Last Updated on 2nd July 2026
Welcome Back to Your June Newsletter!
Educate – Empower – Protect
The school bells are about to ring for the final time this term, and the summer holidays are officially just around the corner! While you prepare to head off for some much needed rest, we want to ensure you have the very latest safeguarding insights and tools at your fingertips.
To finish your school year strong, and find inspiration for the new term, this update has got you covered. Below, you’ll find key alerts from our team, technical tips to simplify student app onboarding, a spotlight on our new AI resource pack, and a celebration of the amazing work happening across our school communities with the Certified Safer School status. Explore below!
News and Alerts ℹ️
Key updates and alerts as seen on your app’s news
Com Networks Shareable
From direct messaging groups to private gaming servers, today’s young people navigate online communities every single day. While these spaces offer opportunities for connection, they also expose pupils to hidden risks and dangerous people that can impact their safety and well-being. You can read and share our Com Network shareable to know the risks and red flags of these dangerous online networks.
Ensure your staff and pupils have the right tools to build healthier connections this term. Log into the Teach Hub today to download your copy with the licence key: EDU-SAF-SCH-TH
What to do when the news is overwhelming
In an era of 24-hour news and instant digital updates, our media feeds can quickly become overwhelming. For young people, constant exposure to distressing headlines can weigh heavily on their mental well-being and it can be just as challenging for the adults supporting them.
To help guide these crucial conversations, read today for more information.
Summertime Screentime
With the summer starting, children and young people may be spending more time online to stay connected to their friends, but this can also heighten their exposure to online risks. Make sure you’re in the know about how to stay safe with summer screentime by reading our article below.
✨Read more within your Online Safety News section of the App.✨
Technical Support 👩🏼💻
Updates and tips from our Support Centre.
How-To Guide: Pupil Access to Digital Proficiency Course
Find our student-facing login guides for both the mobile and web apps for children to access the Safer Schools app and the Digital Proficiency Course.
Why use them? They eliminate the guesswork for students, remove administrative friction for your staff, and act as the perfect catalyst for a smooth, school-wide app rollout.
Click the button below to download the guides and get your pupils safely connected today.
Training 🗓️
Your pathway to continuous professional development
In-App Training
With the summer holidays just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to get some well-deserved rest. Of course, every day is still a school day! If you want to keep your safeguarding skills sharp over the break, you can still access our courses inside your Safer Schools app at any time.
New Term of Training
We are already gearing up for a fantastic new term. Stay tuned for our upcoming webinar series launching soon and register your interest in the courses you want to see! Plus, did you know we can come directly to your school to deliver training to pupils, staff or parents/carers? If you would like to book in-person training or live app demonstrations for the new academic year, browse our prospectus and contact the team today to secure your slot.
Resource Highlight ✨
The ready-to-use, relevant resource you need
Protecting Children’s Images in the Age of AI Resource Package
The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has fundamentally changed the landscape of online safety, introducing sophisticated new risks to how images of children are shared and distributed online. As a result, many school leadership teams are currently auditing their digital safety policies and asking a critical question: What advice should we be giving to our staff, parents, and carers right now?
To help you answer this, we have developed the Protecting Children’s Images in the Age of AI Resource Package. This resource has been designed to help schools, charities, faith organisations, sports clubs and other organisations working with children and young people understand these emerging risks and communicate practical, proportionate guidance to their communities.
What’s included:
The pack is free to access via the Teach Hub for professionals in schools who are registered with Safer Schools. For those who would like to access the resources in a different context, they are available to be purchased here:
Community News and Updates 📢
The latest in the locality
Certified Safer Schools Status!
With the summer break now upon us, we are looking back at a fantastic term marked by the successful rollout of our new Digital Proficiency Course. We have been incredibly inspired by the dedication of schools across Northern Ireland in championing online safety.
Ahead of the holidays, our team hit the road to visit several local schools, officially awarding them their Safer Schools Certified Status. Seeing the enthusiasm from both staff and pupils was an absolute highlight for us, and we are so proud of what these communities have achieved.
We want to extend a huge thank you to every single school that participated and gave it their best effort. If you are still working toward your certification, don’t worry your school’s progress is safely locked in and will carry over directly into the new term. You will be in a fantastic position to achieve your official certified status as soon as the new school year begins. The course will not be closing so you can continue achieving results to gain your certified status too over the summer or as soon as you start back in the new term.
Feature Spotlight 🔦
Unlock your app’s full potential
The Teach Hub
Maximise the impact of the resources available to your school! Whatever safeguarding topic, theme, or conversation is currently trending in your classrooms, check out our tools to support you. Whether you need a quick staffroom briefing, an interactive lesson plan, or a vibrant classroom poster, we have you covered.
Log in today to explore the platform and familiarise yourself with the resources you can use next year!
Media News 🗞️
Safeguarding and Online Safety News
💬 WhatsApp to let people chat without swapping phone numbers – The messaging platform is introducing unique usernames to enhance privacy by hiding phone numbers. Concerns include heightened scam risks, Meta’s ongoing data tracking, and the UK’s upcoming under-16 social media ban.
👶️️ Impacts of Screen Time, Media and Technology Use on Under 2s – Greater screen availability, particularly devices in bedrooms, and higher parental screen use are associated with shorter sleep duration and later bedtimes in young children.
📱 Instagram tests more algorithm controls – Instagram is experimenting with new ways to give users greater visibility and control over its recommendation algorithm through its expanding “Your Algorithm” feature
🤖 Brands using AI-generated influencers to promote products on social media – Due to a lack of specific UK regulations, brands are using undisclosed AI-generated influencers to mimic real customers, leaving some consumers unable to spot the deception.
License, Links and Logins 🔑
All the information you need to access the world of Safer Schools NI at your fingertips!
Have a wonderful, safe, and relaxing summer!
Did you know…
“Seven in ten (70%) children aged 11-17 had seen or heard some form of content harmful to children”
Source: Ofcom 2025
Make sure to follow us on social media for the latest updates and developments!
