How to protect your child online...
The online world is integral to how children stay in touch with their friends, and access to the internet is now available like never before. However, there are inherent risks associated with new technologies and it is essential for young people and their parents / carers to understand how to reduce these risks.
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre is the UK’s national child protection agency (visit www.ceop.police.uk for more information). At CEOP, we believe the start of the new school year is the perfect time to speak to your child about how they use the internet and how they can stay safe online.
For more information please click here to be re-directed to a letter from CEOP
Facebook information
As you may have seen in the press recently, Facebook and the CEOP Centre have joined forces to make young people safer online by launching the new ‘ClickCEOP’ application.
All users of Facebook and their parents – are invited to add the new ClickCEOP ‘app’ to their profile. Through this app, they will be able to access advice, help and support from the CEOP Centre. Crucially, young people will be able to report instances of suspected grooming or inappropriate sexual behaviour directly from their profile to specially trained investigators.
Once added to their profiles, young users will receive regular messages from CEOP and its partner organisations who operate ‘behind the button’ to make children safer. CEOP’s new Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ClickCEOP) will also contain polls, news alerts and status updates. The page will look at topics that teenagers care about, such as celebrities, music and exams and will link these subjects to questions about online safety.
Users can either add or bookmark the ‘app’ so it appears on their profile, as not only a constant source of help and reassurance for them but also as a strong visual signal to their friends, family and others that they are in control online.
The move is also being supported by an advertising campaign on Facebook that will encourage take up. This will include an automatic advert appearing on every profile of users aged between 13-18 years inviting them to add the app.
Facebook is a major influence on girls, says survey
According to Facebook's own policy, children should not register to use the website until they are aged 13. You can find further information here.
Dear Parents
As a parent of 3 children aged from 11 to 19 I am very concerned about the impact of computer and mobile phone use on my own daughters’ academic progress. I have shown this research to my own daughter in y10 and she has disabled her facebook account! Over the summer she had become completely obsessed with checking the comments on her facebook and she realised that she would never get any work done. This research was enough to convince her! I hope that you will look at the research and feel empowered to lay down some ground rules that will help your daughter to focus on her studies. If you would like any advice or guidance please contact our staff.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8256490.stm
Regards
Julie Hazeldine
Head Teacher
Mephedrone
Dear Parents
We have all been made aware recently on the news of the fatal effects of mephedrone. I hope the following information will be of use to you.
Mephedrone is also known as MCAT, 4MMC, meow meow and bubbles. The drug has similar effects to amphetamines and ecstasy. It typically comes in the form of a white powder. Whilst it is considered to be illegal to sell, supply or advertise it for human consumption, it is not currently classified as an illegal drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Parents can access the latest information via the Talk to FRANK website – (www.talktofrank.com)
If we can support further, please contact us in school.