Online Safety

Online Safety is an important part of keeping children safe at Eskdale Academy . We have extensive security measures in place in school, which are monitored both internally and externally, to help safeguard pupils from potential dangers or unsuitable material.

Any Online Safety incidents are recorded and managed in accordance with our online Safety policy. Online safety is taught throughout the school explaining and demonstrating how to stay safe and behave appropriately online.

We can only be successful in keeping children safe online if we work with parents to ensure the Online Safety message is consistent. It is important that parents speak to their children about how they can keep safe and behave appropriately online.

It’s essential to be realistic - banning the internet or technology will not work and it often makes a child less likely to report a problem. Education around safe use is essential.

Please note that no search engine is ever 100% safe but below provides some links to some “safer” search engines:
We follow the SMART rules to stay safe when using computers and the internet.

 Police Child Safety Information

 Social Media Fact Sheets

• Child safety on Instagram download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineChild safety on Instagram
• Child safety on Snapchat download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineChild safety on Snapchat
• Child safety on TikTok download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineChild safety on TikTok
• Child safety on WhatsApp download_for_offline
  download_for_offlineChild safety on WhatsApp

Get Smart

 Staying Safe Online

• Don’t post any personal information online – like your address, email address or mobile number.
• Think carefully before posting pictures or videos of yourself.  Once you’ve put a picture of yourself online most people can see it and may be able to download it, it’s not just yours anymore.
• Keep your privacy settings as high as possible
• Never give out your passwords
• Don’t befriend people you don’t know
•  Don’t meet up with people you’ve met online.  Speak to your parent or carer about people suggesting you do
• Remember that not everyone online is who they say they are
• Think carefully about what you say before you post something online
• Respect other people’s views, even if you don’t agree with someone else’s views doesn’t mean you need to be rude
• If you see something online that makes you feel uncomfortable, unsafe or worried: leave the website, turn off your computer if you want to and tell a trusted adult immediately.

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter etc..) 

These sites are not to be used by people under the age of 13, however, if your child does have an account, please ensure:

• Parents check content on a regular basis

• Children are advised not to talk to anybody directly ( or through messenger) that they don't know

• Children are advised not to post content which provides any personal details of themselves or other family members.

X-Box and Ps4 players

• It's more than just a gaming site. Xbox LIVE and Playstation Network users can also chat with each other, send and receive friend requests, and share their profile and gaming stats.
• Gamertags need to be chosen wisely. Never let your child use part of their name, hometown, or other identifying information in their gamertag.
• Profiles follow the child, not the console. A child can still access all his Xbox LIVE/ps4 information from a friend's house.
• Kids can play games with strangers. Xbox LIVE/ps4 has a “matchmaking” feature to help your child connect with gamers who have certain gamerscores or live in a certain location.
• People can privately chat with each other. Up to 8 people can play and talk all at once, but two of them can pair off and talk privately if they want to.
• You can make your permission mandatory. Through console controls, you can require your permission for your child to send and receive friend requests, accept game or chat invites, or buy Xbox merchandise.
• You can block who your child hears. You can choose “everyone,” “friends,” or “no one.”
• Parents are required to help their children set up an account. If your under-18 child has an account and you didn't help set it up, he or she is registered as an adult.
• Default settings vary by age. Child and teen accounts are mostly “friends only” by default and some features are blocked, but adult profiles are public and have full access to all features.
• Deactivating Xbox LIVE/Ps4 doesn't cancel the child's account. On the Xbox or Playstation console there is a setting to disallow Xbox LIVE and ps4  access from that console – but your child can still access it on others unless you cancel their account. Remember that the Xbox LIVE is more than just a video game, it's a social gaming universe. Always use the same Internet safety cautions as you would on any other social networking site, and if at all possible, sign up yourself and spend time playing with your child, too.