- Year seven pupils at Chosen Hill School in Churchdown, Gloucester, launch a new UK-wide initiative designed to help keep young people safe online.
- Chosen Hill is the first school in the country to take part in the pilot of a programme called Cyber4Schools, which helps students, parents and teachers understand the basics of cybersecurity.
- Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Martin Surl said, “Young people like to exercise their independence so it’s vital we find the best way of getting through to them, not by telling them not to use the internet but giving them advice on how to protect themselves when they are online”.
- Mr. Surl was the first PCC in the country to make ‘Safer Cyber’ a policing priority
Year seven pupils at Chosen Hill School in Churchdown, Gloucester, today launched a new UK-wide initiative designed to help keep young people safe online.
Chosen Hill is the first school in the country to take part in the pilot of a programme called Cyber4Schools, which helps students, parents and teachers understand the basics of cyber security.
The aim of the pilot is to provide a change in online behaviour amongst 11 year olds, an age when research suggests many children receive their first mobile or smart phone.
Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl, who was the first PCC in the country to make cyber security a police priority and who is supporting the project said, “The internet has become a valuable everyday aid in so many ways but we know it also has a dark side.
“Children are particularly vulnerable and we must do all we can to keep them safe. Young people like to exercise their independence so it’s vital we find the best way of getting through to them, not by telling them not to use the internet but giving them advice on how to protect themselves when they are online”.
Cyber4Schools is delivered by The Cyber Trust in partnership with Corsham Institute (Ci). The Cyber4Schools Gloucestershire pilot is supported by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), Gloucestershire Police, Cyber Security Challenge UK and Gloucestershire County Council.
Rachel Neaman, Ci’s CEO, said, “With this pilot we are taking the first step towards achieving our ambition of a nationwide schools programme to protect and equip children to remain safe online. We encourage like-minded people and organisations to support this exciting initiative.”
Professor Richard Benham, Chair of The Cyber Trust, and Ci Programme Director, Cyber, Trust and Security said, “There are an increasing number of children, young adults and teachers who are falling victim to cyber bullying, cyber crime and exploitation. Perpetrators are getting increasingly savvy and sophisticated with their interactions. This is serious cause for concern which is why we are committed to addressing it with this programme.”
Tim Rogers, Chosen Hill School said, “Cyber Security has always been really important to Chosen Hill. Keeping our students safe is our top priority and with the digital world around us, Cyber Security is at the forefront of that. We are delighted to be linking up with Cyber4Schools for this new initiative”.
