Staying Safe Online
Connected Falkirk aims to transform learning and teaching by using a digital device to support your child and offer a whole host of opportunities to enhance their learning experiences and digital skills. 
Working collaboratively with their teachers and peers, showcasing their creativity, personalised learning, closing the digital divide and the ability to learn anytime and anywhere are just some of the benefits your child will experience from using a digital device in their education. Connected Falkirk are excited to ‘give our children and young people the confidence, skills and knowledge needed to thrive in an ever-changing, fast-paced digital world’.
Connected Falkirk understands the importance of online safety for every child and young person. School curriculums already contain courses on Internet Safety and Cyber Resilience which promote safe, online activity. Whilst your child’s device will provide them with opportunities for collaborative learning with peers, family, and educators, these opportunities will all be in a secure online learning environment. The Connected Falkirk devices will be used as tools to support learning and teaching in the classroom and at home (P6-S6). The devices used will have the required settings for learning. By using Mobile Device Management software, the devices will be securely managed and filtered. Children and young people will only have access to the apps that have been approved for use by educators.
When your child brings the device home (P6-S6), the device can be connected to Wi-Fi and will still be filtered to ensure online safety when browsing and using the approved apps.
It’s important to remember that while the device, when connected to Wi-Fi, provides access to the internet and online learning environments, your child will benefit from the many features and tools it provides ‘offline’.
All educators in Falkirk will be provided with access to training which will support using the devices in class to enhance learning and teacher. All training provided will reiterate the importance of online safety.
If you still have concerns, you can contact your child’s school to discuss this.
For some further reading, resources and useful advice and tips on promoting online safety with your child at home, the following websites offer a range of support:
https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers
https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers/parent-and-carer-toolkit
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
