Online Safety

Online Safety

At The John Warner School, we recognise that helping students stay safe online is a vital part of safeguarding. In an increasingly digital world, young people need to understand both the opportunities and the risks the internet presents.

We are committed to educating students about responsible online behaviour and ensuring that all members of our school community – students, staff, and parents – are aware of how to stay safe when using digital technologies.

The 4 C’s of Online Risk

Our approach to online safety is shaped by the 4 C’s, as outlined in the latest guidance from the Department for Education:

• Conduct – How children behave online, including the risks of illegal, harmful or inappropriate behaviour such as sexting, sharing personal information, or aggressive online interactions.
• Content – What children see online, including exposure to inappropriate, harmful or illegal content such as pornography, self-harm material, extremist views, or fake news.
• Contact – Who children interact with online. This includes the risks of grooming, exploitation, and interactions with strangers posing as peers.
• Commerce – The risks associated with online shopping, in-app purchases, scams, phishing, and misuse of financial information.

We regularly educate students about these risks through the curriculum, assemblies, form time activities, and Personal Development lessons. Our aim is to equip them with the skills and confidence to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

Filtering and Monitoring

As a school, we have robust filtering and monitoring systems in place to help protect students when using the internet on school devices or within the school network.

• Our filtering system blocks access to harmful or inappropriate websites, content, and apps.
• Our monitoring software tracks activity on school devices and flags any potential risks or concerning behaviour.

If our monitoring system identifies something of concern, it is reviewed by both our IT and safeguarding teams. When appropriate, we will speak with the student involved and contact parents or carers to work together to resolve the issue and support the student.

Our goal is not only to respond to risks but to educate and prevent future harm.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is a serious issue and can have a lasting impact on a young person’s wellbeing. It includes any form of bullying that takes place online or through digital communication, such as:

• Hurtful messages or comments via social media, messaging apps or gaming platforms
• Spreading rumours or sharing private information without consent
• Exclusion from online groups or activities
• Impersonation or identity theft to harm others

At The John Warner School, we treat all forms of bullying with zero tolerance, including online abuse. All reported incidents of cyberbullying are investigated thoroughly and dealt with in line with our Anti-Bullying and Behaviour policies. We also support students to understand the impact of their words and actions, both in person and online.

What Parents & Carers Can Do:

1. Talk regularly about social media, open, non-judgmental conversations help
2. Learn the apps, explore settings with your teen
3. Use parental controls or supervision tools (available in many apps)
4. Set rules together (times, content, who they can interact with)
5. Encourage a digital balance , times off, hobbies, etc.
6. Be alert to changes: mood swings, withdrawal, secrecy, or anxiety around devices
7. Keep evidence if something concerns you, take screenshots, dates, times

Resources:

For further advice on keeping your child safe online, we recommend visiting: 

• CEOP https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/parents/
• Childnet https://www.childnet.com/
• Internet Matters https://www.internetmatters.org/
• NSPCC Online Safety https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
• Report Remove (to report nude images and have them removed)  https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/report-remove/
• Safety checklists for individual apps https://saferinternet.org.uk/guide-and-resource/social-media-checklists?utm_source=chatgpt.com

If you ever have concerns about your child’s online safety, please contact the school and speak to a member of our safeguarding team.