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Online Safety

At Cottingham High School, we take online safety extremely seriously.

We follow a robust and proactive approach to safeguarding young people in the digital world, with online safety embedded across our curriculum, pastoral systems, staff training and IT infrastructure to ensure that every student can benefit from technology safely, responsibly and confidently. 

Please click here to view our Online Safety Policy.

Our Approach to Online Safety

Online safety forms a key part of our wider safeguarding responsibilities. We work to create a culture where students feel confident to speak openly about their online experiences, ask for help, and learn how to navigate risks safely. This approach is consistent with national guidance stating that schools have a dual duty: to protect children using school systems and to educate them about staying safe beyond the school environment.

We help students understand:

  • How to recognise reliable information and avoid harmful or misleading online content.
  • How to interact safely and respectfully with others online.
  • How their digital behaviour can affect themselves and others.
  • How to seek help if they feel worried, unsafe or unsure about anything they encounter online.

This is supported by the Department for Education’s expectations for online safety education in secondary schools, including healthy online relationships, safe use of technology, and recognising and reporting concerns. 

Teaching Online Safety

Online safety is taught throughout Key Stages 3 and 4 as part of our PSHE/RSE curriculum, Computing lessons and wider pastoral programme. Lessons help students:

  • Understand online rights and responsibilities.
  • Recognise risks such as online bullying, image sharing, scams, misinformation and unwanted contact.
  • Build resilience and critical thinking when navigating social media and online communication.
  • Know how to report issues and where to access support inside and outside school.

Our students will have the opportunity to reflect on these issues through a variety of Safeguarding assemblies.

Supporting Parents and Carers

We recognise that the online world is constantly changing. To support families, we regularly share:

  • Guides on popular apps, platforms and online trends.
  • Advice on managing home internet filters and parental controls.
  • Information on reporting concerns and speaking with your child about online safety.

How We Keep Students Safe in School: Smoothwall Filtering & Monitoring

To protect students while using school devices or accessing the internet on site, we use Smoothwall, a trusted safeguarding solution used widely across UK schools. Smoothwall provides:

  • Real‑time web filtering that blocks harmful or inappropriate content while still allowing access to high‑quality learning resources.
  • Content‑aware filtering that recognises risks beyond simple website categories.
  • Monitoring tools that can help pastoral staff identify early signs of concern and respond quickly if a student may be at risk.

Smoothwall is designed to support schools in meeting statutory expectations for filtering and monitoring, helping safeguard student well-being and maintain a secure digital environment for learning. 

Working Together to Keep Children Safe Online

Online safety is a shared responsibility. We encourage all parents and carers to:

  • Talk regularly with your child about their online life.
  • Set boundaries and expectations for internet use at home.
  • Familiarise yourself with age ratings, privacy settings and reporting tools.
  • Contact us if you have concerns or need advice — our Designated Safeguarding Lead and pastoral teams are here to help.

By working together, we can ensure that every young person develops the knowledge, confidence and digital resilience they need to thrive in an increasingly online world.

If you have any concerns around online safety, please email our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Cassidy, on ccassidy@cottinghamhigh.net

Key Links for Parents

CEOP - The National Crime Agency's site with information for parents and professionals, containing training, resources and information: https://www.ceopeducation.co.uk/

UK Safer Internet Centre – Online safety tips, resources and advice to help children and young people stay safe online: https://saferinternet.org.uk/

Internetmatters.org - Advice on safety settings and information about apps your child may be using, as well as advice to tackle online issues: https://www.internetmatters.org/

ParentZone - up-to-date information and debate on online issues, including parents' guides: https://parentzone.org.uk/parents

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