Sessions focus on building the pupil's own digital resilience and reporting confidence, rather than a generic 'internet safety' lecture the pupil has likely already heard. The course is grounded in DfE's National Behaviour Survey, which found 29% of bullied pupils experienced at least some of it online, and is statutory under Keeping Children Safe in Education, which requires schools to address online safety as part of safeguarding. It also reflects the Online Safety Act 2023 and DfE's 2026 guidance on mobile phones in schools.
Objective: Pupil can describe the pupil's typical online habits and identify what feels good or uncomfortable about them.
Check-in: 1. Ask what apps or games they are spending most time on at the moment. 2. Be genuinely curious. This is rapport, not assessment. 3. Do not react to anything they name, however unfamiliar. 4. Say what happens to what they tell you: you keep notes, and the plan at the end goes to staff they agree to. If something worries you about their safety you have to pass it on, and you would tell them who to.
Input: 1. Say that online life is real life — what happens there counts. 2. Ask: 'does something that happens online count as really happening?' It does — and it is normal for it to feel good sometimes and bad at others. 3. Say you will go through their day hour by hour in a moment, and colour how each part feels. 4. Explain that the pattern matters more than the hours — this is not about screen time.
Activity: 1. Get out the digital day map and the colour-code key together. 2. Ask: 'talk me through a normal day online — what do you open first?' Pupil fills in the map as they go, colouring each part good, fine or uncomfortable. 3. Ask: 'who are you actually talking to on each one?' 4. Ask about anything marked uncomfortable: 'what makes that one feel like that?'
Reflect: 1. Ask: 'which part of your day online is actually good?' 2. Pupil agrees to notice one uncomfortable moment this week — just notice it, nothing else.
Watch for: Pupils often minimise how much time is spent online, or how much online interactions affect mood, this is common and not something to challenge directly in Week 1.
Parent/carer take-home: Show a genuine, non-judgemental interest in what they enjoy online this week. This builds the trust needed for harder conversations later in the course.
You're seeing week 1 in full. The remaining 5 sessions, along with the printable resource packs, are available once you have an account.
Schools can start a free three-week pilot with up to 3 mentor seats and 10 pupils. No card required.