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Safeguarding Spotlight

Welcome to our new weekly Safeguarding Update: The Monday 'Safeguarding Spotlight'.

In our ongoing commitment to your child's well-being, we are launching a new weekly communication called the 'Monday Safeguarding Spotlight'. Every Monday, you will receive a standalone update featuring a concise Top Tip designed to help you navigate the complexities of your child's safety in 2026, particularly regarding their digital lives and smartphone use. We have seen an increasing number of incidents where students have encountered sexually explicit material online, often without their parents' knowledge. These weekly spotlights aim to bridge that gap.

Each update will include actionable advice and often a curated video link or podcast from experts like the NSPCC or Internet Matters, focusing on specific areas to help you feel more confident and informed. Our goal is to work as a community to ensure that every student remains safe, both inside and outside the school gates.

Safeguarding Spotlight: Week 1

Top Tip: The 'Digital Blur' (Preventing Explicit Images)

This week, we are focusing on a simple but powerful tool that acts as a first line of defense against sexually explicit material. Both Apple and Android devices now have built-in AI that can detect and automatically blur nude or graphic images before your child even opens them in a message or app. This gives them a 'buffer' to close the app and come to you, rather than being shocked by unwanted content.

  • For iPhone Users: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Sensitive Content Warning and toggle it On.

  • For Android Users: Ensure Google Family Link is active and 'SafeSearch' is locked to 'Filter.'

Watch & Learn: For a 2-minute visual guide on how to set this up, please watch this video from Internet Matters: Link: How to set up Parental Controls on an iPhone/Android

Ms Ongley, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Monday Safeguarding Spotlight: Week 2

Top Tip: The 'Bedroom Ban' & The Central Charging Station

A significant number of safeguarding incidents involving explicit material occur late at night. When children are alone in their bedrooms with a smartphone, their natural impulse control is lower, and the privacy of the room can lead to 'curiosity clicking' on harmful links or participating in inappropriate group chats.

The Tip: Establish a 'Digital Sunset.' Pick a time (e.g., 8:00 PM) when all devices—including yours—go to a central charging station in a communal area like the kitchen.

  • Why it works: It removes the temptation of late-night scrolling and ensures that if a child encountered something upsetting during the day, they aren't dwelling on it alone in the dark.

  • The 'Alarm Clock' fix: If your child uses their phone as an alarm, we recommend replacing it with a traditional battery-operated alarm clock to remove the 'need' for the phone by the bed.

Listen & Learn: For more on why physical boundaries matter, listen to this 10-minute episode of the NSPCC Learning Podcast, which discusses how to help children manage their 'life online' versus 'life at home.' Link: NSPCC Podcast – Enhancing Online Safety for Children

Ms Ongley, Designated Safeguarding Lead

Monday Safeguarding Spotlight: Week 3

Top Tip: The Myth of 'Disappearing' Messages

Many children use apps like Snapchat or features like WhatsApp’s 'View Once' because they believe the content vanishes forever. This creates a false sense of security, often leading young people to send or receive 'risky' or sexually explicit images, thinking there will be no permanent record.

The reality:

  • Screenshots: Messages can be captured in a split second before they disappear.

  • Second Devices: Content can be photographed by another phone.

  • The 'Digital Footprint': Once an image is sent, your child loses all control over where it goes or who sees it.

The Action Step: Sit down with your child and check their WhatsApp Group Settings. By default, anyone with your child's number can add them to a group.

  • Change this: Go to Settings > Privacy > Groups and change 'Everyone' to 'My Contacts.' This prevents them from being added to large, unmonitored groups by strangers.

Watchand Learn: This three-minute video from Internet Matters explains how to manage 'App-Level' privacy settings on the most popular social media platforms: Link: Parental Controls for Social Media Apps (Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp)

Ms Ongley, Designated Safeguarding Lead

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