Thursday 29th September 2022
Dear parents and carers of Year 5,
RE: Year 5 – Mobile phone and WhatsApp use outside of school
I have become aware that many children have begun to use WhatsApp outside of school hours. It is very easy for children to create group chats and invite others into them. This week some children in the year group have been upset and worried about some of the messages posted. This has affected how they have felt about coming into school.
Firstly, please be aware that WhatsApp sets a minimum age of 16 for users to access their service. It is therefore assumed that any children under this age, use the platform under the consent and guidance of their parents and carers. Navigating settings and knowing how to take control when they feel things are going wrong is very hard for children who are 9 and 10years old. When I spoke to some children, they admitted that they didn’t know how to leave chats, block other users or silence notifications.
To use messaging and social media applications, children need to be aware of how their words affect others; and of the dangers of sharing their own details and images. We do teach this as part of our computing and PSHE curriculums but they need to be reinforced at home.
Children can be emotionally harmed by each other if:
- There is too much unhealthy banter which can be taken out of context,
- They ague and insult each other,
- Images of themselves are shared without their consent,
- Older siblings, family members or friends join chats with the intent of insulting or threatening our children.
If your child uses WhatsApp please discuss these risks and advise them how to communicate responsibly. We recommend that parents keep an open dialogue with their children when communicating online and support them with any problems that arise.
The school takes online safety very seriously, especially if it affects children’s wellbeing inside school. Any continued unkindness towards others is considered cyber-bullying and we will take strong action against it if we feel it is taking place.
If you have any concerns about children using messaging applications, please get in touch and I will assist in any way that I can.
Yours faithfully,
Kris Clark
Deputy Head Teacher