The safety of our children in all aspects of their life is taken very seriously at Concordia Academy. Within that remit, we are committed to educating our young people to be safe internet users and in supporting parents/carers with this very important skill at home too. Concordia Academy have created an E-Safety Checklist. Please click here to access this document.

In school, we have an internet safety code of conduct that all students and staff are expected to adhere to. We have strong and constantly updated filters in place to protect and govern internet use. The most effective way to support our children to develop internet safe skills is to be aware of the dangers ourselves. Please use the links below to find out more about how to protect and educate your children to use the internet safely.

Please remember that Social Media Sites (e.g. Facebook, You Tube, Twitter, Instagram etc.) have a minimum age requirement of 13+ in their terms and conditions.  Also, WhatsApp and other internet based messaging services can only be used by 16 year olds and over.

How to Deal with Concerns

If at any point you have concerns about your child’s safety online then please report it to CEOP (a police led online crime and safety service) using this link:

CEOP always recommend the following:

  • If you need urgent help, i.e. your child is in immediate danger such as meeting a stranger they have met online, then call 999
  • Don’t delete any emails, images or conversations related to this report
  • Don’t contact the suspect yourself. Let us do the detective work.

Most sites will have their own report buttons or a facility to block people and pages that may cause concern.

Advice for Parents and Carers with Children Aged 0 to 7

When it comes to children and technology, parents and carers have long been asking the same question:

How much screen time is OK for my child?
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) have produced guidance for screen time use of under-18s. Following research into this area, they have advised that no set amount of time is necessary to adhere to but that devices should not replace sleep, exercise or family time. They advise that devices should be avoided in the hour before bed to promote healthy sleep and have provided the following checklist to help parents and carers make decisions about their family’s screen time use:

Is your family’s screen time under control?
Does screen use interfere with what your family want to do?
Does screen use interfere with sleep?
Are you able to control snacking during screen time?
Dr Russel Viner, President of the RCPCH comments on screen time, stating that,

“One size doesn’t fit all, parents need to think about what’s useful and helpful for their child.”
“Parents should consider their own use of screens, if screen time is controlled in their family, and if excessive use is affecting their child’s development and everyday life.”
Trying to actively count or keep track of screen time hours can be problematic and raise anxiety levels unnecessarily. Instead, forming a family media plan that takes into account screen time, when and where devices are accessible and what content can be accessed will be beneficial for the whole family.
Childnet family agreement could help you to start this plan and create family guidelines for using tech.

Childnet has lots of Top Tips to get you started along with some very useful resources.

Please click here to download a free guide for parents and carers regarding young children and screen time