Think safeguarding, and you probably think of keeping pupils safe during school hours, within the boundaries of the school walls. Often, out-of-hours and offsite activities are not tracked in the same way. This is largely down to existing school systems not being set up to deal with the bespoke nature of extracurricular activities - but this doesn’t mean safeguarding is any less important for these types of events!
E-safety is vital for pupils from the age of four. From this age the vast majority of children in our country are having regular access to the internet via tablets or smartphones. Everything and everyone has an ‘app’, and creating apps and games for children is big business. How do we protect our children in a developing, potentially unsafe, world? How do we future-proof our children in a digital world?
Child protection software has become one of the hottest edtech trends in the few years that CPOMS have been offering its services to schools across the UK. So far, almost a quarter of all schools in the UK use CPOMS as a method of recording and monitoring child protection, safeguarding and wider pastoral care for children. There are numerous reasons why designated safeguarding leads and SLT have made this such a big edtech trend, but we keep seeing the same advantages over and over. Using own our CPOMS system as an example, here are eight of the most 'buzzed'-about advantages that child protection software offers:
A while ago, in the 2016/17 edition of the IMS Guide (both this and the new edition are available here!), I wrote of my approach to getting children interested in Coding / Computer Science, beyond the usual hour a week lesson which most schools timetable for. My approach was very much focused around encouraging children’s existing hobbies and talents, and finding ways to incorporate Computing into those interests.
My eyes were streaming as I walked through the streets of Kathmandu. Not because I was crying, but because it was so dusty! The lack of roads and volume of vehicles whip up air that is painful to breathe. Small children with no observable adult supervision are everywhere. I know children are small but this is a different kind of small. We’ve all done the child protection training that asks us to watch out for “failure to thrive”. It’s far more difficult to spot when the children are all in the same boat. They tug at you as you walk past. “Give money. Please. So hungry”. They cry at you in broken but well-rehearsed English that will rip your heart right out of your chest.
Get Set to Eat Fresh, the healthy eating education programme for 5-14 year-olds from Team GB and Aldi, is supporting schools during Celebration of Food Week (June 12th - 16th) with new resources and special prizes. Next week will see pupils showing their love for fresh, healthy food with a range of cross-curricular learning opportunities.
Boots Soltan Sun Ready has launched the brand new Soltan Sun Ready Challenge app, a fun and interactive way to learn about sun safety. With summer fast approaching, Boots Soltan Sun Ready has developed the Soltan Sun Ready Challenge app to support teachers and parents when encouraging Primary school pupils to protect their skin and stay safe in the summer sun.
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