Digital Safety

At Loanhead Primary School we know how important it is to teach internet safety alongside our digital curriculum. While many aspects of children’s digital lives happen outside school, the impact of online experiences does not stay at home. What children see, say, and experience online can affect their wellbeing, behaviour, relationships, and learning in school.

Technology changes rapidly, and children are often using apps, games, and platforms that adults may not be familiar with. For this reason, online safety works best when schools and families work together, sharing responsibility and keeping up to date with guidance, risks, and legal responsibilities.

By working together, we can help children and young people enjoy the benefits of technology while staying safe, confident, and supported in an ever-changing digital world.

While we also offer Device and Internet safety workshops for parents, partnership working with our community police officers to teach digital learning and regular internet safety focus lessons for learners, there are also useful links and information below.

Why online safety matters for learning and wellbeing

Online experiences can influence children in many ways that appear in school, including:

• Emotional wellbeing

Exposure to upsetting content, online conflict, or cyberbullying can lead to anxiety, low mood, or reduced confidence.

• Relationships and behaviour

Online disagreements, group chats, and gaming interactions can spill into friendships and social situations at school.

• Concentration and sleep

Excessive screen time, late-night gaming, or social media use can impact sleep, focus, and readiness to learn.

• Safety and safeguarding

Children may not always recognise risks such as inappropriate content, online grooming, or sharing personal information.

Online safety at different ages and stages

Early Years & First Level

Children at this stage often:

• Use tablets, games, and video platforms with limited understanding of risk.

• Learn through imitation and may copy what they see or hear online.

How parents can help:

• Use shared screen time and talk about what they are watching or playing.

• Stick to age-appropriate apps and parental controls.

• Begin simple conversations about being kind and asking an adult if something feels worrying.

Second Level

Children may:

• Begin gaming online with others.

• Use messaging features, group chats, or comment sections.

• Become more independent online.

How parents can help:

• Agree clear rules about screen time, games, and online communication.

• Talk about online behaviour, kindness, and respect.  Remind them that once a post is out there, it often cannot be fully deleted. 

• Sharing images of children without consent is illegal.

• Encourage children to tell a trusted adult if something online makes them uncomfortable. Screen shot chats and report to police.

Third & Fourth Level (also relevant for many younger learners)

Young people often:

• Use social media, streaming, and online communities.

• Feel pressure around image, popularity, and online identity.

• Encounter misinformation or risky content.

How parents can help:

• Have regular, open conversations rather than one-off “warnings”.

• Discuss privacy settings, digital footprints, and long-term consequences.

• Reinforce that it’s okay to ask for help and report concerns.

Key online safety messages

• STOP - BLOCK - TELL (an adult)

• Be kind and respectful online – words and actions online affect real people.

• Protect personal information – name, address, school, passwords, and photos should be kept private.

• Think before you share – once something is online, it can be hard to remove.

• Speak up – if something feels wrong, upsetting, or confusing, tell a trusted adult.

The role of parents and carers

You don’t need to be an expert in technology to support your child. What matters most is:

• Showing interest in what your child does online.

• Keeping communication open and non-judgemental.

• Staying informed about popular apps, games, and trends.

• Using trusted guidance and up-to-date safety advice.

• Be a screen use role model!

We strongly recommend parents explore resources from organisations such as UK Safer Internet Centre, National Cyber Security Centre, and Police Scotland, which provide clear, practical advice for families.

Have a look on this website for informative parent guides and training videos.

Scottish context and legal responsibilities

In Scotland, children’s online safety is closely linked to:

• Safeguarding and wellbeing duties, including protecting children from harm both online and offline.

• Children’s rights, including the right to be safe, respected, and supported.

• Laws relating to online abuse, harassment, sharing images, and harmful communications, which apply to young people as well as adults.

Helping children understand that online actions can have real-world and legal consequences supports responsible and respectful digital citizenship.

Working together as a school community

As a school, we:

• Teach age-appropriate online safety as part of Health & Wellbeing and digital learning.

• Monitor how online issues impact relationships and learning in school.

• Support children to make safe, responsible choices online.

During Safer Internet week (Feb 2026) we conducted a survey of P4-7 learners, the data showed:

-         The majority of learners have access to a phone or device where they can communicate with others.

-          76% have an app such as Snapchat, TikTok, WhatsApp or Roblox that they communicate on

-          30% have strangers as friends

-          58% say that they think their parents know about online safety but they don’t check devices, 35% say their devices do get checked by parents.

-          43% of learners say they have seen something that has upset or made them uncomfortable online.