Amherst Primary School

Online Safety

As a school, we oversee and monitor the safe use of technology when children are in our care and take action immediately if we are concerned about any online safety concerns. We ensure that all staff receive appropriate online safety training that is relevant and regularly updated. We ensure there are mechanisms in place to support children, parents and staff facing online safety issues and implement online safety policies and acceptable use policies, which are clear, understood and respected by all.

We aim to educate children, parents and the school community to build knowledge, skills and capability in online safety. Pupils should never be left unattended whilst online and teachers should ensure that this does not happen. If teachers know of any misuse, either by a child or a teacher / staff member or other adult, the issue should be reported to one of our safeguarding leads without delay.

Further information and guidance can be accessed by using the link below:

Mobile Phones

In general, Amherst Primary School does not encourage mobile phones to be brought into school. However, we do understand there may be circumstances where this might be necessary, and a child may need to bring a phone to school – but this should be the exception, rather than the rule.

Should this be the case, there is clear guidance within our school mobile phone policy of how this could happen, along with our expectations of how children's phones will be managed in school.

Please use the link below:

Should your child have a mobile phone, tablet or access to certain apps, below is some guidance about particular ones popular with children, as well as some websites that are useful to parents to ensure children are safe whilst online.

1. Internet Matters is a website with very useful advice about setting parental controls on devices as well as guidance and supportive information. Some are included below:

Click on the link for a WhatsApp safety Guide

Click on the link for advice about how to set up devices safely

2. CEOP Parents offers great advice to keep children safe whilst using the internet

3. CEOP Home Safety Activities provides useful videos and advice about keeping children safe online

4. UK Safer Internet Centre gives lots of E-safety tips, advice and resources.

5. NSPCC Online Safety gives very helpful and useful advice and tools to help keep children safe when they go online.