good starting points and the best sites to help you to get more information about the things that you need to know or might worry about.

If you have any specific queries not covered here, please contact: headteacher@litton.derbyshire.sch.uk or phone the school on 01298 871449.

Be SMART!

Internet safety checklist for young children

1.    Put yourself in control

Useful Link: Setting Parental Controls is easier than you think, please follow this link for more information: www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/

1.    Agree boundaries

Be clear what your child can and can’t do online – where they can use the internet, how much time they can spend online, the sites they can visit and the type of information they can share. Agree with your child when they can have a mobile phone or tablet.

2.    Explore together

The best way to find out what your child is doing online is to ask them to tell you about what they do and what sites they like to visit. If they’re happy to, ask them to show you. Talk to them about being a good friend online. For children aged 3-7 help arrives just in time for Digiduck® when faced with a difficult decision! Follow Digiduck® and his pals in this story of friendship and responsibility online: www.childnet.com/resources/digiducks-big-decision

3.    Search safely

Use safe search engines such as Swiggle or Kids-search. You can save time by adding these to your ‘Favourites’. Safe search settings can also be activated on Google and other search engines, as well as YouTube.

Use child friendly search engines:

• www.swiggle.org.uk 
• www.kiddle.co 
• www.kids-search.com

4.    Use airplane mode

Use airplane mode on your devices when your child is using them so they can’t make any unapproved purchases or interact with anyone online without your knowledge.

5.    Stay involved

Encourage them to use their tech devices in a communal area like the lounge or kitchen so you can keep an eye on how they’re using the internet and also share in their enjoyment.

6.    Talk to siblings

It’s also a good idea to talk to any older children about what they’re doing online and what they show to younger children. Encourage them to be responsible and help keep their younger siblings safe.

7.    Check if it’s suitable

The age ratings that come with games, apps, films and social networks are a good guide to whether they’re suitable for your child. For example, the minimum age limit is 13 for several social networking sites, including Facebook and Instagram. Although sites aimed at under-10s like Moshi Monsters and Club Penguin also have social networking elements.

8.    Ask for help

We are lucky enough to have some very “tech savvy” parents at Litton School, so if you just want to have a chat about any of this or need help with setting up parental controls, please contact headteacher@litton.derbyshire.sch.uk or phone the school on 01298 871449 and we will point you in the right direction.

Helpful links:

Digital version of the magazine we received a copy of at the e-Safety evening at school can be found here:

http://www.vodafone.com/digitalparenting    

http://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers    

http://internetmatters.org