Staying Safe Online

The internet is great for learning, sharing, connecting and creating but it is important to guide children on how to keep themselves safe online. Fortunately, there are a lot of organisations dedicated to helping families with online safety advice and protecting children.

Parental Safety Controls

Using parental and privacy controls can help you check the privacy settings on social media and websites. Internet matters.org can help you navigate how set parental controls on your child’s phone or device. Different social media platforms have different age restrictions, most of which are 13 years old. It is important for you to have conversations with your child about their media use, what they are sharing and how to keep them safe.

Here are links to some key guides from Internet Matters:

• Whatsapp Parent Controls
• X/Twitter Parent Controls
• Facetime Privacy Settings
• Facebook Parent Controls
• Wattpad Privacy Settings
• Yubo Parent Controls
• Facebook Messenger Privacy Settings

These are some useful guides to help you start those conversations.
•   Age 11-13 Guide  
•   Age 14+  
•   Lets talk about life online 

A great way to start positive family conversations around safe and responsible Internet use, and to agree clear expectations and boundaries, is to create a family agreement. 

Useful resources

Keeping Children Safe by the NSPCC provide support and tips to help you keep children safe. They offer advice on children’s mental health to staying safe online, support for parents and what to do if you are worried about your child.

Parent Zone can provide support and guidance for parents from leading experts and organisations 

ChildNet have a range of resources aimed at supporting parents on a wide range of topics. 

Think You Know is an education programme from the National Crime Agency. They have created home activity packs with videos and parent advice guides to support your conversations with your children on a range of subjects.

Childline have advice directed at children themselves on how to stay safe online with risks and tips, as well as how to spot fake news

Crime and County Lines

During students' personal development lessons, we explore the topic of Crime and County Lines. 

Students will learn about:

• What constitutes a crime, and the impact crime can have on individuals and communities
• County lines: what it is, how young people can be affected, and the signs to look out for
• Ways to keep themselves safe and make positive choices
• Where to get help or support if they or someone they know is at risk

We want to equip our students with the knowledge and skills to keep themselves safe, recognise risks, and understand how to seek help if needed. This aligns with our commitment to safeguarding and supporting the wellbeing of every child at The Bulmershe School.

Further Guidance and Support

• NSPCC – County Lines: Spotting the Signs and Getting Help
• Children’s Society – County Lines Exploitation
• Crimestoppers – County Lines Advice for Parents
• Thinkuknow – Advice on Keeping Children Safe
• Local Authority Support Services

How You Can Support at Home

• Talk with your child about what they are learning in school
• Discuss the dangers of crime and criminal exploitation in a non-judgemental way
• Encourage your child to speak up if they are worried about themselves or a friend
• Remind your child of trusted adults they can turn to (in school and at home)

If you have any concerns about your child, or if you would like further information, please contact your child’s form tutor or our safeguarding team. We are also happy to provide additional resources or arrange a meeting to discuss this topic further.

Support and Reporting

If you are worried that a child may be involved in or at risk of county lines, please contact:

• The school’s safeguarding team: safeguarding@bulmershe.wokingham.sch.uk
• The NSPCC helpline: 0808 800 5000