Online Safety
The online world is posing an ever-increasing risk to children, and it is important that schools, parents and carers work together to take an active role in teaching children about online dangers. Learning how to act safely when using the internet is an incredibly important part of safeguarding our children, even more so with remote learning.
We delighted to announce that Bettridge School have shown our commitment to protecting our pupils online by working with National Online Safety- providing resources & information for all parents and carers.
The resources cover a huge range of topics, including:
- Online Relationships
- Fake Profiles & Social Bots
- Online Bullying
- Online Grooming
- Child Sexual Exploitation
- Sexual Harassment & Violence
- Sexting
- Live Streaming
- Online Identity
- Screen Addiction
- Online Challenges
- Overspending
- Social Media Platforms
- Online Gambling
- Radicalisation, Terrorism & Extremism
- Age Inappropriate Content
- Copyright & Ownership
- Hacking
- Fake News
- Online Fraud
- Online Reputation
- Personal Data
- Pornography
- Targeted Adverts & Pop-Ups
- The Dark Web
- Games & Trends
If you ever need any help, or have any question, please contact our IT Manager.
Email: its@bettridge.gloucs.sch.uk
NGL
NGL is another of those ‘bolt-on’ apps which is designed to work alongside a major social media network. In this instance, the ‘host’ platforms are Instagram and Twitter – with NGL (meaning, as you may have surmised, ‘Not Gonna Lie’) inviting a user’s friends and followers to ask them questions anonymously. An intriguing novelty, perhaps – but also not without risk.
Stay Safe on New Devices
Whether you’re an internet newbie or a pro at surfing the web, it’s always important to keep online safety in mind. We’ve pulled together a list of top tips to make it easier for you to protect yourself and your devices in the digital world – helping you steer clear of hazards like misleading information and vicious viruses. There’s never a bad time to refresh your internet safety knowledge, but it’s an especially smart thing to do before you start using any shiny new devices!
BeReal
BeReal is the latest trending social media app. The concept is that people see others in their authentic day-to-day lives, sharing candid photos without editing or applying filters. Each day at a random time, users are simultaneously notified to take a photo of what they’re doing at that exact moment. The two-minute window to submit an image means there’s no time to select a particularly glamorous or exciting activity. BeReal shares two pictures: a selfie, and an image of the immediate surroundings. Users can only view and react to their friends’ photos once they upload their own.
Roblox
Roblox is one of the most popular video games on the market. By 2020, the game’s makers were claiming that more than half of children in the USA play it. As a ‘sandbox’ title, Roblox offers a huge amount of creative freedom: it lets players create their own gaming experiences with the Roblox Studio to build custom levels and games, which can then be shared with other players online. Roblox fosters creative thinking and enjoys a robust online community of fans.
Minecraft
Minecraft is a beloved classic of modern gaming. First released in 2011, this open-ended ‘sandbox’ game of building and exploration still has over 140 million players who happily return to play it at least once every month. Minecraft has also been utilised for much more than just entertainment: it’s sometimes used in schools to teach children coding, and it’s also employed as a tool for computer-aided design, which is another valuable skill. Encouraging creativity and problem solving, Minecraft has plenty to offer gamers of all ages, and it’s available on almost all video game platforms.