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NE12 Sixth Form

IT Use & Online Safety

At George Stephenson High School the safety and well-being of all of our students is our primary concern. Great steps are taken to ensure that all of our students are able to work and develop in a safe, secure environment and this includes when they are online.

In school we have different IT monitoring, filtering and reporting systems which all serve to keep our students safe when using computers and other devices in school and when using the internet.

Firewall

Our Firewall filters, monitors and logs all websites accessed in school. It is updated daily with new website classifications and allows us to monitor any attempts to access blocked websites on computers and all other devices on site. Fortinet is a member of the Internet Watch Foundation and referenced on the UK Safer Internet website.

Impero

Impero is a leading UK based classroom software management company. Impero monitors students when they are using computers in school and provides real time alerting when inappropriate words are typed in. Impero is a member of the Internet Watch Foundation and referenced on the UK Safer Internet website.

Both our Fortinet and Impero systems work together to allow us to effectively monitor our IT network and give our students the freedom and protection to browse the Internet safely under our care.

Advice for Parents

It is essential that parents support us in this venture and ensure that while at home their children are using the internet responsibly. There are a few ways in which you can do this: 

  • Be open about internet safety – Talk to your child about both the benefits and dangers of the internet, to try and help them understand that they have a responsibility to themselves and others while online. Ensure that they know to talk to someone they trust if they feel scared or hurt by something which has happened online.
  • Set up internet filters – You can do this through your internet provider. Contact them and ask them how to do this.
  • Set up safety settings on your home devices – Safety settings can be adjusted on any device that connects to the internet, meaning that children are not able to access inappropriate material. Information on how to do this can be obtained from the device manufacturer. 

There is lots of information for parents available on the ThinkUKnow website, including how to keep your child safe and what to do if you are concerned. 

https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/    

The NSPCC website also has some very useful information on all aspects of child safety, including online safety. 

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

Kik

Kik is a mobile messaging application that can be used on both android and iPhone. The popular app which is free to use is similar to Viber and WhatsApp but has some additional functions that differentiate it. For example, an internal browser, meaning users are encouraged to spend more time within the app.The app has been in the news recently, if your child has a Kik account, caution should be taken.

Click here for further information that can help you understand whether your child should be able to use this app

Parents can report their concerns using the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) button shown below, which is a law enforcement agency.

https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/ 


Additional useful information for parents and students

E-safety PowerPoint - a useful guide to ensure that students use the internet safely

Downloadable File

SnapChat & SnapMaps - advice for students & parents

Downloadable File

'Live streaming' - advice for parents

Downloadable File

'Yubo' Social Media Platform - advice for parents

Downloadable File

Further information for Parents

Parents can also access Online Safety Tips in our Parents section here

External URL

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