E-Safety
Welcome to Our E-Safety Page
At Farington Primary School, we know that the digital world is a huge part of our children’s lives — and it’s full of fantastic opportunities and potential risks. Our goal is to support our children, parents, and carers in making sure that online time is safe, positive, and empowering. Here’s everything you need to know (and share) about e-safety.
Why E-Safety Matters
Children today interact with technology from a very young age: they play games, chat with friends, watch videos, create content, and more.
While the internet can be a wonderful learning tool, it also brings risks: exposure to unsuitable content, cyberbullying, inappropriate contact, and privacy issues.
It’s important for school and home to work together. By building awareness, setting clear boundaries, and keeping lines of communication open, we can help children navigate the online world safely.
Key Principles for Parents & Carers
Here are some guiding principles to help keep conversations and measures around online safety meaningful:
Talk Regularly
Make e-safety a normal, open conversation. Ask your child what they do online, what apps/sites they like, and whether anything ever worries them.
Use age-appropriate language, and start from a positive place — recognise how the internet is useful and fun, as well as risky.
Set Clear Together Rules
Agree on “family rules” about device use — when and where devices can be used, how long, and what apps are allowed.
Include guidance on personal information: what should not be shared, even with friends.
Make sure your child knows they can come to you if they see something upsetting or confusing.
Use Parental Controls and Safe Settings
Use built-in parental controls on devices (phones, tablets, consoles) to restrict age-inappropriate content.
On YouTube, turn on Safety Mode; on Google, use Safe Search for filtering explicit content.
Explore settings within popular apps to limit who can message your child, who can see their content, etc.
Monitor & Supervise – But Respect Their Independence
Keep devices in shared or common areas, rather than bedrooms, especially for younger children.
Encourage your child to use favourite/bookmarks list of “pre-approved” sites or apps.
Balance supervision with trust — as they get older, give them more autonomy, but keep the dialogue open.
Be Ready to Respond
Reassure your child that if something goes wrong (they see something upsetting, or someone contacts them), they will not be in trouble for talking to you.
Know how to report content or block users on apps.
Seek help if needed: talk to your child’s teacher, school e-safety lead, or use national resources like the NSPCC.
Specific Risks & Guidance: Popular Apps & Platforms
Here are some of the most common apps, risks, and tips for managing them in a primary school context:
TikTok
Age Limit: TikTok’s stated minimum age is 13.
Risks: algorithmic content recommendation, exposure to unsuitable videos, in-app messaging, live streaming.
What Parents Can Do:
Explore TikTok together: understand how “For You” / “Following” works.
Use privacy settings: set account to private, restrict who can message/comment.
Talk about how algorithms work and encourage critical thinking about what they watch.
YouTube
Use YouTube Kids for younger children, which offers parental control over content, time limits, and restricted search.
On regular YouTube, enable Restricted Mode / Safety Mode to filter potentially mature content.
Teach children to “pause and think”: not every video is real-life, and not everything shared is safe to imitate.
Gaming (e.g., Roblox, Minecraft)
In games like Roblox, chat features can let children communicate with others.
Use in-game parental controls/spoofing tools: many games allow parents to restrict who can chat or join.
Set time limits and talk about in-game purchases (microtransactions) in a way they understand.
Messaging Apps (WhatsApp, Snapchat, etc.)
Recognise that some apps have age restrictions (often 13+).
Guide your child on safe messaging: only accept contacts they know, don’t share personal details, don’t share location by default.
Teach them how to block and report someone: show them the tools on the app.
Online Safety Resources for Parents & Carers
Here are some trusted organisations and practical guides you can use:
NSPCC — advice for talking to your child about online safety.
UK Safer Internet Centre — “Parents and Carers” section with guides, how-to’s, and toolkits.
Internet Matters — up-to-date advice on apps, games, devices, and parental controls.
Thinkuknow — run by the National Crime Agency. Provides advice by age, including primary years.
Our School’s Role & Support
Here at Farington Primary School, we are committed to helping children stay safe online:
Curriculum Integration: We incorporate e-safety into our teaching, ensuring children understand safe behaviours from an early age.
Policy & Reporting: Our e-safety / online safety policy is available for all parents. If you ever have concerns, you can contact [Name of E-Safety Lead / Safeguarding Lead] at [contact details].
Communication: We send regular updates (e.g., newsletters) about new risks, trending apps, or tools you can use at home.
Tips for Talking to Your Child (Useful Conversation Starters)
“Who do you chat with online? Are they people you know in real life, or just online friends?”
“What’s your favourite game or app right now? What do you like about it?”
“If you saw something weird or scary online, what would you do?”
“Can we set a rule about when screens go off? Let’s decide together.”
E-safety is not a “set and forget” thing — it’s an ongoing conversation and partnership between school and home. By keeping up to date, being involved, and making space for honest chats, we can help our children use the internet confidently, creatively, and safely.
If you have any questions or concerns about e-safety, or if you’d like support setting up controls on your child’s device, please do reach out to us.
Please find below a range of useful links and information to support online safety.
Lancashire Safeguarding Children’s Board Online Information
Pupil’s Online Safety Activities
Guides for Parents
NSPCC – Keeping Young Children Safe Online
Vodafone Digital Parenting Guide
The Parents’ and Carers’ Guide to the Internet
The Parents’ Guide to Technology
How To Set Up Parental Controls Offered by your Home Internet Provider
