Online Safety

At Holy Trinity, we are committed to ensuring that our children are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the online world safely and responsibly. We recognise that while the internet offers valuable opportunities to support learning and inspire curiosity, it also presents risks that require careful management.

Digital Learning at Our School

We are fortunate to have:

60 laptops
Two full classroom sets of iPads

These devices are used to enhance learning where appropriate. However, we strongly believe that traditional skills—such as reading, researching, and learning from books—remain essential. As a result, we use technology thoughtfully and purposefully as a support tool, rather than a replacement for other learning experiences.

Promoting Healthy Screen Habits

We are mindful of research highlighting the impact of excessive screen time on children’s development. To encourage balance, we have introduced “No Screen Tuesday.”

On this day:

Children are encouraged to avoid screens both at school and at home
Parents are asked to sign their child’s reading record
Children receive a small reward for participation

We promote alternative activities such as:

Reading
Drawing and colouring
Creative projects
Imaginative play

Feedback from families has been very positive, and we encourage continued participation.

Online Safety Education

Online safety is embedded within our computing curriculum and is taught in an age-appropriate way across all year groups. Through these lessons, children learn to:

Identify whether a website, email, or URL is trustworthy
Understand what cookies are and what data they collect
Recognise whether a person or organisation online is genuine
Think critically about why content is shared online
Understand why someone might request personal information
Distinguish between fact and opinion
Question the purpose and intention behind online content

Our aim is to help every child become a thoughtful and informed digital user.

Government Guidance on Screen Time (March 2026)

Recent UK Government guidance highlights the importance of managing young children’s screen use. Key recommendations include:

Time Limits

Aim for less than 1 hour per day for children aged 2–5
Avoid screens during meals and in the hour before bedtime

Quality of Content

Avoid fast-paced, highly stimulating content (such as short-form video feeds)
Choose calm, age-appropriate programmes

Active Engagement

Watching together and discussing content (“co-viewing”) is more beneficial than passive viewing

Impact on Development

Higher levels of screen use are linked to:

Reduced sleep quality
Lower levels of physical activity
Slower social and emotional development

Important Note

These limits do not apply to assistive technologies used to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Encouraged Alternatives

Families are encouraged to:

Read together, especially at bedtime

Engage in play, crafts, and creative activities
Choose interactive, real-world experiences over screen-based ones

Guidelines for Under 5's

Online Safety poster for Ks1 (4-7yrs)

Online Safety poster for Ks2 (7-11yrs)

A few ways that you could protect your child are:

Parental controls - parental controls allows you to limit the websites that your child can access when they are on the internet. This will stop them from accessing any inappropriate websites

Keep the computer where you can see it - By doing this you will be able to see what they are looking at and know if click on anything inappropriate or try to talk to someone they don't know.

Pop-up Blocker - Pop-up blocker is an application installed for browsers to stop pop-ups from appearing while you are searching the internet. This is good as some pop-ups can lead to websites you don't want your children visiting.

All staff have undertaken e-safety training with CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre). The staff understand the risks involved for young people on the internet, be it Social Networking, Smartphone's or Video Chat sites. The internet is an ever changing and evolving environment and we (parents, carers, teachers and support staff) must understand this and be able to give the children the best advice on how to use it safely, and where to go if they feel venerable or victimised. The CEOP button can be found on many websites and will direct you to their page where you will be able to find help.

For more information please click CEOP.