Staying Safe Online
The online world is a wonderful place for young people to explore, with unprecedented opportunities for learning and creativity.
As with the real world, however, online space needs to be explored with vigilance and a critical eye. At Harris Academy Bermondsey we aim to inform and educate all our students during their years with us, helping them use the internet, and online media, safely and positively. Your daughter will leave the Academy well-equipped to develop a positive digital footprint and stay safe online.
At HAB we incorporate e-safety into our curriculum, including training in lessons, tutor time and academy events. We fully recognise the importance of including parents and carers in this aspect of academy life and warmly invite you to familiarise yourselves with the resources we use via our website. This page also aims to reassure you with information about who to contact should you have any concern.
Your daughter’s safety is our highest priority. Please know that we will support you with any concerns you may have regarding safeguarding online and offline. We have Designated Safeguarding Leads who can be contacted via our Safeguarding page. We will then contact you and arrange to swiftly address your concern.
You can get excellent articles about staying safe online, written by ParentInfo, from http://parentinfo.org/articles/all. Online safety news stories from HAB can be found in our staying safe online news.
Click HERE to see the PowerPoint from our Online Safety webinar in December 2020, with all resources and links included.
Parent tips: how you can help your daughter stay safe
- Talk to your daughter about how she is using her electronic devices. Regular conversations will help your daughter feel able to come to you if she finds herself in difficulty.
- Stay informed about the different social media sites and continue to take an active interest in how your daughter uses her iPad and phone, should she have one.
- Many social media platforms have a minimum age requirement and are not considered appropriate for children under the age of 13. This age limit is a legal requirement and needs to be respected. It is worth noting that the popular social application, WhatsApp has an age restriction of 16.
- Use parental controls on your home internet to protect your daughter from unsuitable areas of the internet.
- Limit the amount of screen time allowed to your daughter, encouraging screen-free time at least one hour before bed.
- Be aware that pop-ups, games and commercials may have hidden costs and/or be inappropriate. These are blocked on your daughter’s school iPad but they may be accessed via phones.
Tutor time presentations
To help your daughter stay safe online we use tutor time to explain some of the key issues and how they might affect your daughter. You are warmly invited to download the presentations too so you can see the content and discuss the information with your daughter.
What is Cyberbullying (Autumn 2017)
The digital footprint – identity and self-esteem (Spring 2018)
Useful Videos for Parents
You might find the following videos helpful. They have been produced for parents by Live My Digital. You may wish to discuss the content with your daughter after watching the films together.
Useful Websites
It’s a good idea to keep up-to-date with the current issues around staying safe online. There are some excellent resources available which detail how young girls are vulnerable and gives advice on maintaining awareness and helping your daughter.
- www.parentInfo.org – latest news from ParentInfo relating to online safety
- www.childnet.com – a non-profit organisation working to help make the internet a great and safe place for children
- www.thinkuknow.co.uk - an education programme from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command.
- www.nspcc.org.uk – advice on preventing abuse and keeping children safe online.
- www.net-aware.org.uk - a guide to the social networks children use. Website created by NSPCC and O2 to help parents explore and understand online life as kids know it.
Your daughter’s iPad
Your daughter will be equipped with an iPad and is expected to bring this to the academy every day. The iPad gives your daughter the chance to explore the world of technology in a safe space and develop her fluency with the device and applications. The iPad may be used in lessons as a tool to aid learning, assess understanding and set homework. There are applications permitted by the academy which will already be installed on the iPad. You are encouraged to explore these with your daughter. Your daughter will be provided with an iPad cover, which needs to protect the device at all times. Each parent and student will need to sign the HAB iPad agreement form.
Prohibited use
While we trust all our students to use the iPads appropriately we are clear about how the devices are not to be used. No iPad is to be used for social purposes. Each iPad has been checked thoroughly to ensure there are no social networking apps and it is prohibited for students to add applications to their iPads. As with any device it is illegal to send explicit images to another person. This includes images of the sender themselves. We hope that with awareness this will not be an issue we encounter. iPads are not to be used outside of lessons unless your daughter is working in the library or at a club that allows use of the iPad.
How HAB protects your daughter
Each iPad is set up with applications appropriate to the needs of the students. Students are not able to download other applications onto their device. We control the applications centrally so we can monitor the content to which your daughter has access.
HAB has a ban on the use of social media on iPads. This is to give students the freedom to use the iPad as a learning tool without other distractions.
We check devices regularly and will look through the device, with your daughter, should we have any concerns. You, as parents and guardians will also be contacted straight away and we thank you in advance for you support in helping the girls stay safe.
iPad and Phone FAQs
Q – I am concerned my daughter may be using her iPad inappropriately.
In this instance it is important to make your daughter’s form tutor aware of your concern as soon as possible. You can call the school and leave a message with reception, which will then be passed onto the correct teacher. Year 7 form tutors are available each Tuesday 4-5pm for ‘surgery’ meetings with parents. Advanced appointments are not necessary.
Q – I believe my daughter is not able to use her iPad correctly and to its full advantage.
Your daughter will need to bring in her iPad and explain the problem to her tutor, who may be able to help. If the problem cannot be solved with her tutor, your daughter will be able to receive guidance from our iPad expert, Amy Morris, in the library. They can visit the library during their lunchtime, before and after school.
Q – My daughter has lost/damaged her charger, her device or her iPad cover.
It is important for your daughter to inform her form tutor straight away if any piece of the equipment is lost or broken. A member of staff will then be in touch with you to inform you of
Q – I am worried about my daughter’s safety online, either on her personal phone or iPad.
If possible, come to the school reception and ask to speak to the Duty Principal who will take your concerns to the relevant member of staff as a matter of urgency. Alternatively, you can call reception and leave a message for your daughter's Assistant Principal, who will contact you the same day. In certain situation an incident may become a Police matter. In these instances we will work closely with our community officer to keep your daughter safe.
