During Mental Health Awareness Day, we felt it was important to focus on online safety.
At our school, safeguarding children from potential online dangers is a priority, as these risks can lead to challenges with mental health and wellbeing. With the increasing use and demand for AI, online safety is more important than ever. We want to help our children understand how to protect themselves not only from unkind or inappropriate messages and content created by people online, but also from misleading information created by AI, such as fake news.
Across Mental Health Awareness Day, each year group spent time in the computer suite discussing potential dangers and learning about ways to stay safe online. The children also explored how the internet can be used in positive and healthy ways.
As part of the session, pupils created a “Digital Safe Space”, recognising the positive features of online use and designed a collage of ideas that could support their mental health and emotional wellbeing.