| Keeping our children cyber-safe |
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Parents from two independent schools will be told how to keep their children safe online in a ‘cyber safety’ workshop next month. The special workshop has been organised by The John Lyon School (JLS), a boys’ school in Harrow, which has also invited parents from its partner girls’ school, Northwood College. The announcement of the workshop comes after a Government study found that more than a third of children aged 12-15 have faced some kind of cyber-bullying. The Government has issued guidance to state schools urging them to punish pupils who bully other children or teachers using mobile phones or the internet. The workshop at JLS on Monday 8 October will aim to give parents all the information they need to ensure their son or daughter is safe in the online world and is not bullying anyone else. JLS Headmaster Kevin Riley said: “There are clear potential dangers for children who spend unmonitored time online, as several news stories have tragically demonstrated in recent months. It is therefore essential that children should not be left vulnerable, yet trends and fashions move very quickly on the web, and we recognise that it can be hard for adults to keep track of exactly what their children are doing online. That’s why we have brought in an expert who can give parents from both schools the latest guidance on what to do.” Northwood College Head Mistress Ruth Mercer added: “This is all about keeping our children safe in a fast-changing online environment. “The workshop will show parents how they can be vigilant and make sure that their children are not being bullied or harassed, or exposed to unsuitable material. Conversely, we will also be helping parents ensure their children are not bullying anyone else,” she concluded. The ‘cyber safety’ workshop will be led by Julie Johnson, of Pathways, a specialist consultancy that runs school and family workshops for children and adults. Pathways recently contributed to a BBC Radio 4 programme on cyber safety. Several pastoral staff from the two schools will also be on hand to answer parents’ questions. The workshop will cover the general principles of monitoring a child’s life in the online world and will provide specific information about instant messaging, blogs and websites such as Bebo and Facebook. ENDS Issued jointly on behalf of Northwood College and The John Lyon School MEDIA CONTACTS: Kevin Riley at The John Lyon School on 020 8872 8434, Muna Ausat, Marketing & Communications Manager at Northwood College, on 01923 845 072, |