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Children and Parents: media use and attitudes report 2024

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This report looks at media use, attitudes and understanding among children and young people aged 3-17.

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With regular headlines about schools falling victim to cybercrime, there is increasing pressure to ensure that governors and school leaders have appropriate controls in place to protect their school. With this in mind, LGfL has developed the Elevate Cybersecurity Toolkit for Schools.

The Elevate Cybersecurity Toolkit is a collection of key documents that schools can use to elevate their cybersecurity. It can be used as a foundation for schools that want to attain Cyber Essentials Certification.
We've now added a cybersecurity risk reporting template that you can use with governors/school leaders.

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With regular headlines about schools falling victim to cybercrime, there is increasing pressure to ensure that governors and school leaders have appropriate controls in place to protect their school. With this in mind, LGfL has developed the Elevate Cybersecurity Toolkit for Schools.

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LGfL Online safety policy and template letters for parents

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LGfL Online safety policy and template letters for parents

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Search LGfL safeguarding and online safety resources | LGFL

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Registered Address: ​9th Floor, 10 Exchange Square, Primrose Street, London, EC2A 2BR. London Grid for Learning Trust - a charity whose mission is the advancement of Education. A company limited by guarantee registered in England no 4205579 Reg charity no 1090412.

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micro:bit resources to support your classroom teaching with the micro:bit including student handouts, reward certificates and wall display materials

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Free lesson content, professional development courses, coding tools & classroom resources for teachers.

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Dice activities

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Background

AI-enabled tools and products are now more widely available in schools and other providers. This means that these technologies are affecting children and learners and the people who care for, educate and support them.

The Department of Education's recent call for evidence about AI in education demonstrates that many education providers are using AI to augment how they work.

For many education and social care providers this new technology presents both new opportunities and risks. The use of these tools will in many cases affect children and learners.

Ofsted is also using AI, most notably in our risk assessment of good schools to help decide whether a school that was judged good at its last inspection will receive a graded or ungraded inspection. We are also exploring how AI can help us to make better decisions based on the information we hold, and to work more efficiently.

This document outlines how Ofsted will use AI responsibly and fairly. It also sets out our position on the use of AI by education and social care providers.

Notes

Throughout this document we use 'artificial intelligence' as an umbrella term for a range of algorithm-based technologies that solve complex tasks by carrying out functions that previously required human thinking alone.

Ofsted's position on the use of AI is consistent with the National AI Strategy. This aims to make sure that AI benefits all sectors and regions and that the UK gets the national and international governance of AI technologies right.

How we will use AI

Ofsted uses AI to make the best use of the information we hold. We are also exploring the potential for AI to further improve the way we inspect and regulate.

AI will help us work according to the values set out in our strategy: to put children and learners first while remaining independent, accountable, transparent and evidence-led.

The areas where AI could have the biggest benefits for our work include:

assessing risk

working more efficiently through automation

making best use of our data (particularly text) to generate new insights.

We also recognise the emerging risks of AI. We will follow the 5 principles set out by the AI regulation white paper. Table 1 describes some of the ways that we will comply with these principles.

Table 1: What we will do in relation to our use of AI

Safety, security and robustness

Make sure AI solutions are secure and safe for users and that they protect users' data

Continually test our AI solutions to identify and rectify bias and error

Appropriate transparency and explainability

Be transparent about our use of AI, and make sure we test solutions sufficiently to understand the decisions it makes

Fairness

Only use AI solutions that are ethically appropriate - in particular, we will fully consider any bias relating to small groups and protected characteristics at the development stage and then monitor it closely and correct it where appropriate

Accountability and governance

Provide clear guidance and rules for developers and users of AI within Ofsted about their responsibilities

Contestability and redress

Make sure that staff are empowered to correct and overrule AI suggestions - decisions will be made by the user, not the technology

Continue to manage concerns and complaints through our existing complaints procedure

We will also follow the Central Digital and Data Office and Office for Artificial Intelligence (OAI) guidance on using AI in the public sector. This guidance sets out how to use AI ethically, fairly and safely.

Critically, we will never allow AI to impede our ability to inspect fairly and impartially.

It is vital that AI does not undermine either our inspectors' judgements or our ability to respond flexibly and empathetically to the concerns of the public or providers.

Providers' use of AI

Ofsted aims to improve lives and raise standards in education and children's social care. We do this through inspection, regulation and our insights.

Our inspection frameworks set out how we inspect providers. They explain our inspection principles, the main judgements that inspectors make, and, along with regulations, explain the areas that we take into account when inspecting providers. Our registration guidance and enforcement policies set out how we regulate.

In this context, we will consider a provider's use of AI by the effect it has on the criteria set out in our existing frameworks.

Our inspection frameworks and regulations enable us to assess AI 's impact on children and learners as part of our wider inspection and regulatory processes.

Importantly, Ofsted will not directly inspect the quality of AI tools. It is through their application that they affect areas of provision and outcomes such as safeguarding and the quality of education. Leaders, therefore, are responsible for ensuring that the use of AI does not have a detrimental effect on those outcomes, the quality of their provision or decisions they take.

Ofsted supports the use of AI by providers where it improves the care and education of children and learners. We recognise that these tools can help providers make better-informed decisions, reduce workload and lead to innovative ways of working.

Table 2 describes some of the ways we expect providers to comply with the principles in the AI regulation white paper.

Table 2: What we expect from providers in relation to their use of AI

Regulatory principle

Providers are expected to...

Safety, security and robustness

Assure themselves that AI solutions are secure and safe for users and protect users' data

Ensure they can identify and rectify bias or error

Appropriate transparency and explainability

Be transparent about their use of AI, and make sure they understand the suggestions it makes

Fairness

Only use AI solutions that are ethically appropriate - in particular, we expect providers to consider bias relating to small groups and protected characteristics before using AI, monitor bias closely and correct problems where appropriate

Accountability and governance

Ensure that providers and their staff have clear roles and responsibilities in relation to the monitoring, evaluation, maintenance and use of AI

Contestability and redress

Make sure that staff are empowered to correct and overrule AI suggestions - decisions should be made by the user of AI, not the technology.

Allow and respond appropriately to concerns and complaints where AI may have caused error resulting in adverse consequences or unfair treatment.

Building our understanding

Given the pace of change, the effect these new technologies are having on the lives of children and learners is still poorly understood. Accordingly, we will seek to better understand the use of AI by providers and emerging research on its impact on the outcomes and experiences of children and learners. We will do this by keeping up to date with relevant published research and communicating with providers so that we can learn from their experience of AI in their settings.

By better understanding the effect of AI in these settings, we can consider providers' decisions more effectively as part of our inspection and regulatory activity.

Correspondingly, we will develop inspectors' knowledge about AI so that they have the knowledge and skills to consider AI and its different uses.

Working with other regulators

We recognise that we are part of a wider system of regulation. Ofsted will continue to work with other regulators and central government departments, including the Department for Education and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, to ensure that our approach remains consistent with the latest guidance.

Through the Institute of Regulation and regular communication with other regulators, we will also ensure that the approaches we take to regulating sectors that use AI complement each other.

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Ofsted's approach to artificial intelligence (AI)

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AI-enabled tools and products are now more widely available in schools and other providers. This means that these technologies are affecting children and learners and the people who care for, educate and support them. The Department of Education's recent call for evidence about AI in education demonstrates that many education providers are using AI to augment how they work.

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Screen Time and Healthy Balance Quick Activities | Childnet

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A collection of quick activities for use with 7-11 year olds to help explore the concept of screen time.

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Unlock the potential of AI in your classroom with best selling author and teacher Dan Fitzpatrick. Get expert professional development, subscribe to our insightful newsletter, and explore our online AI in education course.

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For over a decade, Ukie and the video games industry have supported parents and families by sharing top tips, expert knowledge, and answering questions all about video games. Ask About Games gives parents and families access a wealth of free information and resources, ensuring families can enjoy video games safely and happily!

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A responsible industry - UK video games industry

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Find out all the ways that the UK video games industry looks after its players

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Search/filter SEND

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Mental health and wellbeing calendar: autumn term 2024 : Mentally Healthy Schools

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A calendar of curriculum themes and occasions linked to mental health for the 2024 autumn term, with activity ideas and free resources for each theme.

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Activate parental controls, Balance screen time and Check and Chat digital.

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What information can users see and share?

Last Seen: This is a timestamp that shows users the last time your child used their WhatsApp account. Users can customise who can see this in settings.

Status Message: This can be customised to show what the person wants to share with their contacts.

Online: This tells your contacts if you are online. Users can customise who can see this in settings.

Remember: By default, WhatsApp automatically sets privacy settings to public. If you don't share your last seen information, you won't be able to see other people's last seen information. This applies to Read Receipts and other features as well.

Settings to manage who can see information

There are four settings to manage what information is shared:

Everyone: This option will show your information to all users.

My contacts: Only your contacts can see information about you.

My contacts except...: Users can choose to hide their information from individual contacts.

Nobody: No content will be shown to any user. Your child can change this setting to "My contacts" so that only their contacts are able to see this information. However, you should monitor who they add.

Privacy and safety settings

See our WhatsApp step-by-step guide to set privacy safety settings on the social messaging app. These help keep children safe online while they chat with their friends.

Other customisable features include:

turn off location-sharing

managing disappearing messages

customise groups

enabling fingerprint lock

setting up two-step verification

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What is WhatsApp? A safety guide | Internet Matters

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What is WhatsApp? A safety how-to guide for parents | Internet Matters. Learn about WhatsApp and its safety features to keep kids safe online.

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Tackling online hate interactive quiz | Internet Matters

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The Tackling Online Hate quiz created with Samsung challenges children to stop online hate by being upstanders.

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Make the transition to secondary school safer

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Get advice to help children moving from Year 6 to Year 7 navigate digital safely.

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TikTok fined £1.875m for providing inaccurate data on safety controls

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Ofcom has today fined TikTok £1.875 million for failing to accurately respond to a formal request for information about its parental controls safety feature.

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KS1 Electric vehicles cartoon

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In this episode Katie and Tex go on a car journey in Katie’s electric vehicle and Tex learns all about the technology which makes electric vehicles more environmentally friendly than traditional petrol or diesel cars.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular. These vehicles are powered by electric motors and use rechargeable batteries instead of gas or diesel engines. One of the main advantages of EVs is their contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, as they produce zero emissions. This makes them a cleaner alternative to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.

EVs can be charged at home, fuel stations and in lots of public parking such as supermarkets and shopping centers. With advancements in technology, the driving range of EVs has significantly improved, making them a viable option for everyday use. Overall, electric vehicles are playing a crucial role in the move towards a more sustainable future for transport.

Some EVs also have the ability to be autonomous vehicles. Autonomous vehicles, also known as self-driving cars, are vehicles that can operate without direct human input. These vehicles use a combination of sensors, cameras, radar, GPS, and artificial intelligence to navigate roads and make driving decisions. The goal of autonomous vehicles is to increase road safety, reduce traffic congestion, and provide more efficient transportation options.

Challenges

Challenge option 1

Create a poster all about the features and benefits of an electric car. You could include some of the following:

No engine in the front

Cable and plug

Boot and frunk

No fumes/emissions

Very quiet

Charging options

Some cars can be autonomous

Challenge option 2

Write a letter or email to your local council to persuade them to try and change all of their bin lorries and recycling lorries to electric vehicles.

Explain why this would be better for the environment.

Think about how this would help our environment and how it could help your council.

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New CEOP Education Resource - Connect KS2

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New CEOP Education Resource - Connect KS2

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Connect is a CEOP Education resource for children and young people aged 9 to 12. The resource is a set of four lesson plans and five short situational films involving fictional characters. The resource aims to empower and protect children and young people from on and offline abuse, including sexual abuse, through understanding the principles of healthy relationships and recognising when and how to seek help.

Connect is designed to be delivered through structured sessions in education settings. In schools, the lesson plans should be embedded into the Relationships and Sex Education curriculum.

The first two lesson plans are designed for use with children and young people in English and Welsh year groups 5 and 6, or equivalent, and up. The latter two lesson plans are designed for use with children and young people in English and Welsh year groups 6 and 7, or equivalent, and up. Lessons are designed to be used flexibly and could be taught in other year groups, depending on teachers' judgement of learners' needs. The lessons can be delivered in consecutive weeks, or separately to fit within a wider scheme of work on healthy, respectful relationships.

Connect has been awarded the PSHE Association Quality Mark, demonstrating that it supports safe and effective teaching practice and meets the PSHE Association's 'Key principles of effective prevention education'.
Watch the Connect resource trailer.
The four lessons cover the following topics:

Healthy, respectful relationships

Safer socialising online

Healthy and respectful online relationship behaviours

Responding to harmful online behaviour, including grooming, and when and how to seek help

The lesson activities help children and young people to:

Describe the features of healthy friendships, including online

Identify how someone's personal values can influence the way they treat others

Explain what respect and consent look like in a range of contexts, including online and why it is important

Identify the benefits, risks and impact of socialising online and how to protect personal privacy and identify and respond to pressure

Identify appropriate, inappropriate, and non-consensual behaviour online

Explain the impact of teasing and bullying online

Identify manipulative behaviour, including the use of false identities, online

Describe ways to respond to requests for information or images online

Describe what it means to be a positive bystander including online

Assess when and how to ask for help for things that they or others have experienced online

The lessons contain:

Comprehensive guidance for delivering the lesson safely and effectively in education settings.

Diverse scenarios and films with characters in a range of relationship types

Adaptable and inclusive materials such as PowerPoints, worksheets and handouts including alternative and extension activities to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or other requirements. This helps professionals to choose the best approach based on the needs of their cohort.

Links to relevant UK curricula.

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Connect is a series of four lesson plans and five short situational films from NCA CEOP Education. The resource aims to empower and protect 9-12 year olds from on and offline abuse, including sexual abuse, through understanding the principles of healthy relationships and recognising when and how to seek help.

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What is Adaptive Teaching and Why is it so Important?

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In this blog, Dr Katy Bloom explains what adaptive teaching is, why it is beneficial, and gives examples of what it looks like in practice.

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Reports involving sexual extortion are on the rise as criminals become more 'adept' at targeting younger children

Children as young as 11 are being preyed on in sextortion scams, as criminal gangs are targeting younger victims and girls in an "exponential increase in cruelty".

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) is warning that younger children, as well as increasing numbers of girls, are now being exposed to sexual extortion, commonly known as "sextortion".

This is where a criminal will coerce or trick a child into sharing nude or sexual imagery, often while pretending to be someone else, then threaten to share the imagery with the victim's family and friends, or on the open web, if money is not sent.

Children and young people targeted this way are exposed to violent threats and abuse, and made to feel isolated and humiliated. Some children and young people have even taken their own lives as a result of the shame and distress inflicted on them by the criminals.

The IWF, which is the UK's front line against child sexual abuse imagery online, is now warning that organised criminals are becoming "more adept" at extorting money from children.
New data released today (23 August 2024) by the IWF shows:

Overall - in the first six months of 2024, child sexual abuse reports related to sexual extortion are up 19% compared to the same period in 2023.

Victims are getting younger - with a 25% increase in reports involving 14-15 year olds compared to the previous year.

IWF analysts have even seen some children aged between 11 and 13 years old.

While boys still make up the majority of victims, there has been a 2,600% increase in reports involving girls.

In the first six months of this year, the IWF dealt with 89 confirmed reports of child sexual abuse imagery involving sextortion. This is a 19% increase on the 75 such reports it confirmed in the first half of 2023.

While children aged 16 and 17 still make up the majority of victims, there has been a 25% increase in younger, 14 and 15-year-old victims (40 reports compared to 32 in 2023).

This year, for the first time, there have even been three confirmed reports involving children aged 11-13 years.

The IWF, along with Childline, runs the Report Remove helpline - a world-first service which gives children the power to identify and report images of their own sexual abuse. If this imagery is criminal, the IWF can then remove from the internet, or pre-emptively block them before scammers or other criminals can share them on the open web.

Heidi Kempster, Deputy CEO of the IWF, said: "These crimes really do plumb the depths of cruelty and hatefulness. For the victims, being threatened like this can put them in a desperate, lonely place. They are children, and they are frightened. To them, I want to say, you are not alone, and you are not powerless. We are here to help.
"Report Remove can give children and young people back the power, and can be a ray of hope for the increasing numbers of children being snared by these criminals. "We also want to see the Government bring forward legislation to ensure AI nudifying technology is not available to UK-based users, and to encourage other governments globally to take similar measures. "We know offenders are already exploring the possibilities of using AI-generated nude imagery to begin the process of blackmailing children and young people. This technology could pour petrol on what is already a fire that risks getting out of control."
In previous years, criminals running sextortion scams had largely targeted boys. In the first half of 2023, almost all the sextortion reports dealt with by the IWF involved boys.

So far in 2024, IWF analysts have confirmed 27 reports of sextortion involving girls, a 2,600% increase compared to the same period last year.

Tamsin McNally, Hotline Manager at the IWF, said: "These criminals are becoming more adept at exploiting children online, and they are widening their nets to catch as many children as possible, including more girls than we have seen in previous years.
"I've been at the IWF for ten years and the way these children are being targeted is among the cruellest things I've ever seen. The exponential increase in cruelty associated with sextortion has been on a whole other level. "I see at least one sextortion report come in every day. The sense of shame and fear inflicted on victims, makes it so hard for them to speak out about what is happening to them. We need to keep pushing the knowledge there is something they can do to take power away from the criminals. "We must warn young people that the people you talk to online may not be who they say they are. Have that in the back of your mind but young people need to know we are here and there is something they can do. There's no judgement, we are here to help."

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Exponential Increase in Cruelty as Sextortion Scams Hit Younger Victims

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Reports involving sexual extortion are on the rise as criminals become more 'adept' at targeting younger children.

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Looking for ways to weave in online safety messages across your school curriculum? Visiting a topic in different subject areas offers a creative way for pupils to bring their learning to life by making links to the world around them.

To help you do this with online safety, we have created a new resource. One side suggests practical things you can do across your whole school to put online safety firmly in the centre of school life. The other side of the poster suggests 25 creative ways to embed online safety messages across different subject areas.

There are two versions of this resource: one for settings working with primary aged children (4-11 year olds) and one for settings working with secondary aged children (11-16 year olds).

Both are available to download here:

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Looking for ways to weave in online safety messages across your school curriculum? Visiting a topic in different subject areas offers a creative way for pupils to bring their learning to life by making links to the world around them. To help you do this with online safety, we have created a new resource.

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Scratch music algorithms sequencing activity

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Scratch music algorithms sequencing activity

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The Teach Computing curriculum is structured into units for each year group, and each unit is broken down into lessons.
Units can generally be taught in any order, with the exception of programming, where concepts and skills rely on prior knowledge and experiences.
Lessons must be taught in numerical order.

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Curriculum > KS2

The Teach Computing curriculum is structured into units for each year group, and each unit is broken down into lessons. Units can generally be taught in any order, with the exception of programming, where concepts and skills rely on prior knowledge and experiences. Lessons must be taught in numerical order.

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The Teach Computing curriculum is structured into units for each year group, and each unit is broken down into lessons. Units can generally be taught in any order, with the exception of programming, where concepts and skills rely on prior knowledge and experiences. Lessons must be taught in numerical order.

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SEND Computing Activities – Sheffield eLearning Service

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Useful for Computing club or to develop computational thinking

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The older Challenges (Bebras since 2013, OUCC since 2019) are available for registered UK teachers to use from within the Quizzes module.

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Vocaroo is a quick and easy way to share voice messages over the interwebs.