E-Safety

ICT in the modern world is an essential resource to support learning and teaching, as well as playing an important role in the everyday lives of children, young people and adults. Consequently, we need to build in the use of these technologies in order to equip our young people with the skills to access life- long learning and employment.

Computing covers a wide range of resources including web-based and mobile learning. It is also important to recognise the constant and fast-paced evolution of technology within our society as a whole. Currently the internet technologies children and young people are using both inside and outside of the classroom include:

• Websites
• Learning Platforms and Virtual Learning Environments
• Email and Instant Messaging
• Chat Rooms and Social Networking
• Blogs
• Podcasting
• Video Broadcasting
• Music Downloading
• Gaming
• Mobile/ Smart phones with text, video and/ or web functionality
• Other mobile devices, such as tablet computers, with web functionality
• Apps

Whilst exciting and beneficial both in and out of the context of education, much technology, particularly web-based resources, is not consistently policed. All users need to be aware of the range of risks associated with the use of these Internet technologies.

At Edward Pauling Primary School, we understand the responsibility to educate our pupils on e-safety issues; teaching them the appropriate behaviours and critical thinking skills to enable them to remain both safe and legal when using the internet and related technologies, in and beyond the context of the classroom.