Safer Internet Day is a European-wide initiative and is the one day in the calendar that will give a focus to internet safety issues.  There are a range activities taking place across the week between Monday 8th – Friday 12th February that can raise awareness of how to protect young people online.

 

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre have launched a micro-site which has been designed to give teachers, parents and child protection professionals some ideas and suggestions about how to get involved.  You can find free educational resources for all ages – including a new programme for 4-7 year old children - interactive maps, online banners for your website and details for the ‘Think before you Post’ schools video competition and much more.

As per previous press statements, the owner of Sparklebox, Daniel Kinge, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison. As such, CEOP feels that schools could look to resume their use of the website in line with their normal risk assessment and management policies and in consultation with their local authority.

 

One of the alternative site to access the Sparklebox resources without visiting the website is: http://primaryschoolteaching.co.uk . More information from SWGfL who took legal advice.

There have also been quite a few issues with the Sparklebox toolbar reported, Mike McSharry has put together a very useful PDF on how to remove this invasive bit of software. http://mikemcsharry.com/2010/01/07/how-to-completely-remove-sparklebox-toolbar/

 

 

 

John passed his Grade 4 piano! Got a distinction so he's very pleased, he's going straight on to grade 5. He's still intersted in going to Welbeck College for his A levels, joining the MOD graduation path, he wants to work in an office! Lizzie has left this morning clutching a batch of cakes she made late last night to raise money for Cancer Research at a cake sale today in her school and James is going to get a visit from me about 3.15pm today as I'm going to take a look at his work. Always hard to do when you're a teacher, must focus on him and not the handwriting policy!! Fiona is getting back onto an even keel after the passing away of her Dad, her mum is finding the transition difficult. I'm about to launch into my PhD in E-research and Techology Enhanced Learning. I'm paying for it, but with what! I really anxious, never really been much of a studier, or at least never thought I was having left school at 16!