Safeguarding

The 4 books below provide a great opportunity to start talking about Online Safety...

We know that a part of life in recent years has been an increase in the use of screens for learning and entertainment. However, it is worth considering how too much screen time can affect children (and adults as well)! Below is a summary of research that has been carried out into the effects of screen time on children.

• Research has shown that screens emit blue light which can disrupt the falling asleep process.  This is because they prevent the body from releasing melatonin – known as the “sleep hormone” which makes the body feel sleepy in the evening.
• Viewing a screen instantly stimulates the brain and makes it far more difficult for the brain to “switch off”, let alone calm down and prepare to fall asleep.
• Evidence suggests that children who are exposed to too much screen time can become irritable and fractious. This can mean hyperactivity and temper tantrums at bedtime which is something you will desperately want to avoid.
• Constant screen watching can lead to reduced attention span and hamper memory. This, in turn, can affect learning and the healthy cognitive development of a child. Long term, this will also impact on their sleep.
• Screen glare can put a strain on young eyes. Even as adults our eyes can get tired from being too long on a computer. So, the effect on a baby or young child can be significant.
• The more children become accustomed to screen devices, the harder it is to remove them without a major confrontation. Which is the last thing you want at bedtime.

Some scientists recommend that children under the age of 2 should not have any screen time whatsoever. However, some see this as quite extreme. Tablets, televisions and smartphones offer entertainment and learning opportunities for children. But parents have to exert some moderation and allow screen time in small doses. More importantly, the content of their viewing should be closely monitored and be age appropriate.

SCREEN TIME BEFORE BEDTIME SHOULD BE AVOIDED

If there is only one thing that you take away from this article, it would be to avoid screen time before bed. I suggest a “clean window” free of any screen for at least 1-2 hours before bed. This allows your child’s brain to unwind from the day’s activities and to enter a more calming, relaxed phase as you prepare for bedtime. 

 

Full article here https://www.sleepsuperstars.com/blog/how-screen-time-can-affect-your-childs-sleep/

Today is RSE Day. (RSE stands for Relations and Sex Education.) We typically cover the RSE objectives for each year group during the summer term. This year this is not going to be possible so we will cover any objectives missed in the autumn term and

Tik Tok has been mentioned in school again recently so we thought that you might like to have some more information about it if you were not familiar with it. Tik Tok is very popular but unfortunately can sometimes cause very negative behaviour, which in turn causes children to become worried. Trends can often spread very quickly via the Tik Tok app and we have had cases where children come into school worried that the latest negative trend is going to happen to them.

We take this very seriously at school and reassure the children that school is a safe environment.

New trends happen so fast that staff may not be aware of them so please help us to be vigilant and let school  know if you have any concerns about a clip that your child has watched and been upset by.

 

Give your child the power to create, connect and share safely online with our step-by-step controls and privacy guides. Click here: https://www.internetmatters.org/setupsafe/

 

See below for the latest edition of our Digital Leaders magazine - there are lots of tips about esafety for adults and children.