Schools lacking confidence to handle online abuse

New research has revealed that only 37 per cent of school leaders feel very confident in identifying and handling online abuse incidents involving children.

In association with the NSPCC, RM Education’s survey of 1,158 senior leaders, designated safeguarding leads and network managers from primary and secondary schools found an overall lack of confidence from respondents in their school’s approach to online safety.

With 57 per cent of secondary school respondents and 77 per cent of primary school respondents feeling only somewhat confident, or unconfident, in their understanding of the threats students face online, just 61 per cent said they would confiscate a device and inform parents and police is a coercive sexting incident between pupils resulted in an image being circulated around school.

Of equal concern, only a quarter of respondents cited their Designated Safeguarding Lead as the main point of contact for online safety, while nearly half (49 per cent) of heads in primary schools were defined as the lead.

Using the research, the two organisations argue that schools need a greater degree of support to implement and apply effective online safety training and policies.

Almudena Lara, NSPCC head of Policy, said: “Social media, sexting and online pornography did not exist a generation ago and this survey underlines how crucial it is that today’s teachers feel equipped to help their pupils navigate healthy relationships in the modern world.

“As part of the government’s rollout of compulsory relationships and sex education lessons in schools, there needs to be comprehensive training and support in place to help teachers incorporate online safety awareness into this programme.”

Jeremy Cooper, managing director of RM Education, said: “The results of the survey have further highlighted the challenges we frequently hear from schools. Online safety is a huge concern, and while many schools have invested time and effort into online safety, there is still significant work to be done to help staff feel more confident in ensuring their young learners are protected online.”