KEEPING YOU SAFE

Coronavirus (Covid -19)

COVID 19 PROCEDURES to protect children, families and staff. Please get in touch if you have any questions.


Your child must STAY AT HOME:

  • If they are unwell and have a high temperature;

  • If they have symptoms of a respiratory infection (including Covid-19) and a high temperature or feel unwell;

  • If they have tested positive for Covid-19, with or without symptoms;

  • Your child should stay at home for a minimum of three full days; they can only return after three full days if they are well and do not have a temperature.


Please keep your child at home if there is a positive case in your household until self-isolation periods have been completed as this will help to prevent Covid-19 spreading through the pre-school. If in doubt, please contact pre-school for advice.


Remember that if your child is unwell or not feeling themselves, it is much better for them to be at home.

Data Protection

St Catherines Pre School is aware of its obligations under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and is committed to processing your data securely and transparently. Please see our Data Protecion Policy and the privacy notice within your welcome pack for detailed information.

Safeguarding Children

We aim to create an environment which promotes and safeguards the welfare of children. This includes protecting children from maltreatment, preventing the impairment of children's health or development and ensuring that children are being provided with safe and effective care as they grow up. We have a duty to refer any allegations, complain or concern received relating to a child to Children's Services or the police.

Internet Safety

At St Catherine's Pre-school, we recognise that the use of computers, IT devices and the internet are now an essential part of life, and appreciate that there is a wealth of information and learning opportunities that can be utilised through the correct and safe use of ICT.

However, parents, teachers and carers should acknowledge that the technology must be used safely, and understand the potential risks involved. We have included some information from ‘think you know’, a website dedicated to internet safety for children. This website contains some great information, as well as some short videos on how parents can become better aware of what their children are experiencing online, plus tips on how you can teach them to keep safe online. Much of the information is age-specific, but many of the concepts about internet safety can be introduced as soon as your child is able to use a computer or I-Pad independently.

Further information can be found at: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk

Tips on internet safety

  • Talk to your child about what they are doing online, involve the family and show an interest. Find out about the sites they like to use, and why. If your child feels you understand the internet they are more likely to come to you about anything online that upsets or confuses them.

  • Keep up-to-date with your child's ability online. They can quickly gain confidence and skills, and it's important that as your child learns more, so do you.

  • Make sure you are informed about what devices you own that connect to the internet and how. Many mobile phones, games consoles and TV's connect to the internet wirelessly. Ensure you are aware of your child accessing the internet, even if you have safety settings applied, devices can connect to a neighbours Wifi, which will not apply these settings.

  • Help your children to understand that they should never give out personal details to online friends they do not know offline.

  • Explain to your children what information about them is personal: ie e-mail address, mobile number, school name, sports club, arrangements for meeting up with friends and any pictures or video of themselves, their family or friends. Small pieces of information can easily be pieced together to form a comprehensive insight in to their lives and daily activities.

  • It is not a good idea for your child to open files that are from people they don't know. They won't know what they contain - it could be a virus, or an inappropriate image or film.

  • Help your child to understand that some people lie online and that therefore it's better to keep online mates online. They should never meet up with any strangers without an adult they trust.

  • Watch the Thinkuknow films and cartoons online with your child, there are a number of resources on this site for children as young as 4.

  • Encourage your child to explore age-appropriate sites, which are fun, educational, and will help them to develop their online skills.

  • Set boundaries online as you do in the real world. Think about what they might see, what they share, who they talk to, and how long they are using the internet.

  • Keep all equipment and devices that connect to the internet in a family room. For younger children it is important that you can see the sites your child is using, and be there to intervene should they stumble on something they don't want to see.

  • Use parental controls on devices that link to the internet. These are tools that let you set appropriate boundaries as your child grows. They are not the answer to online safety for children, but they are a good starting point and are not as difficult to install as you may think. Find your service provider and learn how to set your controls.

  • Make your children aware that they need to think carefully about the information and pictures they post on their profiles. Inform them that once published online, anyone can change or share these images of them.

  • It can be easy to forget that the internet is not a private space, and as a result, sometimes young people engage in risky behaviour online. Advise your child not to post any pictures, videos or information on their profiles, or in chat rooms, that they would not want a parent or carer to see.

  • If your child receives spam or junk e-mails and texts, remind them never to believe their contents, reply to them or use them.

  • Always keep communication open for a child to know that it's never too late to tell something if something makes them feel uncomfortable.