With the summer break in full swing, we know the last words that educators want to hear are ‘lesson planning’ and ‘September’, but we hope that this blog makes your online safety preparation for the next academic year just a little bit easier!
Time to get planning!
We know how important planning is for educators and how hard it can be to keep track of all the days, events and milestones throughout the academic year.
Our newly redesigned online safety calendar has all the key awareness days you need to know about, resources you can use to mark them, as well as points in the year that could work to refresh your pupils’ online safety knowledge and test their skills.
Embed online safety throughout the curriculum
Visiting a topic in different subject areas draws multiple links to the world around your pupils and is creative way to bring their learning to life.
To help teachers do this with online safety, we have created two short leaflets.
There are two versions of this resource: one for settings working with primary aged children (4–11 year-olds) and one for settings working with secondary aged children (11-16 year olds).
Moving on Up!
The toolkit with videos and lesson plans for adults helping young people aged 10-13 with the online aspects of moving to secondary school.
We know that as young people progress through their school lives, they will experience new issues and situations which they may not have faced before.
Moving on Up has films and information about these potential situations, such as managing friend requests, group chats and the pressure to fit in.
There is also a guide for parents and carers and a “Getting your first phone” checklist to help them support their child.
Putting young people in the lead
The Childnet Digital Leaders have a brand-new training platform which young people can use to learn more about key online safety issues and empower them to educate their peers about online safety.
Groups of Digital Leaders complete training on an interactive, informative, and gamified platform. Working through the online modules equips them with the skills they need to educate and support their peers.
Find out more about the benefits to pupils, teachers and schools here.
Click here if you would like to register your school’s interest and request a free guest login!
Get prepared for Safer Internet Day 2023
Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people, and to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively.
We are happy to announce that Safer Internet Day 2023 will take place on 7th February!
Each year the UK Safer Internet Centre, which Childnet is a partner of, creates free resources to help you make the most out of the day and engage in the UK-wide conversation.
This year’s theme is yet to be announced but keep your eyes peeled for the latest at saferinternetday.org.uk
You can also register for regular updates from the UK Safer Internet Centre here.
If you work with young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Our Thrive Online resources are designed for use by educators, parents and carers, to support young people aged 11 and over with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
These free, adaptable resources look at the important topics of healthy relationships, digital wellbeing and online pornography.
For educators, each topic contains a series of three lessons and films designed to initiate discussion and help young people navigate online spaces, learn essential strategies, and recognise the impact of online behaviour and actions.
There will also be a range of brand new modules on the Childnet Digital Leaders Programme.
For parents and carers, Thrive Online has a series of short films which provide answers to important questions around supporting young people in their online relationships, managing their digital wellbeing and how to tackle issues around online pornography.
Enjoy the next few weeks of the holidays!
In the meantime, the team at Childnet wish teachers and professionals a restful and enjoyable remainder of your summer break.
We look forward to working with you again to make the internet a great and safe place for young people!