Online safety is an extremely important part of both our Computing curriculum and our PSHE curriculum. The internet is now an integral part of lives. In particular, it can enable fantastic learning to take place. However, there are many pit-falls to this constant use of the internet. Our children need to learn the ‘rules’ for being online – just as they learn the rules for crossing the road safely.

The 4Cs Framework of Online Safety was introduced by the statutory guidance for schools in England, Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE). This framework categorises online safety risks into four groups: Content, Contact, Conduct and Commerce.

• Content: Exposure to age-inappropriate, harmful, or illegal material, such as pornography, self-harm promotion, fake news, or extremist views. Schools manage this via web filtering and digital literacy. 

• Contact: Risks from interactions with other users, including adult grooming, peer pressure, or harmful contacts disguised as peers. Schools teach safe communication and warning signs. 

• Conduct: Online behaviour that causes harm, such as cyberbullying, sharing inappropriate images, or abusive messaging under anonymity. Schools focus on respectful digital citizenship and ethics. 

• Commerce (or Contract): Financial and data risks, including online scams, phishing, gambling, unexpected in-app purchases, and the commercial exploitation of a child's personal data. 

For further guidance, consult the NSPCC Learning Online Safety Hub

At the end of every new unit, the children learn about a new aspect of staying safe online and should be fully prepared to understand the potential and the risks involved with working, playing and communicating online. At the end of the year, each phase will learn a specific aspect of online safety, which is contextualised to the patterns and needs of the cohort.

Our children and parents are encouraged to report concerns to a member of staff or a trusted adult at home. Where this is not possible, additional support can be accessed online via:

• Childline: www.childline.org.uk
• UK Safer Internet Centre’s ‘Report Harmful Content’: https://reportharmfulcontent.com
• National Crime Agency Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (NCA-CEOP): www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre

​As a school we work closely in conjunction with the Northamptonshire Safeguarding Children Board (NSCB), The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) and www.childnet.com to help provide our students, staff and parents with the best guidance possible.

CEOP have set up a website www.thinkuknow.co.uk, to offer help about children using the internet safely. Advice also includes how to deal with cyberbullying, grooming, inappropriate websites, losing control over pictures and videos and hacking, viruses and security.​ Recently they have published 15 home activity packs that contain simple 15 minute activities you can do with your family to support their online safety at home.

https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/professionals/

For more useful advice for parents check out:

www.commonsensemedia.org​

Common Sense Media improves the lives of kids and families by providing independent reviews, age ratings, & other information about all types of media.​

If you would like any further advice or guidance please just ask at the school office or contact us through our website.

Latest Government directions relating to teaching Online Safety in Schools

The UK government has introduced major legal and structural changes to online safety for schools, driven primarily by the rollout of the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2026 statutory guidance and sweeping new legislative proposals. 

The latest updates affecting schools and digital safety are detailed below.

Statutory School Safeguarding (KCSIE 2026)

Effective September 1, 2026, the Department for Education (DfE) updated its statutory safeguarding guidance, shifting online safety from a tech-department issue into a core leadership safeguarding responsibility:

• Generative AI & Deepfakes: Schools must explicitly address risks involving student interaction with generative AI, including exposure to sexually explicit AI chatbots, deepfakes, and automated harmful interactions. 

• Mandatory Filtering & Monitoring Reviews: Governing bodies are now legally required to review, test, and document the effectiveness of their IT filtering and monitoring systems at least once every academic year. 

• Cyber Security Integration: Cyber security is now formally treated as a safeguarding issue, meaning a network breach or data hack must be evaluated for child safety risks.