Online Safety
"Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe. This includes staying safe online and understanding what safe and healthy relationships look like."
Ofsted, November 2022
At Springcroft, Online Safety is a top priority. We have robust security systems in place, monitored both internally and externally, to help protect pupils from inappropriate content and potential online dangers while using school devices.
From Reception onwards, children are taught how to stay safe online, embedded into our curriculum and revisited regularly. Our Online Safety Leads are Mr Rowley and Mr Drew (also our Designated Safeguarding Lead). All staff contribute through lessons, events and interactive activities, and displays around school reinforce safe online behaviour. Children know their internet use in school is monitored to keep them safe.
We follow the SMART Rules
If you'd like to share any information or need further support, please contact your child's class teacher. Your help is still needed to prevent children accessing inappropriate material at home, via filters and parental controls — the resources below are organised by age and topic to help.
In partnership with the NSPCC
NSPCC Learning's Speak Out Stay Safe programme gives children the knowledge to stay safe from abuse and neglect, including supplementary lesson plans for pupils with additional needs.
Speak Out Stay Safe resourcesNew legal protections
The Online Safety Act 2023
Since July 2025, platforms likely to be used by children have had a legal duty to protect them — using highly effective age checks to keep under-18s away from pornography, filtering harmful content out of children's feeds and recommendations, and giving children clear, easy ways to report problems. It's a genuinely significant change, regulated by Ofcom, and worth knowing about even if it doesn't remove the need for the parental controls and conversations covered below.
Online Safety Act explainer (gov.uk)For parents of younger children (Reception–Year 2, ages 4–7)
For parents of older children (Year 3–6, ages 8–11)
Online Safety 'how to' videos
Short instructional videos from Knowsley on parental controls, gaming safety, group chats, and scams.
AI and online safety
Robin Hood Multi Academy Trust's AI Highway Code explains how AI works and how to prompt it well. Childnet's resource on AI misuse covers generative AI "nudification" — aimed at ages 13–17 but adaptable for Year 6. If you're ever concerned about an image of your child, Report Remove lets under-18s confidentially report and remove nude or sexual images.
Setting up parental controls and filters
Online financial harms
The PSHE Association's Online Financial Harms Lesson Pack helps protect pupils from online financial harms and safeguarding risks, with lesson plans from Key Stage 2.
Online Financial Harms Lesson PackSEND and additional needs
The NSPCC's Speak Out Stay Safe programme above includes supplementary lesson plans for pupils with additional needs.
UK Safer Internet Centre: SEND guidanceReporting a concern / getting help
Speak to your child's class teacher, or contact Mr Rowley or Mr Drew directly.
Body safety and mobile phones in school
What parents need to know about... (app and platform guides)
One-page guides to the apps, games and platforms children use most.
Marvel Rivals WhatsApp Bluesky Instagram Roblox OmeTV Minecraft Violent content online Emojis Nintendo Switch Apple iPads Telegram Managing stress online Conspiracy theories Snapchat EA Sports FC 26 Memes Fortnite AI generated videos Tracking devices