Today is ‘Safer Internet Day’, which aims to raise awareness of the risks and dangers associated with careless or unsupervised use of the Internet in education. In 2008, an independent review of internet safety - the Byron Report - highlighted the risks children face on the internet, such as exposure to explicit content, cyber-bullying, inappropriate use of social media networks, and fraud. This report has been one of the key drivers for awareness in schools, and has led to a recent announcement from the Department for Children, Schools and Families, stating that E-safety lessons will become a formal part of the curriculum for all students from September 2011. They are already part of the secondary curriculum but, in a move that reflects the increasing amount of time that young learners spend on the computer, teaching primary school children about staying safe online will also be compulsory. Lessons will cover all aspects of internet safety, including how to deal with privacy in digital environments, especially in relation to social networks and forums such as Facebook and Twitter.
For more information on the Byron Report and ideas on how you can implement Internet safety lessons, click here or email us at learning@Jigsaw24.com.