We know that many of our pupils use social networking accounts, mobile apps and online games even though nearly all of these have age restrictions.  We need to educate ourselves in order to keep our children safe when using devices online and so the links listed below will give you some advice.

Speak to the Designated Safeguarding Officer at school if you have ANY concerns regarding your child’s online activity or malicious content that could affect them.  The Designated Safeguarding Officer at Malborough with South Huish Primary School is Mrs Lauren Stallard, Head of School.  Our Deputy Safeguarding Officer is Mrs Ginny French.

Please see the list below of the most popular social networking accounts, mobile apps and online game sites, the age restrictions of those sites, and a link to information about what the sites cover.

The terms and conditions for many of these  accounts say that you have to be 13 or older.   If you are younger than this (all pupils at our school are), you can only join by falsifying your date of birth, which is a breach of the terms and conditions.  Anyone under the age limits who joins these networks is presenting themselves as older than they are. Some other people join these networks and pretend to be younger than they are specifically to gain access to children. This could put your child at significant risk.

If you have allowed your child to join one of these networks in breach of their terms and conditions, this means you are taking full responsibility for their account and everything they do with it.

If you are unsure about your child’s use of social sites and mobile apps or the computer generally, please use the ThinkUKnow website – https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/.  Work through some of the activities with your child so they know about appropriate behaviour and how to stay safe.

The sites below are helpful and useful resources should you have any concerns at all about social media sites or your child’s use of social media.

• Thinkuknow    –   Thinkuknow is the education programme from NCA-CEOP, a UK organisation which protects children both online and offline.
• Childnet – Tips, advice, guides and resources to help keep your child safe online
• CEOP   –   Child Exploitation and Online Protection
• NSPCC   –   Online Safety
• UK Safer Internet Centre   –   Tips, advice, guides and resources to help keep your child safe online    

For further information, please see the links below: