Christmas has come early here at National Online Safety! As of this week, we have OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED our free app - with a little help from Myleene Klass.
The app, which is now available to download, is designed to help parents and educators protect children from heightened online safety risks during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recent studies have shown that 69% of parents witnessed their children’s screen-time skyrocket over the last 12 months, with young people spending as much as 9 hours a day in front of screens during lockdown.
In response, National Online Safety - with funding from Innovate UK - has created a comprehensive mobile app that provides parents and schools with expert advice on keeping children safe online.
The app provides instant access to an online safety course for parents, designed by experts and delivered by Myleene Klass, as well as hundreds of guides on the latest apps, games and devices used by children.
These resources have all been compiled by trusted subject matter experts to reflect the latest online trends and changes in Government policy for schools.
The platform has already received enthusiastic feedback from schools and parents across the UK.
Kathy Thompson, Executive Headteacher at West Road Primary Academy in Doncaster, said:
"The National Online Safety app is a much-needed resource, especially for those who don't feel confident in their knowledge of new apps and games. Checking it is now part of my daily routine, and I think that it will go a long way to help teachers who, like me, want to protect their students around the clock."
Hannah Kingsley is the Online Safety and Digital Curriculum Lead for EYFS and Key Stage One at Grove Street Primary School in Birkenhead. She also said:
“I really like the app - It is so useful to have all of this information on hand, it makes sharing content with colleagues and parents even easier.”
Michelle Anderson, a parent at Wilmslow High School in Cheshire, also added that the app has:
“A great layout – really easy to navigate. Lots of information and the course layout is good.”
Free features of app include:
- Hundreds of online safety guides on the topics trusted adults need to know about – from games and social media to cyber-bullying and mental health;
- An online safety training course for parents – developed by experts and delivered by online safety ambassador Myleene Klass;
- A Netflix-style user-friendly interface with increased functionality – users can find exactly what they need, when they need it;
- The option to receive notifications as soon as new content becomes available – so users can stay up-to-date with the latest online crazes (and risks);
- An in-app voting system so users can help determine the subjects they would like National Online Safety to cover in future;
- The facility to personalise content by favouriting key resources;
- Synchronisation with the National Online Safety website, so users can pick straight up where they left off – even on a different device.
As well as these features, member schools of National Online Safety can also access a huge range of online courses and lesson plans that are aligned with the latest statutory requirements around online safety for leaders, educators, non-teaching staff and governors.
With hundreds of platforms, games and devices covered on the app, it is the most comprehensive online safety resource on the market.
James Southworth, our co-founder, believes that the app will help adults protect children from online safety risks around the clock, particularly during the upcoming Christmas holiday. He said:
“We feel that this app is one of the most important tools for parents and teachers in the digital age.
“During Christmas, there’s always a huge surge of online activity. Children are no longer in school, and many of them have new devices and games to play with, so getting this app out to parents before the festive period was our ultimate goal.
“As a dad myself, I know how difficult it can be to stay savvy to developments in the online world – it can seem like a mammoth task, but by creating this app we hope we can make your job a bit easier.”
The app is now available for free across the Google Play and Apple App Stores. Download it today and get #OnlineSafetySavvy!
