E-Safety
E-Safety at CPA
At ContinU Plus Academy, eSafety is a fundamental part of our safeguarding responsibility. In line with current statutory guidance, Keeping Children Safe in Education, Government guidance and Ofsted’s inspection framework, we are committed not only to protecting students from harmful online content, but also to educating them to use technology safely, responsibly and confidently. We recognise that online safety is a key aspect of students’ overall wellbeing, and we take a whole-school approach to ensuring that all members of our community understand how to stay safe in an increasingly digital world.
Our approach includes robust filtering and monitoring systems, clear policies and procedures, and regular staff training to ensure that risks are identified and addressed promptly. Our systems track user activity, including keystrokes, across school devices, and categorise and flag potential concerns in real time, ensuring that safeguarding alerts are immediately brought to the attention of senior staff for swift action.
We provide dedicated curriculum opportunities to learn about eSafety. Our SMSC curriculum has an safety focus and is taught to all students daily. Whilst this covers all aspects we also have standalone Skills Days where the usual timetable is suspended to focus on key themes that are particularly relevant to our setting and this year that has included a focus on eSafety.
In line with current government expectations, all students are required to hand in their mobile phones for the duration of the school day on arrival. Devices are stored securely in individual pouches and returned at the end of the day. This approach supports our efforts to reduce issues linked to social media, including online conflict and bullying, while also promoting greater engagement in learning by removing the distraction of mobile phones.
We are very proud of the student help button on our website, enabling students to contact members of the Senior Leadership Team at any time—day or night, including during holidays—if they feel unsafe or require urgent support. In line with Ofsted expectations, we promote an open culture where students feel confident to report concerns and know that they will be supported effectively. We encourage our students and their families to report any concerns they have to any trusted member of staff who will record and report the concern to our DSL.
Along with our student help button we would like to share the information below including links to some leading websites that may be able to support further.
CEOP is the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre, it contains resources and advice for
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5 to 7
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8 to 10
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11 to 13 year olds
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young people 14+
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parents and carers
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teachers
https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/parents/
CEOP stands for the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command. They are part of the police who investigate and deal with cases of online grooming. Their Child Protection Advisors are fully trained to offer support and guidance to any young people who are worried about online grooming. You can find more information and contact CEOP directly on their website ThinkUKnow.
If you are concerned about anything your child sees or hears online we encourage you to report your concerns to CEOP by clicking on the button at the top of their page. Once you have completed the form it is likely that one of their officers will get in touch with you soon after.
The UK Safer Internet Centre website contains online safety advice, tips and resources for young people, parents and carers, and teachers and professionals.
https://www.saferinternet.org.uk
As a parent it is important to understand the risks so that you can talk to your child about how to stay safe and what to do if they ever feel scared or uncomfortable. From setting up parental controls to advice on sexting, online games and video apps, the NSPCC can help you to understand the risks and keep your child safe.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety
Childnet’s mission is to work in partnership with others around the world to help make the internet a great and safe place for children.
Messages of hate can take many forms. Extremist groups use them to recruit young people. Families can find answers to common questions and resources to help protect your child / children.
