Online Safety

Our Approach

At Lime Tree Primary School, we recognise that online safety is a key part of safeguarding, which includes protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online. The Key Leaders

We teach pupils how to use the internet safely, responsibly and respectfully. Through our curriculum, children learn how to:

Stay safe online
Protect their personal information
Recognise potential risks
Act responsibly in digital environments

We also promote critical thinking, helping pupils to question what they see online and make informed decisions.

Children at Lime Tree Primary use the internet regularly as part of their computing and PSHE lessons; each child has access to a Chromebook. We have regular online safety activities to remind children of the importance of keeping themselves safe online.

How We Keep Children Safe

We consider four key areas of online safety risks:

Content: being exposed to illegal, inappropriate or harmful content
Contact: being subjected to harmful online interaction with other users
Conduct: online behaviour that increases the likelihood of, or causes, harm
Commerce: risks such as online gambling or phishing/financial scams The Key Leaders

Our school has appropriate filtering and monitoring systems in place on all school devices and networks. We enable safe search on search engines and make sure that any devices brought into school have adequate filtering and monitoring measures. The Key Leaders

All staff are aware that children can abuse other children online in the form of cyber-bullying, online sexual harassment, consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos, and upskirting. The Key Leaders We take action to prevent online child-on-child abuse and ensure all staff understand how to respond appropriately.

Supporting Your Child at Home

Parents and carers play a vital role in supporting children to stay safe online. We encourage families to:

Talk and Engage

Talk regularly with your child about online activity – Be a part of their online life; involve the whole family and show an interest. Find out what sites they visit and what they love about them. If they know you understand, they are more likely to come to you if they have any problems.
Watch online safety resources together – Thinkuknow offers materials for parents, teachers and pupils on a wide range of online safety issues.

Set Boundaries

Set clear expectations for safe and responsible use – Think about what they might see, what they share, who they talk to and how long they spend online. It is important to discuss boundaries at a young age.
Keep devices in family spaces – For primary-aged children, it is important to keep internet use in family areas so you can see the sites your child is using and be there for them if they stumble across something they don't want to see.

Use Controls and Monitoring

Use parental controls and privacy settings – Parental controls are not just about locking and blocking; they are a tool to help you set appropriate boundaries as your child grows and develops.
Monitor use of devices and social media platforms – Make sure you're aware of which devices your child uses that connect to the internet, such as their phone or games console. Also, find out how they are accessing the internet.

Practical Tools for Parents

Making sure you are aware of what your child is accessing online is vital. These tools help you keep your child safe:

Apple Screen Time – Access real-time reports showing how much time has been spent on devices and set limits for what you want to manage.
Google Family Link – Set screen time limits, filter content, and better understand how your family spends time online.

Step-by-step guides to Setting Up Parental Controls:

Internet Matters: Parental Controls Guide – Shows you how to set parental controls on all major devices and platforms.
Parents Safe LGfL – The London Grid for Learning online safety page is full of useful advice for parents and carers.

Important Age Restrictions

Many social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp have a minimum age limit of 13, so primary-aged pupils should NOT be using them.

WhatsApp – Not for Primary-Aged Pupils

There continues to be a worrying national rise in the number of primary-aged pupils using WhatsApp. Please be aware that WhatsApp is rated as 13+.

The main reason that WhatsApp is rated 13+ is because you cannot stop complete strangers contacting your child. Ultimately, the question we need to ask ourselves is: are you happy with the idea that anyone can contact your child directly?

Whilst we know that many parents and carers face an uphill battle as pupils gain access to devices and want to stay in contact with friends, one strong alternative is Messenger Kids. By contrast to WhatsApp, Messenger Kids is:

Relatively safe
Operated through a parent's Facebook account
Free from adverts or in-app purchases
Gives the parent/carer almost complete control

Understanding Online Risks

Useful Resources

The Safer Schools Learning Hub
From TikTok to Minecraft, Safer Schools produce a huge number of shareable 'quick read' factsheets to empower parents and carers to keep children safe online.

NSPCC Online Safety
For further information about social media platforms, age restrictions, and online safety advice.

Internet Matters: Apps Guide for Parents
A guide to apps children commonly use and that may pose risks, as well as apps to support children's digital wellbeing.

Additional Resources

Top Tips Summary

✓ Encourage your child to explore age-appropriate sites that are fun and educational
✓ Keep up-to-date with your child's development online – as they learn more, so should you
✓ Know what connects to the internet and how – including TVs, games consoles and tablets
✓ Use parental controls on all devices that link to the internet
✓ Set boundaries in the online world just as you would in the real world

Need Support?

If you have any concerns about your child's online safety, please contact the school office and we will be happy to support you.

You can also view what your child will cover in our curriculum on our curriculum pages.

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