Why have Cyber Stewards — and how it links to our Catholic values

At St. Mary’s we see digital life as part of God’s gift to us. We believe that how we treat each other online should reflect our Catholic values. In particular:

• Human dignity: Every pupil has worth. Our Cyber Stewards will work to make sure everyone feels respected, safe, included and protected online.
  
  

• Solidarity: We are all part of the same school community. We look out for one another. If someone is being treated badly, or if someone is upset online, our Cyber Stewards will act and help find support.
  
  

• The Common Good: Technology is powerful. We want to use it in ways that benefit everyone — not just for fun or convenience, but in a way that strengthens our school, our friendships and our sense of responsibility.
  
  

So the Cyber Stewards are not just about rules — they are about creating a culture of care in our digital life.

What is our Action Plan this year?

Our Action Plan for 2025–26 outlines several key areas that the Cyber Stewards will lead. Here are the main strands:

1. Promoting Kindness and Inclusion Online
   The stewards will lead campaigns, reminders or posters to encourage kind and inclusive language and behaviour in all digital spaces.
   
   

2. Educating Peers
   They will help run peer-led lessons, assemblies, or small group sessions, sharing tips about online safety, what to do when something goes wrong, and how to be a responsible digital citizen.
   
   

3. Online Issues
   The team will monitor and bring awareness to current risks — such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, privacy, screen time — and help guide pupils on dealing with them.
   
   

4. Updating the School Community
   They will communicate to staff, pupils, and parents — through newsletters, displays or meetings — about developments, reminders, policies or topical issues in digital safety.
   
   

5. Digital Footprint Awareness
   They will help pupils understand how what we post, share or like remains a digital record, and encourage pupils to think carefully before acting online.
   
   

6. Meetings & Review
   The Cyber Stewards will meet regularly to plan, review their progress, receive training, and reflect on feedback.
   
   

Working with Parents & Carers

Part of the plan is to help engage parents and carers — sharing guidance, tips, or running workshops — so that safe and respectful behaviour is supported at home too.

What we hope to achieve by Christmas — and the chance for Years 3 & 4

By Christmas, one of our goals is to recruit new Cyber Stewards from Years 3 & 4. This means that in the autumn term, the current team (Rozalia, Dylan, Cody, Pati, Szymon, Artur, Julian) will:

• Carry out fun and supportive tasks that show what it means to be a Cyber Steward
  
  

• Create a simple introduction or “training” programme for interested pupils in Year 3 & 4
  
  

• Invite applications or nominations (from staff, pupils or themselves)
  
  

• Run a short selection or induction process
  
  

So if you are in Year 3 or 4 and you are interested in helping others, supporting digital safety, being a positive role model online, then keep an eye out for more information in the coming weeks. You might see posters around school or visits from the current Cyber Stewards.

Message from each Cyber Steward

I would now like our Cyber Stewards to say a short message to you about why they chose to be stewards and what they hope to do.

Final encouragement & closing

Thank you to our Cyber Stewards for stepping into this role. I am excited to see how you lead and support others.

To all pupils in Years 5, 6 and soon Years 3 & 4 — you will have a chance to get involved, to learn, and to help build our safe and respectful digital school. Over the next few weeks the Cyber Stewards will begin their first projects (you might see posters, hear announcements, or be invited to a small session).

Let us pray (or reflect) that God helps us to use the gift of technology wisely — to respect one another, to protect each other, to build community, and to reflect Christ-like love in the digital world.

Thank you all, and may we all grow together in kindness, responsibility and respect — both offline and online.