Welcome To Our New Website!
Welcome To Our New Website!
St Mary’s RC School

Safeguarding and E-Safety

Safeguarding children is central to all we do at St Mary’s.

All staff are responsible for safeguarding but those with specific roles are:
  • Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL): Alan Frame
  • Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads: Becky Meateau & Michelle Nash
  • Nominated Governor with responsibility for safeguarding: Emma Fitzgerald
 
Our school’s Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy can be found on the school policies page.
A Parents’ Guide to Being Share Aware. More excellent advice from the NSPCC.
Our E Safety Champions are Mr Frame & Mrs Nash

Please see the following about live streaming and this post about the use of Snapchat map.
Operation Encompass is a police and education early intervention safeguarding partnership
CEOP Update: Live Streaming
 
Live streaming is increasingly becoming one of the most popular online activities for children and young people. Apps such as Musical.ly, Live.me, Periscope and YouNow are all soaring in popularity, which has seen other well established apps such as Facebook adding live streaming functions.

For resources to help you keep your children safe when they are online, and especially if they or their friends are live streaming, visit the CEOP website
Snapchat Map Location Warning
 
We are aware that some of our children may use the Snapchat app on their phones. If you know that your child is using Snapchat, please be sure to read and share this information with them:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-40509281

You can also read how to switch this feature of Snapchat to ghost mode (where the user’s location is not shared).

You should also be aware that the lower age restriction for using Snapchat is 13, and may wish to discuss this with your children. NSPCC netware Snapchat page: https://www.net-aware.org.uk/networks/snapchat/
Many parents and carers seek advice on how they can help their children to ‘Stay Safe’ online outside of school. These links provide help and support for parents and carers:
Advice for parents about the risks and opportunities within online media: Common Sense Media | Ask About Games

Many excellent leaflets and resources are available from childnet.

Thinkuknow – this is the Child Exploitation and Online Protection site and it is full of advice for parents as well as games and activities for children from 5 upwards.

Thinkuknow’s youTube channel has a range of excellent films offering advice and ideas.

You can find our school E-Safety Policy on the school policies page.
Parents Guide to Apps and Social Media
 
There are age ratings on many Apps and as well as games
 
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We are aware that there are pupil group chats in years 5 and 6 and urge you to regularly check your child's phone, add parental settings and limit screen time. Current research from the Sleep Foundation states that exposure to blue light in the hours leading up to bedtime can hinder sleep. Blue light suppresses the body's release of melatonin, a hormone that makes us feel drowsy. 

Blue Light should be avoided for two to three hours prior to sleep time.