Internet Safety

At Hilden Oaks, children use ICT on a regular basis as part of their learning. We teach the children how to use the internet safely, reminding them regularly how to stay safe online.

E-safety in the home

Outside school, children have access to the internet though home computers, mobile phones and game consoles and it is important that we give them the tools and understanding to stay safe. We have to be realistic; banning internet use at home is not practical and net-nanny type software only blocks websites accessed through a computer or laptop.

We have produced a leaflet containing advice on e-Safety for Parents and Carers

Social Networking and Personal Information

Many social networking websites, such as facebook, have a minimum age limit of 13 for registration; this means our pupils should not be using them. Children that lie about their age to register on these sites are exposing themselves to content that is not appropriate for their age and risk people treating them as if they are older.

For those who are old enough to register, working out how to get your privacy settings right can be difficult. Click on the image below to see our step-by-step guide on how to restrict what other people can see about you on facebook.

	This document changes at regular intervals as facebook change their system, please check back from time-to-time to see if you need to revisit your settings. Please note that the settings in this document are the minimum recommended; you may choose to increase any or all of them
Click on the image to download the guide (last update September 2011)

Employers and colleges are now routinely checking the online profiles of their staff and students and of those called for interview. Information on the internet is 'in the public domain'; you cannot guarantee it will be kept private and it can never be completely deleted. Be cautious about what you post; your photos and choice of email address may present you in an unflattering light.

What can you do?

Computers and phones:

• Create a separate user Account (logon) on the family’s computer(s) for your child with Limited privileges. This will help to reduce the risk of spyware and viruses being installed covertly as the limited access has no installation privileges.
• If your child has their own computer, set it up in this way too. Have a password protected adult account with full control over the PC and let them use the limited account.
• Ensure you have good firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware and parental control software installed. Update them and allow them to fully scan regularly (at least weekly)
• Ensure software updates such as Windows or Microsoft Update are allowed to download and install automatically.
• Set up Strict Safe Search in Google Search Settings. It’s about half way down the page; use the link under it to Lock Safe Search, so it cannot be removed.
• Investigate whether your child’s mobile phone provider has filtering software/settings that you can enable.

Work with your child:

• Investigate internet safety websites together; there are some links at the bottom of this page.
• Don’t be intimidated by the technology; keep talking to your child about their online life.
• Encourage your child to be open with you about their worries... It is important that they know what to do if something concerns them and that they tell someone as soon as possible.
• Ask your child to show you the websites they use and help you to create an account if appropriate.
• Privacy is a key issue online, so remind your child to keep their personal information private. Help each other to get privacy settings right.
• Lead by example – show concern for your own privacy and explain the reasons why you are protecting your information and pictures.
• Create strong passwords that aren’t easy to guess, containing a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. Help your child to do the same.
• Be ‘friends’ with your child on social networking sites…keep an eye on what is happening.
• Don’t ‘collect’ friends. Internet friends should be real friends, not acquaintances. Would you share the information and pictures with them at home? Why do it on the internet?
• Let your child use you as an excuse to be safe if they need to… saving face with their peers by blaming Mum may give the child space to do what is right.

Internet Safety Links

There are many websites that provide information and help on e-Safety. We maintain a list of useful links on Delicious.com/hildenoaks

• BBC Online Safety Guide
• CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) - The report button can be found in the bottom right corner of every page on this website.
• CBBC StaySafe - has excellent materials to use with your family
• Google Family Safety Centre has tips and advice, including help on how to set up the Google safety tools.
• Hector's World - e-Safety materials on the theme of Hector the Dolphin. The Hector Safety Button, used at Hilden Oaks, can be downloaded free for home use here
• eSafety in Kent - information for families from Kent County Council. Their leaflet for primary age children is here: Children, ICT & e-Safety
• Kidsmart  - has more materials for use with your family. We display their Be Smart Poster in our classrooms; perhaps it could be displayed near your home computer.
• ThinkUKnow contains materials for children of different age groups, for parents and for teachers.