E-Safety

At Embrace Multi Academy Trust, we take a holistic approach to online safety. By combining the use of the latest technology with the education of young people in how to use online platforms responsibly, we aim to ensure that all pupils are safe in school and equipped with the knowledge and skills to navigate the online world confidently and safely outside of school.

Our school internet connections are filtered using the cloud-based Securly platform, which ensures that internet access is both filtered and monitored across all devices.

In addition, pupil activity on school devices is monitored through Classroom.Cloud by Netsupport, one of the leading safeguarding and monitoring solutions. This software helps staff to proactively identify areas of concern and safeguard student welfare at all times. Alerts notify staff immediately if a pupil appears to be at risk, allowing our Online Response Team and Designated Safeguarding Leads to respond quickly and provide the necessary support.

Online safety is also a key part of our curriculum. It is taught directly through subjects such as IT and PSHCE, while also being reinforced across all curriculum areas as a regular point of discussion. This ensures that online safety becomes embedded into everyday learning and behaviour.

On occasion, your child may receive electronic communication from staff via school email or through one of the approved online learning platforms used at Brockington College. A comprehensive list of these platforms is available on our Student Portal

From time to time, staff members may need to contact your child electronically through their school email or one of the approved online learning platforms. This is always for educational or organisational purposes. Staff who may contact your child include:

Teaching staff for the classes and subjects they are enrolled in
Teaching assistants providing additional learning support
Members of the Senior Leadership Team
The IT team if technical support is needed
Club or trip leaders sharing information or reminders about upcoming events
The Exams Officer regarding examinations or results

If you ever have any concerns about electronic communication on these platforms, please contact us straight away at admin@brockington.embracemat.org

Social Media (and how to protect your child)

Providing an up-to date, always relevant list of privacy settings isn’t possible due to the vast array of social media services available and the frequent changes in how to access and edit privacy settings.

Therefore, we have collated some useful videos (to the right) which go someway to explaining what the services do, the dangers they pose, and how to make them as secure as possible.

Hopefully these guides will allow you to make an informed decision on whether the service is suitable for your child, as well as how to secure it as best as possible.

Jargon Buster

Please click on the links below to decode the jargon and find out more about some of the risks you and your child face online today:

Reporting (Students)

Tell an Adult

If you are unsure or concerned about something you have seen online it is vital you tell an adult. This could be your parents; an adult or friend you trust; Childline (0800 1111); or, if you are a pupil at the college, it could be your Form Tutor, Pastoral Manager or Head of Year. You can use a Voice It form or click on the ‘Report Content’ icon on your school desktop to notify the IT Team.

Cyberbullying

If you are experiencing cyberbullying of any kind you must speak to someone so we can put an end to it as soon as possible. Please either speak to your form tutor, a member of the pastoral team, or an adult you trust. Together, we can help put a stop to it.

Sexting

Worried about an image you’ve sent of yourself, or have received?

It’s very normal to send an image or ‘sext’ and wish you hadn’t. Sometimes we get caught up in the moment or assume that everything will be fine, and sometimes it isn’t. You might feel ashamed, guilty or anxious which is very normal, however please remember that you’re not alone – many young people have been in a similar situation. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make things better and ensure it doesn’t happen again.

The first thing to do is to speak with the person you sent the image to. Most of the time, they will be understanding if you simply ask them to delete the message or image. We can’t control what others will do with an image but with talking to them as soon as possible, it can help to make sure that they don’t pass it on.

If you feel there is an adult you trust (such as a parent/carer) that you can talk to about what’s happened, it would be a good idea to. It may also be a good idea to let your form tutor and/or pastoral know, as we can help support you at school. We won’t judge you, but we understand it’s important you feel comfortable talking about what’s happened. If you’d rather not speak face to face, please email the pastoral team using the Voice It form.

Please take a look at this helpful page from BullyingUK for more advice on what to do if you’ve sent a sext.

Inappropiate or Illegal Content

Report it via CEOP. The Child Exploitation & Online Protection Group are setup to protect children from harm online and offline, with particular focus on bringing online child sex offenders, including those involved in the production, distribution and viewing of child abuse material, to the UK courts. If you would like more information, or to report something you have seen online, please click here.

And remember, if you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call 999.

Useful Links & Resources

Please check out the links below for useful resources and information regarding online safety:

This is the latest student version of the Acceptable Use Policy that all students sign at the beginning of Year 7. It covers all areas of acceptable computer use and is designed to ensure correct and safe use of the school facilities.

Not-for-profit organisation that has a simple purpose – to empower parents and carers to keep children safe in the digital world. Many FREE parental guides and tips.

An E-Safety information website brought to you by the team at CEOP, targeted at both students and parents/carers, with up to the minute guidance and advice on how to stay safe online.

Parent Zone are the experts in digital family life. They provide support and information to parents, children and schools, working globally to help families to navigate the internet safely and confidently. Parent Zone work with parents, schools, governments and businesses to study, understand and address the impact of emerging technologies on young people.

Regularly updated website with videos and advice on the latest social media platforms that your son/daughter may be using. In particular the ‘Popular App Guide‘ gives a quick glance view on which sites pose more of a risk than others. If you bookmark just one page (other than ours!) make sure it’s this.