Pupils given more freedom to surf the internet at school are less “vulnerable” to online dangers in the long term, an education watchdog said.
Ofsted said “locked down” systems that barred access to websites were “less effective” overall in keeping children safe. A report found the approach did not teach youngsters how to use the internet “responsibly”.
The report said: “Although the 13 schools which used ‘locked down’ systems kept their pupils safe while in school, such systems were less effective in helping them to learn how to use new technologies safely. These pupils were, therefore, more vulnerable overall.”
The report said “managed” systems, which restricted access to some websites, were better in educating children. It recommended the approach is replicated in other schools to provide “richer learning experiences”.
The report said: “Children who hold a parent’s hand every time they cross the road are safe. However, unless they are taught to cross the road by themselves, they might not learn to do this independently. A child whose use of the internet is closely monitored at school will not necessarily develop the level of understanding required to use new technologies responsibly in other contexts.”
It said “locked down” systems required teacher approval to be granted before websites were viewed – “taking up valuable learning time”.
The report, which examined e-safety at 35 schools, was launched following the Byron Review into risks associated with the internet. It found “e-safety” was outstanding in five of the schools, good in 16, satisfactory in 13 and inadequate in one. In 21 of the schools visited, training given to staff was found to be in need of improvement – and was the “weakest aspect of e-safety” overall.
“Most training provided was ‘one size fits all’ and therefore did not always meet needs,” the report said.
In one of the schools visited, pupils relied on their friends, siblings and family for advice on using the internet. And some youngsters were better informed on the subject than their parents, the report said.
Christine Gilbert, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, said: “Children and young people do not always have the knowledge, skills and understanding to keep themselves safe and so it is essential that our schools teach them how to stay safe online. There are some valuable lessons in this report for all schools.”