Child psychologist, Professor Tanya Byron, is launching a new set of resources called ‘Know IT All for primary teachers’ to help schools keep children safe online. The engaging and interactive resources, which are being unveiled at Anson Primary School in Brent on Friday 26 June, have been designed to empower all primary school employees to understand, tackle and teach e-safety issues to children.
The resources – developed through funding from the Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA), Becta and the UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) – include a unique learning animation especially designed for young children. See www.childnet.com/kia to view the full version of these resources.
The resources comes as a response to the recommendations made in the government-commissioned report by Tanya Byron who called for greater effort on the part of schools and government to educate and support young people in using the internet and digital technologies.
Baroness Delyth Morgan, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Children, Young People and Families said:
“The government is absolutely committed to the safeguarding of all children and this includes the online environment. I am delighted to see that primary teachers will be fully supported through this excellent resource and that the results of Dr Tanya Byron’s review are coming to fruition. It is an notable example of collaboration”.
According to Ofcom, children as young as eight now use social networking services and mobile phones, so providing education and training in internet safety at a younger age has never been more important.
At the launch event, Professor Tanya Byron will welcome the launch of the Know It All for Primary Teachers resource; she will discuss the benefits of technology and stress the pivotal role that teachers have to play in educating children about the risks.
Will Gardner, Childnet’s CEO says:
“Equipping children to use the internet and mobile phones safely is crucial and we need to do this at the time when children are first beginning to use these powerful tools. Supporting primary schools staff is therefore vital and we believe that this new Know IT All for Primary resource which will be available free to primary schools will provide a much needed and highly valued resource.”
This resource is part of a set of award-winning ‘Know IT All’ resources including ‘Know IT All for Parents’ which Childnet has produced, sponsored by Becta.
Stephen Crowne, Becta’s CEO says:
“We want to see these resources used in all primary schools. Enabling the whole school workforce to provide a safe environment for the use of ICT is one of Becta’s key strategic aims. That’s why we are delighted to have partnered with Childnet again in developing the latest ‘Know IT All’ resource for Primary schools. This Award-winning series has been successful in equipping and educating parents, secondary school teachers and trainees with advice on how to keep children safe online and I’m delighted that this new primary school resource has been included with both resources for young students and advice for the whole school workforce”.
Graham Holley, Chief Executive of the TDA, says:
“The TDA is committed to the continuous professional development and training of the whole school workforce. As part of the Government’s commitment to E-safety we are delighted to work with Childnet, Becta and the new UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) to create the new ‘Know IT All’ resource for primary schools. ‘Know IT All’ is available to every teacher in England. It offers support in understanding e-safety issues in teaching and learning and includes a powerful learning resource for young students.”
This new resource also includes a rich 3D animation called ‘Captain Kara and Winston’s SMART Adventure’ produced especially for young children just starting out in using new technology. It can be used in an assembly or classroom setting. Presented as 5 separate chapters the SMART Adventure illustrates Childnet’s SMART rules and includes a real life SMART Crew of young people who guide the cartoon characters in their quest and help them make smart online decisions.
‘Know IT All’ for Primary Schools is available (in CD ROM format) to all Primary schools* and also on the Childnet website at
www.childnet.com/kia.
*Know IT All for Primary is available free of charge for maintained schools in England. To order, ring 08456022260 and quote reference 00321-2009CDO-EN.
For more information, please contact:
Will Gardner, CEO, Childnet International 0207 6396967
