Year 1
Your child’s online safety education this year
Teaching online safety is vital to help keep our children safe as they navigate their digital world. In order to keep your child up-to-date on the most important parts of online safety, this year, your child’s class will be receiving a series of lessons on how they can keep safe online. Each of the lessons is tailored especially for children of your child’s age and approach the subject of e-safety through a series of stories.
The first is The Adventures of SMARTIE the penguin. The children will join in with Mummy Penguin’s song and follow the adventures of Smartie the Penguin as he learns how to be safe on the internet. This lesson has been produced by Childnet.
Childnet is a UK-based charity who empower children, young people, and those who support them in their online lives, and its mission is to work with others to make the internet a great and safe place for children and young people.
Childnet education resources are age-appropriate, non-scaremongering, and give children the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to stay safe online.
About E-Safety in Year 1
SMARTIE the Penguin
The first version of the story covers the following themes:
- Pop-ups and in-app purchasing
- Inappropriate websites for older children
- Cyberbullying
The second version of the story covers the following themes:
- Upsetting images
- Unreliable information
- Talking to strangers online
The other lessons follow a series of books written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Tony Ross and two e-books called Hanni and the Magic Window and Little Bird's Internet Security Adventure.
Each of these stories has been recommended by either Childnet or the PSHE Association.
How you can get involved
You can read one of the SMARTIE the Penguin stories here
https://www.childnet.com/resources/smartie-the-penguin/
It is a great idea for you to talk to your child about online safety. To help you do so, I attach the Childnet Parents and Carers Toolkit
- Ideas for starting conversations about online safety with your child
- Links to more advice and support on how to keep your child safe online
- Information about how to get help if you are worried about your child
You will also find plenty of advice and support about keeping your child safe online at the Childnet Parents and Carers Website: