Safeguarding
At St Mary’s we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children.
If you have a safeguarding concern about a child, please speak to our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Ali Benson in the first instance or any of our Deputy DSL’s (DDSL) by calling the school number or emailing ali.benson@sabden.org.uk/anandi.dimon@sabden.org.uk/steve.sarsons@sabden.org.uk.
Alternatively, if you are concerned about a child in East Sussex, please call the Single Point of Advice (SPOA) on 01323 464222
This year safer internet day is Tuesday 10th Febuary 2026 Safer Internet Day is the UK’s biggest celebration of online safety, covering online issues or themes relevant to young people.
This year's theme, ‘Smart tech, safe choices – Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI,’ focuses on teaching children and young people the skills to use AI technology safely and responsibly, and highlights available support.
From voice assistants, to chatbots, to algorithms, AI technology is playing an increasingly large role in all our lives.
We will be focussing on safer internet day during tutor time and throughout the day in all lessons. A key part of protecting children and young people from online harms is through preventative education. By talking about this in school and at home, we can all work towards keeping children safe when they are online. Celebrating Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity for you to re-emphasise the online safety messages we deliver throughout the year.
We encourage you to join us in celebrating by continuing the conversation about AI technology at home. It is important that we find time to discuss these tools and the impact they can have on our own and our families’ online experiences, including:
- the news and content we see,
- the way we work, including using AI for homework or studies,
- and the risk of misuse of AI, for example to create realistic scams or non-consensual nude images.
You may also like to use one of these prompts to start a conversation with your child:
- What’s your favourite thing to do online?
- Have you ever used an AI tool? How did it make you feel?
- What do you like about AI technology?
- Do you have any worries about AI technology?
- What advice would you give to your friends about using AI?
- Who would you talk to if you saw something worrying online?
- What more can I do to help you feel safe online?
Here are some helpful resources:
Top Tips for parents and carers - UK Safer Internet Centre
Top Tips for young people - UK Safer Internet Centre
At Capa First Response CIC, we understand the challenges that come with child-to-parent aggression and harmful behaviours. We know that families often feel isolated, judged, and misunderstood. That’s why we offer free specialist, tailored support for parents and carers of children—including neuro-diverse young people up to 25yrs. Capa first response
Our safeguarding team are:
Ali Benson - DSL, Anandi Dimon - Deputy DSL, Steve Sarsons - Deputy DSL, Paul Murphy - Deputy DSL
Would your child know what to do if they spotted an online scam?
Teach them the 3 Rs: |
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Online Safety
If used well, the internet is a safe, fun and informative place. However caution is needed because the internet can also be a dangerous place. It’s a place where fraud can happen, for example, a place where people can pretend to be someone they’re not in order to trick other people (including children), or a place where people can stumble on something they would rather not see.
On our website, we have provided details of lots of online resources to support your child’s learning.
We understand that technology has developed at such a pace that it feels like children understand more about it than parents do. This can put children in a vulnerable position, so it is important that as adults we do everything we can to educate and protect them. Luckily, there are organisations to help, such as the NSPCC and CEOP. They provide guidance on how to approach e-safety with your children and advice on how to make your home e-safe.
To help your children to stay safe online, you might wish to visit these websites:
Homepage - UK Safer Internet Centre
Staying safe online | Childline
Online safety | Barnardo's (barnardos.org.uk)
Online safety issues - advice to support children| Internet Matters
Why is online safety important? | SWGfL
Online safety resources
- CEOP https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/
- http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/topics/your-computer/
- BBC WebWise - BBC website that provides useful information for parents on parental controls.
- Vodafone Parents - Vodafone have lots of fantastic practical advice for parents.
- Internet Safety Zone - Look in the 'Under 13s' section for useful safety advice and information.
- Kidsmart - An award-winning internet safety programme for children.
- Know IT All - lots of useful advice for keeping yourselves and your children safe on the Internet.
- Bullying UK - Information and advice about bullying for children, parents and schools.
- Kidscape - An organisation which helps to prevent bullying and child abuse.
- Childline - ChildLine is the free helpline for children and young people in the UK.
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