Advanced Certificate in Online Safety for ICT Leads

Course Duration: 1h 18m (approx) online training + self-directed learning and activities + final assessment.

ICT leads play a vital role in developing and enhancing children’s learning around online safety. They are central to progressing policy and process and in helping to shape how young people acquire the skills to use ICT effectively, confidently and safely. Furthermore, ICT Leads should work closely with DSLs and have an awareness of their wider safeguarding responsibilities.

Our annual online safety training for ICT leads provides you with the knowledge and skills you need to understand your statutory safeguarding requirements with respect to keeping children safe online.

Split into bite-sized modules, the training has been designed to provide maximum learning potential in the leanest, most cost-effective and most time-efficient manner. It has been produced in high-quality remote video CPD format which is accessible on any device, any time, anywhere.

Developed by Lorna Ponambalum, safeguarding expert and senior leadership education professional, the course is split into ten modules. The course consists of learning through video modules, completion of tasks, further reading and viewing external resources. Please consider this when planning and allocating your time. To successfully understand and achieve the objectives of the course, learners are expected to engage in all aspects of the learning process and complete all relevant activities to ensure they can successfully apply the knowledge and skills they have gained in their own setting.

Designed in line with the following policies

Keeping children safe in education
Relationships education, relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education
Teaching online safety in schools
Sharing nudes and semi-nudes: advice for education settings working with children and young people
Harmful online challenges and online hoaxes

Learning Outcomes

Understanding the roles and responsibilities of an ICT lead in relation to online safety and key safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance.
Recognising the need for developing robust and rigorous online safety policies to help mitigate risk and ensuring engagement and compliance.
Identifying and responding to different types of harm and abuse, reporting safeguarding concerns, supporting children and engaging parents and carers.
Implementing a whole school approach towards online safety and developing a culture of safeguarding children online.
Recognising your responsibilities around safeguarding remote learners, adapting policy and promoting effective staff use of digital technologies.

Course Units

Introduction

Developed by Lorna Ponambalum, safeguarding expert and senior leadership education professional, the course is split into ten modules and encourages audience interaction to support and embed learning. There is a knowledge assessment at the end to hel...

Module 1: What is the need for online safety?

Module 1 discusses why online safety is so important and explores how children’s use of technology and the internet makes them vulnerable to a range of online risks.

Module 2: Statutory guidance and legislation

Module 2 explores the statutory guidance that DSLs must be aware of around online safety in schools. It examines key policy documents, including Keeping children safe in education, as well as discussing RSHE curriculum requirements and Ofsted expecta...

Module 3: Developing an online safety policy

In module 3, you will learn about developing and implementing policies which support your school’s online safety provision. You will consider the need to ensure policies are inclusive, transparent, relevant and reflective of the current environment.

Module 4: Understanding online risks – unsafe communications

Module 4 looks at the dangers around who children might engage with online (and how they might do it), along with the different ways they may encounter harm. It also provides advice and guidance on how schools can take appropriate action.

Module 5: Understanding online risks – managing online information

In module 5, you will cover types of online content that children may have control over or access to. You will also learn to identify the activities which can place their own online information in danger.

Module 6: Understanding online risks – effects on health, wellbeing and lifestyle

In module 6, you’ll learn about how technology and social media can negatively impact on children’s mental health, wellbeing and lifestyle and how to support children who may be experiencing harmful behaviour.

Module 7: Building a culture of online safety

Module 7 discusses your role in developing a whole-school approach to online safety. It explores reporting mechanisms, referrals, compliance promoting good practice, teaching online safety and providing the necessary support to children.

Module 8: Safeguarding remote learners

In module 8, you’ll cover what your responsibilities are in relation to safeguarding remote learners in line with DfE requirements. You’ll consider how to ensure children remain safe online through blended learning and in respect of adapted teaching...

Module 9: Staff use of digital technologies

Module 9 explores your role in ensuring effective staff use of digital technologies, particularly in support of enhanced teaching and learning and in complying with relevant safeguarding requirements.

Module 10: Your role as an ICT lead in relation to online safety

The final module breaks down the role and responsibilities of the ICT lead with respect to online safety, including the importance of working with others and embedding online safety into the curriculum.

About The Expert

Lorna Ponambalum

Senior leader and safeguarding consultant with over 15 years’ experience as a DSL in education.

Find out more

Annual Advanced Certificate in Online Safety for ICT Leads (2021-22)

About The Course