Year 6 pupils at Burgess Hill School for Girls have been taught lessons in internet safety to help them work and play online safely, with the help of the Childnet International Guidelines.

Class 6LW shared their ideas with the rest of the Junior School in a special assembly where they taught the younger girls the internet safety acronym SMART.

S is for keeping SAFE. Be careful not to give out personal information to people you chat with online or on your mobile phones.

M is for MEETING. Never meet up with someone you only know through chatting online. If you really do want to meet up only ever go with a trusted adult.

A is for ACCEPTING. Always be careful when accepting emails, instant messages, texts or files from people you don't know. They could have nasty, upsetting messages or viruses, which could wreck your computers. It is best to delete them straight away!

R is for RELIABLE. Anyone can write on a website so always check the information you read online and compare elsewhere to make sure it is right. And remember, some people may be lying about who they say they are!

T is for TELL. Always tell a parent or friend if someone or something makes you feel upset or worried when you're online.

The girls passed on their message by re-enacting a Childnet animated film. They took on the roles of a pirate crew who, during their voyage across the sea, encounter difficult online situations and call on the help of the SMART Crew - the online experts - who listen carefully to the problems encountered and assist them in making safe and SMART decisions online.

ICT Coordinator, Miss Lucy Warner, commented, "The internet is such a huge part of our children's lives today and provides them with so many wonderful opportunities. Online safety skills are lifelong skills. Teaching children how to make sensible decisions when online, enables them to learn how to get the most from the internet and keep themselves safe at the same time."

Photo coming soon

02/11/10