Online Safety

Online Safety/Social Media

Although Westside teaches students e-safety, it is vital that parents are aware of the risks too, and what they can do to develop a culture of e-safety in the home.

Below are some helpful resources for parents/carers that will enable you to help your child stay safe online

The online world is becoming vaster, with young people using social media sites and the Internet to explore opportunities for learning and creativity. While the Internet is a great resource, as always, there are risks and dangers that every student should be aware of to help protect themselves and stay safe online. Westside teaches e-safety via our PSHCE curriculum, but you may also find the resources below useful.

Keeping your child safe online - A checklist for parents and carers

Cyberbullying - what it is and what to do about it

Accessing inappropriate websites 

Online grooming - the risks children face online

A wealth of additional information on the Think You Know website, which was created by the police for parents of children at secondary school. It contains valuable information about what children are doing online:

  • How to talk to children about what they are doing online
  • What risks might your child face
  • What tools are there to help them stay safe?

Although Westside teaches students e-safety, it is vital that parents are aware of the risks too, and what they can do to develop a culture of e-safety in the home. If you need further advice, please get in touch with our safeguarding team or your child's Head of Year.

We know some parents feel confused by the Internet. It’s constantly changing, and keeping up with the latest apps and trends can be hard.

The NSPCC has put together this guide to reassure you and give you the information and advice you’ll need to keep your child safe online. The Internet is an amazing place, so we want to help your child get the most out of it and do that safely.

The guidance is actually really simple - it’s all about talking to your child, getting the family involved. A parents’ guide to being Share Aware

It's never easy to know how to keep our children safe when they aren't with us, and sometimes even when are, if we don't know what's happening on their devices. Who are they talking to, what are they doing, are they okay? If you need help to find some answers, the following link PARENTSAFE: Keeping your children safe: online & beyond

Monitoring online activity within Westside

We monitor students' use of the internet by using filters and monitoring systems. Smoothwall is monitoring software that can monitor a wide range of devices. It monitors against an inbuilt library of keywords and phrases organised into categories with each one given a default severity rating.

The software programme monitors both online and offline material and recognises inappropriate or harmful content, words and phrases.

Once the system detects inappropriate usage, it shares this information with the DSL, allowing Westside to implement further actions or interventions as needed.

Social Media 101

Please see this document for risks and tips when it comes to social media use.