Internet Safety has been embedded into the curriculum at Semley School for the past 4 years. Headteacher Karl Hopwood works with a number of different agencies to promote the teaching of internet safety in schools. At present there is no statutory obligation for schools to deliver these vital messages and many children are leaving school at the age of 16 or 18 having never been informed about some of the risks associated with using these communication technologies.
 
The children at Semley presented their project to children from a London school and CEOP staff. They looked at the risks and benefits of online communication and then showed the video they had prepared for the project. After the presentation, the children worked with their peers from London to consider what they needed to do to help others to stay safe online.

The video and powerpoint can be viewed at http://xblock.isafe.org/insafe/  and show the innovative work that the children did. The children learnt that they need to be very careful when publishing any information online. By collaborating with another school in another continent they used the internet in a positive way – by considering some of the risks associated particularly with the publication of images, they also saw the other side of this powerful tool. Their work has been included in the recent Becta publication signposts to safety  http://schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=pb&catcode=ss_pb_es_02 and it is hoped that this will encourage others to recognise the importance of empowering children to stay safe online.

Karl Hopwood, Head Teacher, Semley CE VA Primary School