Online Safety in The News Ofsted Amanda Spielman surprised by pre-teens with smartphones Should Primary schools consider a “No Mobile Phone Policy”
Certainly, more and more London primary and secondary schools consider “No Mobile Phone Policy” due to high number phone theft around school streets, as well as Online safety Issues.
Online Safety Alert in Early Years Early Years Practitioners have been raising concerns for many years re the screentime habits of 0-5 inc.
YouTube and TikTok is the daily diet for many early years children. Managing screentime on these platforms is challenging because of the design features and extreme & dangerous
content is easily accessed, with violent and scary video content masked by Early Years friendly titles such Huggy Wuggy or ‘Rainbow Friends’
And these platforms are often watched on small devices or family phones, overtime resulting in poor posture and motor skills.
Early Years Really Matters – forming lifelong habits at such a critical time for physical, social, emotional and communication and language development.
Well done to so many schools and settings who continue to educate and support families and children on the Online safety agenda and promotion of “good tech” such as Busythings and CbbC.
We will be raising recent cases studies shared with Beeban Kidron’s 5Rights Org and the Safer Internet centre. (The narrative around the Online Harms Bill in the news has focused on teenagers.)
New referral programme led by the National Crime Agency, developed to assist in the fight against Cyber Crime. Cyber Choices seek to intervene and educate people who may be vulnerable to becoming involved in cyber dependant criminality or have first come to notice for committing offences under the Computer Misuse Act. (Part of Department of Education – Keeping Children Safe in Education. www.met.police.uk/cyberchoices
#ChatGPT Everyone’s talking about what it means for teaching and learning. There are definitely immediate concerns—and opportunities. But what about the bigger conversation about AI and its impacts?
Thanks to Elena for recommending an article from Christine Elgersma at Common Sense Media Newsletter
Online Safety Resource of The Week Safer Internet Day Official Resource 2023 Theme ‘Want to talk about it? Making space for conversations about life online’.
Islington Lead teachers have Collated Safer Internet Day Resources into a simple downloadable Pack inc. Parent Infographics
Free Live lessons on Safer Internet Day 7 Feb from BBC Teach And live online assembly from Tech She Can
And excellent new Online Safety Parent Pack for schools to use inc. presentation from Internet Matters And a Video Wall from Safer Internet Day too
Edtech Resource of the Week Highly RegardedGoogle Classroom CPD Channel for teachers from Eric CurtsAnd Free SATs Online Personalised Learning Platform from Atom Learning
National Storytelling Week takes place 30 January – 5 February and wonderful BBC Resource And a reminder New BBC curriculum-linked Mo “moving for mental health and wellbeing” MoodBooster
Podcasting can be high impact & easy to run in the classroom, children’s podcasts are celebrated in the news this week. There are lots of Guides online inc. TES
*Hosting Class News Podcasts on the school website is a “quick win” and children and families love hearing themselves!
Reminder of more Classic Edtech Favourites with Free Elements from US teacher video inc. some classics Kahoot, Book Creator, Padlet, BBC Bitesize SeeSaw
Ideas for School Newsletter for Families Safer Internet Day Special -Inc. Tech For Good & Online Safety Reminders + remember to advertise School SID Events inc. Open Classrooms!
Online Safety Reminders From the Safer Internet centre – family resources https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2023/parents-and-carers
Families relate well to narrative on Digital Diet, “Not No tech but good tech” – platforms like TikTok + YouTube really are the Wild West or Junk Food!
Extreme & dangerous content is easily accessed and sadly Youtube and TikTok is the daily diet for many children.
And children don’t always understand meanings of words or impact of viewing. Until the Online Harms bill is passed, parents need to stay very involved and check your child’s devices every day.
Parental control and monitoring tools including Google Family Link, Apple ScreenTime and Microsoft Family Safety https://parentsafe.lgfl.net And https://www.internetmatters.org
Free phone helpline for families 7-9pm school nights https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/
And Screen Free Ideas from Islington Libraries Winter Reading Challenge until 28 February, well done to St Joseph for their involvement with this initiative.
Tech For Good “Watch This” (Quality TV) Top CBBC for KS2 shared in The Week Jnr Magazine And Round-Up of latest TV from Common Sense Media
And London Underground celebrates 160 years Watch this wonderful video on how the tube was built And a reminder of the brilliant TFL Go App
And Lego Day is January 28 Rebrickable site is highly regarded https://rebrickable.com (From The Week Jnr Magazine)
Training Events this Spring Term inc. BETT Show, Teach Computing and LGFL
Computing CPD Highlight this termFrom Teach Computing, with Phil Bagge and Jane Waite on 25 February Gladesmore Community School, N15 6EB Book here
And more From Teach Computing New Year Online Training Preparing for OFSTED And Assessment of Computing And National Cybersecurity Centre (part of GCHQ) Book Here
The BETT Show returns to Excel end of March *Note On-time registration for Bett ends on 3rd March 2023 and is FREE. Late registration (4th March 2023 onwards) tickets will incur a £25 fee.
Day 2 of FREE Computing Leaders NCCE Training – Join NCCE Team, Pip and Katy at Kings Cross Academy 27 January !
Effective Maths Teaching and Learning Across the Primary Curriculum with Leo Academy Trust Maximising the Role of EdTech (English focus also available on request, contact Katy)
LGFL conference this term focusing on safeguarding, cybersecurity, cloud services, digital strategy – so more SLT V Computing. https://www.lgfl.net/training/
*Last week the Computing Leaders Network met at SuperAwesome’s HQ Epic Gaming and the latest research and resources shared from Craig Donaghy will be shared asap
** KCSIE emphasises Online Safety is firmly embedded in role of DSL – Resource Reminder for DSL: Updated Template policy examples are available https://national.lgfl.net/digisafe
inc. Online Safety Audit KCSIE asks schools to carry out an annual Online Safety Audit
**Cyber-Security reminder of the excellent resources developed by The Key with important webinar for governors last Autumn term and see above LGFL/National Cybersecurity Centre training available
2023 Safer Internet Day 7 February https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2023/educational-resources
We have secured over 20 school based sessions with digital and online safety partners which are now booked but lead teacher sessions still available!
- Contact Katy to book a lead teacher session and plan your Spring term activity including events for families (One Lead teacher Day Left 7 February)
Consider a “Bring Your Parent to School Morning” for an Open classroom morning where teachers lead lessons using SID and Common Sense Media Resource.
Recent, successful events at Montem and Drayton Park with 50 parents joining a Friday morning Open Classroom, with a 15 min parent session before. - Decide on whole school resources and brief all staff on plans and timing, plus advertise dates to families asap
*Collated Islington Resource Park https://islington-gov.j2bloggy.com/Islington-Computing-Online-Safety/sid2023 Inc. Infographic for parents - Consider *New Whole School Digital Charter Inc. Books at Bedtime, Mobile Free Mealtimes & Daily Exercise and promoting Creative Quality Technology exampleversion
- Share positive and creative computing ideas, as well as Online safety and SID resources,
Priorities for Islington Computing Spring 1 https://islington-gov.j2bloggy.com/Islington-Computing-Online-Safety/primm/
1. Safer Internet Day + Parental engagement session during first half term using Common Sense Media resource (DL strand of SoW) + the SID resources above.
2. Computing Curriculum – 2022/23 Training has focused on T/L Computer Science, Scratch with Phil Bagge based on PRIMM Predict-Run-Investigate-Modify-Make
–Refresh SoW with teachers if needed– Teacher Pack here (including Common Sense Media characters for display, Scheme overview and Islington Digital Charter)
-Refresh PRIMM via Phil’s brilliant units http://code-it.co.uk/video
-Explore and Share the Infographic (shared in teacher pack above group already) to help leaders disseminate including links to Phil’s brilliant videos.
*Key Action is the school needs an educator scratch account, ideally online Scratch 3 to work online.
TOP TIPS to create a Scratch Educator account This account enables you to create classes and individual accounts.
For more information about creating pupil accounts see the FAQ section here
*Access To Busythings. J2E at Home & School: Refreshing USO Accounts
Important for September – How To get your LGFL USO’s for staff and students – watch this simple video here, you have to be a nominated contact to do this. For details on being a nominated contact see here and here and the form for your headteacher to fill in is here.
For Ks1 we also recommend -Set up of WhoAmI – http://whoami.uso.im/no-service.htm
Action Planning for Computing
A comprehensive framework to help you develop an action plan – https://computingqualityframework.org And an example from Kings Cross
And 2simple have a great toolkit for computing leaders https://www.2simple.com/free-stuff/computing-leaders-toolkit
Updated Computing SoW, Inc. New Learning Journey Evidencing of Progress & CPD for staff
Islington Team Elena, Valentina and Pip are constantly updating the Islington SoW to ensure the best content and ease of use. latest Inc:
New Learning Journey Template linked to every unit, to support evidencing progress *See below Portfolios or No Portfolios? – That is the Question!
Islington Computing Framework Mapped to DFE funded Teach Computing Curriculum programme, (comprehensive and Progressive) adapted with local resources inc. LGFL*Updated units inc. on IT strand of Computing, J2E, Busything *Linked units of work for Computer Science (including Phil Bagge, Barefoot Computing units) And Digital Literacy to RSHE
Audit Staff training needs for Computing and Book Computing Lead teacher consultant support (Contact Katy)
Discuss/Plan with SLT – Digital Leaders and Code Clubs (3-6 week blocks over winter months) And use of Whole School Digital Charter
Book Training Partners To Support Whole School Computing, Digital (across all subjects), Online Safety
Three Discovery Digital Outreach Team work closely with Islington schools. Contact Alan and the team to arrange class workshops
LGfL subscribing schools can receive bespoke support for Teachers/TA/Subject leaders on getting the most out LGFL Resources inc. Busythings
Complete the following form: (Valentina has Apple training arranged with LGFL last this term too)
And technical training sessions are also available for Technicians + Business Managers (Cisco Meraki Systems Manager, Gridstore, Webscreen, Nominated Contact, Adobe Creative Cloud and Safeguarding and Security for technicians.)
Tech We Can champions free tech lesson or assembly – fantastic team of volunteers industry who inspire more young people all around the UK about technology and tech careers, helping to expand young people’s knowledge of all the career options http://ow.ly/Ou0r50IJL30
Ongoing CPD from CAS, LGFL, Teach Computing
- LGFL Extensive Online Training https://www.lgfl.net/training/ inc. Google on-demand series of webinars
Quick Bites from J2E https://www.just2easy.com/news/quick-bites and Book a Zoom with Busythings https://www.busythings.co.uk/book-a-zoom - Computing at Schools communities https://community.computingatschool.org.uk/events
- Teach Computinghave adapted programmes to enable teachers to participate from home https://teachcomputing.org/courses
North London Hub – Herts + Sandringham course for Sept here
Feedback from Recent OFSTED Deep Dives
There have been a number of Ofsted deep dive into computing reported this term, Inc. Islington. The Islington Computing Team have developed comprehensive resources to support Outstanding Curriculum and SoW, Progression and Evidencing Tools, Intent and Implementation statements. Here are Questions which were shared from an Islington School last week.
What do you want children to know by the end of KS2?
How do you know there is ambition for computing?
What scheme do you use and why?
What does computing look like in EYFS?
What training have you had as a leader?
What CPD is offered for staff?
What was the impact of the CPD?
How are SEND catered for in the computing scheme?
How does your scheme cover the NC?
Portfolios or No Portfolios to Provide Evidence for OFSTED? – That is the Question!
In the summer term we spoke to Ofsted Heather Fearn @HeatherBellaF – HMI leading Ofsted’s Curriculum Unit on twitter On Issue Portfolios, floor books etc.
“You do not need to provide ANY special evidence for Ofsted. Simply plan and teach your curriculum. Then “inspection methodology requires that we make our own selections and couldn’t use selections chosen by the school. “All that’s needed is for pupil work to be available for inspectors to look at in whatever form it is stored.”
BUT the issue with Computing is children’s work is stored in multiple cloud platforms – Busythings, scratch, J2E, google classroom and supporting teachers and children with a system to collate outcomes in some way is important, otherwise there is a risk all could get lost in the cloud!
A school had a recent OFSTED with Computing focus and feedback was children forget or lacked speed locating work across multiple online platforms.
We do advise you to develop a system to support children and teachers remembering and accessing their work online in multiple online platforms.
It is down to the schools what system they choose in line with the rest of the curriculum.
Ideas in DFE published this https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-review-series-computing
Schools discussed Google in Y4/5/6 and Floor Books younger year groups.
Plus the role of Displays around the school to further evidence. Systems include:
Portfolios via SeeSaw or GoogleClassroom (cloud systems need to be set-up) Nick Templeton has given examples from SeeSaw here
*Schools did discuss that children like to see their work collated or displayed too and using a cloud option only make have risk of “getting lost”
Portfolios via Physical Floor Books – thanks to Valentina, lead teacher from Lancasterian Primary who shared examples.
Learning Journeys with Key Questions (See photograph)
Our schools like this model + had been trialling idea of self-review questions using questions linked units.
Thanks to Lawrence at Canonbury for sharing starters on this)
This is referenced in DFE doc published last month. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-review-series-computing
Important Reminders for SLT and Governors, Inc. Essential Activity for Technical Support
There have been serious school cyber-attacks in neighbouring boroughs last week, causing schools to close temporarily.
whether related or not – we understand that there have been a number of phishing emails from trusted colleagues (a London teaching hub, who was hacked)
Reminder of resources to share with staff – LGFL’s security.lgfl.net and the latest advice for schools using LGFL including a infographic with steps to take and Elevate Cybersecurity Toolkit for Schools (templates for cyber security policy and Incident Report Plan. And https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/education-skills/cyber-security-schools
The Key held a very important webinar for governors in Autumn term which we recommend every governor and a member of SLT to watch and action plan with Technical Support Provider.
The session described how Harris Multi-Academy Trust experienced a sophisticated cyber gang infiltrated the MAT’s systems through a phishing email and encrypted everything of value it could find, forcing the trust to shut down its entire computer network highlighting the importance of strategic IT infrastructure: back-ups, updates and robust, professional IT Systems including cloud and email for staff and governors. They refused to pay the huge ransom the hackers were demanding, but there were still significant costs of dealing with the situation. The story also featured on BBC Radio 4.
The webinar included these suggestions/points:
–Cyber security Strategy is part of the school’s objectives and risks, see Nation Cyber Security Centre And the school considers Cyber Cover Insurance
-Ensure all systems are backed up and all software updated regularly, (It is essential to have a Patching Policy in your school) and consider Multi-factor authentication for accessing systems
-Governors and SLT member to discuss resilience – disaster recovery plan, including ‘grab-bags’ containing essential print outs of paper documents.
-All staff Inc. Governors should have and use school email addresses
-An expert external organisation can do penetration tests of a school’s systems, including test phishing emails, but the costs of this can be very high.
Training: As part of LGfL subscription, schools have access to a platform that can simulate phishing emails so they can check their staff’s alertness to them and provides training and awareness raising.
Include policy on Reporting Unsolicited Emails ‘Report as SPAM’
–Document management: implement document retention policies in line with GDPR requirements so personal or sensitive information is not kept on your systems for longer than is strictly necessary.
Islington Computing 