Online Safety

Children are growing up in a digital world. Even at infant age, many children use tablets, phones, games, apps, videos and online platforms.

At Woodlands, we teach children how to use technology safely and we work with families to help children build safe habits from the beginning.

Online safety is not just about blocking or banning. It is about regular conversations, clear boundaries and helping children know what to do if something worries them.

The Smart Rules

To help children remember how to stay safe online, we use the SMART rules throughout school. These provide children with five simple messages that can be understood from an early age and applied whenever they use technology:

S – Stay Safe: Keep personal information private and do not share details with people you do not know.
M – Don’t Meet Up: Never arrange to meet someone you have only communicated with online. Always speak to a trusted adult.
A – Accepting: Do not accept messages, files, photographs, links or requests from people you do not know.
R – Reliable: Remember that not everything online is true. Information and people online may not always be what they appear to be.
T – Tell Someone: Tell a trusted adult straight away if anything online makes you feel worried, uncomfortable or unsure.

The SMART rules are displayed in classrooms and referred to regularly during Computing lessons, assemblies and conversations about technology. Staff use the same language consistently so that children become familiar with the messages and know what action to take.

For our youngest children, the rules are introduced through simple stories, pictures, role play and discussion. As children move through the school, they explore the rules in greater depth and apply them to situations such as watching videos, playing online games, communicating with others, opening messages and deciding whether information can be trusted.

Our most important message is that children should never keep an online worry to themselves. They should stop what they are doing and tell a trusted adult, knowing that they will be listened to and helped.

Our Online Safety Curriculum

Online safety is taught from Nursery to Year 2 as part of our Computing curriculum and is reinforced whenever children use technology across school. Teaching is age-appropriate, practical and carefully revisited so that children build their understanding over time.

Through stories, discussions, role play and carefully planned activities, children learn:

that technology should be used safely, responsibly and respectfully
to ask a trusted adult before going online, opening a link or using a new app or game
that some personal information should not be shared online
to keep passwords private and understand why they are important
to recognise when something they see or hear online makes them feel worried, uncomfortable or unsure
to stop, close the device and tell a trusted adult if something goes wrong
to behave kindly online and understand that messages and actions can affect other people
to ask permission before taking or sharing photographs or information about someone else
that information found online is not always accurate or trustworthy
to develop healthy habits and understand the importance of balancing screen time with other activities

Online safety is not taught as a one-off lesson. Key messages are revisited regularly through Computing, PSHE, assemblies and everyday classroom conversations. Staff also respond to new technologies, games and online issues as they arise, helping children apply what they have learned to situations they may encounter beyond school.

By the end of Year 2, we want children to understand that technology can be enjoyable, creative and useful, while also knowing the simple steps they can take to keep themselves and others safe.

How parents can help at home

Parents and carers can help by:

keeping devices in shared family spaces
using parental controls
checking age ratings on games and apps
talking regularly about what children watch and play
encouraging children to tell an adult if something worries them
reminding children never to share personal information online
checking who children may be communicating with

Learn about a range of online safety issues

Advice on setting parental controls on networks, devices and apps

Advice and guidance on apps and devices young people use

https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/entertainment-search-engines/

Useful online safety links

Device guides

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Woodlands Infant School

Online Safety

The Smart Rules

Our Online Safety Curriculum

How parents can help at home

Useful online safety links

Device guides

Gaming guides

Video, Streaming, Social Media and Messaging guides

Other Online Safety resources

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