At Springfield CPS, we are committed to equipping our children with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to stay safe in an ever-changing digital world. Online safety is a key part of our safeguarding responsibilities and is embedded across our curriculum, pastoral care, and family support systems. We recognise that while technology offers exciting learning opportunities, it also presents risks that children must learn to manage, both in and out of school.
How We Teach Online Safety
Online safety is taught explicitly through our Computing and PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) curriculum, and revisited regularly throughout the year via:
- Whole-school and key stage assemblies
- Focus weeks such as Safer Internet Day
- Cross-curricular activities involving real-life online scenarios
- Discussions about kindness, responsibility, and making safe choices online
Topics include:
- Personal information and digital identity
- Password security and privacy settings
- Cyberbullying and respectful communication
- Gaming safely and age-appropriate content
- The impact of screen time and digital wellbeing
- Recognising fake news, scams, and suspicious links
Digital Devices and Gaming
Children increasingly access the internet through phones, tablets, smart TVs, and gaming consoles. We educate pupils on how to stay safe while gaming, including:
- Using appropriate privacy settings on platforms like Roblox, Fortnite, and Minecraft
- Knowing how to block or report other users
- Understanding PEGI age ratings and why they matter
- Avoiding in-game purchases and sharing financial details
We encourage families to:
- Set time limits on screen use
- Keep devices in shared family spaces
- Use child-friendly search engines and parental controls
- Talk openly about what children are doing online
Working in Partnership with Parents and Carers
We know that the best online safety outcomes happen when school and home work together. That’s why we provide regular support for families, including:
- Monthly Online Safety Newsletters – covering the latest trends, tips, and risks
- Parent workshops on key topics such as parental controls, social media, and screen time
- Access to step-by-step guides on setting up child-safe settings on devices and apps
- Recommendations for safe and educational websites, games, and apps
🔗 Online Safety Information can also be accessed at: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/
What to Do if You’re Worried
If your child sees or experiences something online that makes them feel uncomfortable, it’s important to act quickly. Encourage your child to:
- Tell a trusted adult straight away
- Use the report and block features on apps and websites
- Keep evidence (e.g. screenshots or messages)
- Never reply or engage with the person or content
You can also report concerns to:
- CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command): https://www.ceop.police.uk
- Childline: 0800 1111 or https://www.childline.org.uk
Safeguarding and Online Safety
Online safety is a key element of our whole-school safeguarding approach. Any concerns relating to harmful online content, peer-to-peer abuse, grooming, or digital threats will be taken seriously and dealt with in line with our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead is:
Mrs Lisette Wilson, 01282 437277
Email: l.wilson@springfieldcps.lancs.sch.uk
Deputy DSLs: Mr Jordan Coates (Pastoral) and Mrs Samaira Nasim (Headteacher)
Useful Online Safety Links for Families
- ThinkUKnow – Online safety activities and guidance (by CEOP)
- NSPCC Online Safety
- Internet Matters
- National Online Safety
Need support or advice?
Please speak to your child’s class teacher or contact our safeguarding team. We’re here to help keep every child safe online.
Are you worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating with you online?
Make a report to one of CEOP’s Child Protection Advisors
click on the following link. https://www.ceop.police.uk/Safety-Centre/
Talk to someone about online safety
Whether you want to set up parental controls, adjust privacy settings or get advice on social networks, experts from the free O2 & NSPCC helpline are here to help.
Call the following number: 0808 800 5002
Empowering Our Community: Online Safety Assembly with MP Oliver Ryan
In January 2025, we conducted an online safety assembly by partnering with our local MP, Oliver Ryan. The session was designed to raise awareness of the real-life risks children face online, while equipping parents and carers with up-to-date information to help keep their families safe.
The assembly, which was held in school, was attended by parents, staff, and governors and was also made accessible to a wider audience through a Facebook Live broadcast, helping us to reach families who were unable to attend in person.
Topics discussed included:
- Age restrictions on social media platforms (e.g. TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat) and gaming apps (e.g. Fortnite, Roblox)
- Phishing, scams, and cybercrime, including how children can be targeted and how to spot red flags
- The increasing sophistication of Fake News and disinformation – with a special focus on the impact of artificial intelligence, including deepfakes and AI-generated content
- Strategies for children and families to critically evaluate information online and report harmful content
The assembly was underpinned by national guidance (including DfE Online Safety advice) and tailored to the needs of our children, drawing on examples of real scenarios children at our school have encountered. Feedback from parents was extremely positive, with many commenting on how vital it is to have clear, relevant, and up-to-date information to help them support their children’s digital lives. Several noted that they had not been aware of the current age restrictions or the ways in which AI is now being used to manipulate information online.
To maximise the community impact of the assembly, we also collaborated with Calico, a local housing and community organisation. Still images and key slides from the PowerPoint presentation were sent to Calico, who agreed to distribute the resources to their network of over 10,000 homes across Burnley, significantly broadening the reach of our safeguarding message.
As a community-focused primary school, we believe safeguarding extends beyond the school gates. Our work in this area reflects our commitment to ensuring not just our children, but parents, carers, and the wider community, are equipped with the knowledge they need to stay safe in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
