South West Grid for Learning have produced some great checklists for social media and regularly update them. The most recent updates are for Snapchat and TikTok which are helpful for parents and carers as well as students.
You can find the Snapchat checklist HERE and the TikTok checklist HERE.
Best wishes,
Mr S Auckland
Deputy Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead
May we please remind all carers and parents to keep the school updated with any changes to contact details and addresses. It is vital that we have the correct details in the event that we need to get in touch.
Best wishes,
Mr S Auckland
Deputy Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead
13: TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit, Omegle, Discord
16: Whatsapp, Tumblr, Flickr, Periscope
18: Clubhouse, Monkey, Meetme, LiveMe, Tagged, Yolo
A reminder to all parents/carers that students should have their own personal email for anything outside of school. Bexley Grammar School email addresses should only be used for school communication.
Mr S Auckland
Deputy Head and Designated Safeguarding Lead
Dear Parents/Carers,
May I take this opportunity to remind carers and parents of the importance of checking children's phone settings? We have been made aware of young people receiving unwanted upsetting content on their phones outside of school because privacy settings have been left unlocked.
On a separate note, as we approach the summer break, internet matters have produced a handy guide to apps that support young people keeping active over their holiday:
https://www.internetmatters.org/resources/apps-guide/apps-to-help-kids-get-active/
Kind regards,
Dear Parents/Carers,
You will no doubt be aware of the many discussions taking place around Artificial Intelligence. One area of AI which has seen rapid increased popularity is that of chatbots and AI friends, which are available on many platforms, such as Snapchat. As ever, it is vital that we know what our young people are experiencing when using such technology, and that we are active in talking to them about it.
National Online Safety have produced this handy guide for parents to consider what carers and parents need to know about AI Virtual Friends.
Mr S Auckland, Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Head
Dear Parents/Carers,
This week I would like to draw your attention to concerns around vaping. While in the past it may be marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, it is crucial for parents and carers to be aware of the potential risks associated with vaping.
Health Risks:
Vaping exposes individuals to various harmful substances, including nicotine, chemicals, and potentially toxic aerosol particles. The long-term effects of vaping are still being studied, but early research suggests it can lead to:
Gateway to Smoking:
Vaping can serve as a gateway to traditional cigarette smoking. Research indicates that young people who start with vaping are more likely to progress to smoking cigarettes later on.
Unknown Long-Term Effects:
Since vaping is a relatively new phenomenon, the long-term health consequences are not yet fully understood. However, early studies raise concerns about potential risks to overall health and well-being.
We would encourage you to explore resources on the risks of vaping. The following websites provide valuable insights and evidence-based advice:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
By educating ourselves about the dangers of vaping, we can have open and informed conversations with our children, helping them make healthy choices. It is important to maintain an ongoing dialogue with your child, discussing the risks associated with vaping and reinforcing the importance of making responsible decisions.
If you have any concerns or require further support, please do not hesitate to contact us.
The long-term health effects of vaping are still not clear, but the legal age to use or purchase vapes and associated materials is 18, and they should not be sold to, or used by, school children. As with any age-restricted item, bringing such material into school will have serious consequences.
Vapes are also ecologically disastrous: 1.3 million single-use vapes are being thrown in UK landfills every week: enough to cover 22 football pitches in a year. Single-use vapes made up 52 percent of all vapes bought in the UK amongst 18 to 34 year-olds last year.
We have heard that there are some newsagents and other outlets in the local area who have been selling vapes to under 18s without carrying out rigorous age checks. An additional concern is that some vapes are being designed to look quite innocuous, such as single use Elf Bars, pictured above.
Mr S Auckland, Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Head
