As we returned from our February break, I was excited to lead senior school assembly in celebration of Safer Internet Day which fell during the holiday. This annual event is a global initiative celebrated by over 170 countries worldwide and gives us an opportunity to reflect on both the challenges and wonderful opportunities that technology brings to our lives.
The theme this year is protecting yourself and others from scams. The internet is something to be celebrated in terms of the opportunities it presents to us, whether that is staying connected, learning new skills or accessing educational content. At St Margaret’s we are encouraged to embrace technology and develop the critical thinking skills to risk assess online situations.
On Monday we took time to understand scams and how to avoid them. I drew attention to some common types of scams including suspicious links in emails or messages, too-good-to-be-true prize offers, gaming trade scams and fake "free money" offers in games.
These were the key safety tips shared:
We should all be aware of the SCAM alert system • Seems too good to be true • Contact you weren't expecting • Asks for personal information • Money or trade requests
While we celebrate the amazing opportunities technology offers, staying safe online is our top priority. Millions of people every day are scammed online and I encouraged everyone to always seek help at home and in school. Further tips for parents and carers from the UK Internet Safety Centre can be found here.
Below is a reminder of some of the ways we can seek help in school for a wide range of concerns.
