E-Safety
Do you know your Fortnite from your TikTok?
Is your child's location visable to other users when they use their phone or device?
If your child used a secret app to "hide" photos, could you find them?
Do you know who is talking to your child in the game they are playing?
What on earth does the school teach my child to try to keep them save online? What can I do as a parent?
Do you feel pressured into letting your child access games and apps you'd rather they didn't?
Was life a bit easier when they were happy with CBeebies but now it's all a bit more scary?
Being a digital parent can feel like hard work - but we are on the same side. We all want our children to thrive online whilst also being kept safe from the dangerous side of the web. Blocking, restrictions and family settings all play a part, but we also need to be prepared for our children to learn the skills required to be able to survive knowing the correct behaviours when we're not there to supervise their very click, tap or swipe online. It's a long journey to that independence but small little steps can't be taken too early.
We always aim to be helpful, realistic and informative to equip parents to nurture resilience and responsibility in their children's online lives.
Our Online Safety Lead, Mr Wilkinson, led a parent safety meeting in the spring term of 2023 explaining what we cover in the Westfield E-safety curriculum and provided some great advice on how to help guide your child through the digital world they are growing up in. A recorded version of this meeting unfortunately didn't record properly, so a previous one is available below. We will be looking to hold another one - do get in touch with anything you'd like to be included!
You can use the password staysafe34! to access the video.
Until then you can watch the previous virtual meeting (from 2021) in full here using the above password - it is long but worth it when you've got a spare evening.
Some of the parental feedback from previous meetings
"Thank you so much. Don't apologise for taking so long, It was all worth it."
"It's great to see what the school teach - I am really impressed."
"I have learned a lot"
Feeback is always welcome as we constrantly try to improve our support to parents.
We really are here to support you in encouraging your children to become confident digital learners.
Some links to some of the main resources mentioned in the parent meeting
ParentZone: Down to earth support for parents and families online Home | Parent Zone
Internet Matters: Visit internetmatters.org for easy to access guides to platforms, devices and apps.
CEOP's Thinkuknow website for parents, carers, teachers and children Thinkuknow - home (the PlayLikeShare resource is on the 8-10 section)
National Online Safety searchable collection of information posters about different apps E-safety Guides for Schools | National Online Safety
National College Online Safety for Parents Course Online Safety for Parents of Children aged 7-11 | National Online Safety (free sign up required)
Setting up Microsoft Family (for Windows devices) Microsoft Family Safety
Google Family Link (for Android and Chromebooks) Google Family Link - Home
Apple Family Sharing (for iOS devices) Family Sharing - Apple (UK)
Changing your router password (examples for Sky, BT and Virgin) How to change your wireless router password – Which Computing Helpdesk (consult your router user guide or ISP for specific information)
BBC Own It Own It - A place to help you boss your life online - Own It - BBC
Childnet Parent and Carer Resource Kit Parent and Carer Toolkit - Childnet
UK Safer Internet Centre https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/
http://www.safetynetkids.org.uk/personal-safety/online-safety/
NSPCC Keeping children safe online | NSPCC
If you are a twitter user you may wish to follow @wjseasfety for information on up to date resources and advice for parents or you can visit the feed online Westfield Junior E-safety (@WJSesafety) / Twitter