Keep up to date with our news...

• Cyber Safe Families - Smartphone Safety

  Wed 24 Jan 2024

  The online information poster this week is focused on Smartphone Safety.

   

  According to Ofcom, 69% of under-18s use a smartphone as their main method of going online. Additionally, 49% of children use them for online gaming – putting smartphones only behind consoles (59%) as the device of choice for playing games on. Most people won’t require such statistical evidence, however, to acknowledge the huge importance of phones to young people.

   

  Given that Santa’s recent visit is likely to have bestowed smartphones on an even greater number of young people, it’s a particularly opportune moment to ensure that children are able to use their handsets responsibly – and, above all, safely. From passcodes to parental controls, and from screen time to scams, the guide has the essential advice.

  

• Cyber Safe Families - Smart TVs

  Wed 17 Jan 2024

  Smart TVs have become more affordable in recent years, making them readily available to most consumers. These more advanced systems offer numerous features beyond those of a normal television set – chiefly, the ability to access the internet and interface with popular streaming services without the need for a set-top box or other intermediary device.

  This increased functionality, however, also brings additional threats to privacy, security and more – as you’d perhaps expect from any device capable of going online. As TV is such a cornerstone of our home lives, these dangers can be uniquely difficult to manage. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide breaks down the major risks, with tips on helping children to enjoy TV … stress free.

   

   

  

• Cyber Safe Families - Managing Screen Time

  Wed 10 Jan 2024

  Cyber Safe Families - Managing Screen Time

   

  From using them for communication, work, shopping and entertainment, devices such as smartphones, laptops and the rest are now deeply ingrained into modern society. Small wonder, then, that young people – who’ve grown up surrounded by such gadgets – can sometimes struggle to put them down, switch them off or keep themselves occupied without them.

  While limiting our screen time may require a great deal of restraint, the effort can be rewarded with significant benefits to our physical and mental health.

   

  The guide this week has simple tips for helping to manage the amount of screen time in your household – encouraging the whole family to spend more quality time together and live in the moment.

   

  

• Cyber Safe Families - Parental Controls

  Wed 20 Dec 2023

  Cyber Safe Families - Parental Controls

  At this time of year, it’s highly possible that you have a new phone, games console or other digital device stashed somewhere at home, ready to be unwrapped. Many parents also prefer to place some protective measures on those gifts – to keep their child shielded from potential #OnlineSafety risks – while others would like to, but aren’t sure where to begin.

   

  The guide this week shepherds you through the process of establishing parental controls on new internet-enabled devices, from smartphones to laptops to consoles. Simply find the device in question and read on to find out what options you have and how to enable them – letting children enjoy their shiny new gadget, without so much of the worry over where it might lead them.

  

• Cyber Safe Families - Setting Boundaries for Gaming

  Sun 03 Dec 2023

  Online Safety is an ever-evolving concern. Last Monday evening, the West Mercia Police held a (very graphic) conference, highlighting some of the worst-case scenarios involving young people and the internet (scenarios that happen here in Worcestershire). It was also highlighted that these 'serious' scenarios all started with low-level inappropriate exploration and misuse at a very early age. Keeping your child/ren safe online has to be a priority for you, and to support you with this we are now going to be sending out a weekly guide on a Wednesday. Please take some time to read the information and keep on top of your child's online activities. 

   

   

  Cyber Safe Families - Setting Boundaries for Gaming

   

  The online information poster this week is about Setting Boundaries for Gaming.

   

  Behind video-sharing platforms (like YouTube) and streaming TV shows and movies, gaming is the third most popular online activity for children in the UK. In fact, according to recent data from Ofcom, an overwhelming 89% of children aged 3 to 17 play video games. Of those, more than one in five (22%) talk to other players online whom they don’t know outside the game.

   

  The risk of contact with strangers is just one of the reasons that many parents are concerned about their child’s gaming: increased screen time, inappropriate content and in-game spending also figure among the most frequent fears. Agreeing on some rules around your child’s gaming activities can certainly help, and our guide has some useful tips for establishing these boundaries.

   

  If you would like any further information on this topic or any other online issues, please come and speak to us.

  

• Now booking for personalised tours of the school for prospective parents - please call 01684 310364

  Tue 26 Sep 2023

• New Online support guides added

  Sat 11 Feb 2023

  We have added 4 new online safety guides to the website page - Online Guides For Parents | Hanley Swan St Gabriel's with St Mary's CofE Primary School (hanleyswanprimaryschool.co.uk)

   

  They are all very informative and interesting. They cover:

  Twitter

  Cyber Resilience

  Digital Lives

  How gaming can support positive outcomes

   

  Please take the time to have a look.

• Online Guides

  Sun 16 Oct 2022

  The internet is an ever-growing entity that can sometimes be difficult to keep on top of. Without the correct Parental Control settings, age-inappropriate content can be easily accessed through a variety of online mediums. Apps such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter can make accessing such content easier than ever. Social media platforms allow users to post, share and comment on each others’ content, which may not have been flagged by the time that your child is exposed to it. Additional Parental Control settings mean that your child will not be able to access selected content on these platforms accidentally.

  Gaming is another form of entertainment that may be problematic if not monitored properly. Many popular titles have a higher rating due to their use of violence or horror. The outset of a game may seem harmless, but as children progress through the game it may unlock content that simply isn’t tailored to their age group.

  Streaming platforms, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, can be informative and interesting when used as they were intended. However, they cannot always determine the age of the person viewing at that moment. Some streaming services offer the opportunity to create a ‘child-friendly’ profile, meaning that they are only offered films or TV shows that are appropriate for children.

   

  National Online Safety have set up the #WakeUpWednesday campaign to provide expert advice on online risks, particularly on new and developing platforms. 
   

  A number of older guides are within the ‘Internet Safety’ page, but we have also started adding them to a new easy access page under the ‘Parents’ button. Please take the time to have a look.

  
   

   

• Job Vacancies - Breakfast Club Supervisor & Lunchtime Supervisor (both Maternity cover)

  Fri 08 Apr 2022

• Wake Up Wednesdays

  Wed 19 Jan 2022

  The internet is an ever-growing entity that can sometimes be difficult to keep on top of. Without the correct Parental Control settings, age-inappropriate content can be easily accessed through a variety of online mediums. Apps such as TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter can make accessing such content easier than ever. Social media platforms allow users to post, share and comment on each others’ content, which may not have been flagged by the time that your child is exposed to it. Additional Parental Control settings mean that your child will not be able to access selected content on these platforms accidentally.

  Gaming is another form of entertainment that may be problematic if not monitored properly. Many popular titles have a higher rating due to their use of violence or horror. The outset of a game may seem harmless, but as children progress through the game it may unlock content that simply isn’t tailored to their age group.

  Streaming platforms, such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, can be informative and interesting when used as they were intended. However, they cannot always determine the age of the person viewing at that moment. Some streaming services offer the opportunity to create a ‘child-friendly’ profile, meaning that they are only offered films or TV shows that are appropriate for children.

   

  National Online Safety have set up the #WakeUpWednesday campaign to provide expert advice on online risks, particularly on new and developing platforms. They release a brand new guide every Wednesday. The image below is from this week’s #WakeUpWednesday, which focuses on ‘Age-Inappropriate Content’. 

  To access these guides, please follow the link to one of our Internet safety pages - Parent Guides | Hanley Swan St Gabriel's with St Mary's CofE Primary School (secure-primarysite.net)