Online Safety: Series Breakdown
Want to know all about the new series in Learning for Life - ‘Online Safety’? Keep reading!
Blythe and Traci, presenting together in Online Safety
What’s in Online Safety?
We know you’ve all been waiting for this one for a while! Building on some of the teaching on phone etiquette and social media in Respectful Relationships, this new series is all about the online world.
As our young people venture into these new and unknown places online, we are providing them with the skills to keep themselves and others safe.
Orla, Lucy, and Jessica in our classroom sessions
We have worked alongside i-Vengers to produce this series, using their expertise and relevant knowledge to provide teaching similar to that of their Special Agents project, aimed at teaching online safety to those with SEND. This series has your familiar Learning for Life feel, with role plays, strategies, and activities to complete at home, in group, or in school.
Covering the Online Safety section of the primary RSE curriculum, we introduce learners to the online world, and teach them how to navigate and use the internet and social media respectfully, safely, and independently.
As always, safeguarding is woven all the way through this series - enabling our community to join with their peers in benefitting from everything the internet has to offer, while staying safe.
Online Safety consists of the following videos:
Lucy smiling with our clapper!
1. The Internet
2. Online Information & Data
3. Time Spent Online
4. Effects of Online Behaviour
5. Age Restrictions Online
6. Reporting
7. Online and Offline Relationships
8. Real or Fake? Online
9. Rules for Being Safe Online
10. Assessing Information Online
11. Pornography - an information-based video introducing the harms of pornography and how to seek guidance and help
Do you cover everything?
Remember, this is covering the primary curriculum with extra content on areas our community can find difficult. We will be doing a follow up module that digs deeper into online safety and moves the subject into the secondary curriculum.
Why do you say - “online friends are not real friends”
Our learners need concrete rules to start with. We know many of our community will create and maintain relationships online, but this can be inherently dangerous and should only be done once someone has a firm grasp on the dangers of the online communities and how to navigate these. That’s why we start with the approach that friends are only people you know in real life. In our later series we will explore online relationships more and address issues like catfishing and grooming, as well as how to safely have online friends for those who are embarking on these relationships. So don’t worry, it will be coming, but for now we are covering the primary curriculum in a way that is appropriate for older learners.
How to Use the Learning for Life Series
We recommend working through the Learning for Life series in order. Start with:
Growing Up and Keeping Safe
Emotions
Caring Friendships
Being Healthy
The Changing Adolescent Body
Families
Understanding Health & Prevention
Respectful Relationships
Online Safety
Each module builds on the learning from the one before it. This helps young people gradually grow their knowledge and skills.
However, you know your learner best. You can choose the order based on what suits their needs and what they already know. What’s most important is that they have already explored the basics about growing up, friendships, and relationships before starting Online Safety as we refer back to learning on these topics.
We also encourage you to think carefully about your learner’s individual experiences. If there are any topics that could be upsetting or triggering—because of past experiences or specific needs—please take extra care and adapt the content as needed.
This series is here to support you and your learner every step of the way.