10 Ways Gaming Can Support Positive Outcomes

9th February 2023Louise Gatti

The potential negative effects of gaming on young people’s mental health (when the compulsion to play begins to interfere with regular activities like homework, exercise or socialising) are well documented. In recent years however, there’s been a groundswell of research making a contrasting point – that safe, healthy amounts of gaming can actually help to improve mental wellbeing.

 

One of the most prominent studies was carried out by Oxford University in 2021, which found that moderate amounts of time playing family-friendly games led to respondents reporting an improved sense of mental wellbeing. Our guide has ten tips for trusted adults on how safe, healthy gaming can offer more than just an enjoyable leisure activity for children.

iGaming, of course, is phenomenally popular with children and young people. In 2021, for instance, more than three-quarters of teenagers played online games, with almost 70% of primary school aged children doing likewise. If enjoyed in moderation and supported by a healthy routine (staying hydrated, good sleep habits, taking breaks and so on), gaming can actually benefit a person’s mental health. As long as we stay alert for potential risks, games can be much more than what we see on the surface: they can be a way to socialise, an avenue for creativity and a route to solving problems. Our top ten tips outline how gaming online can sometimes work to your child’s advantage.

 

In the guide you’ll find a number of potential benefits including a sense of achievement, learning about teamwork and encouraging creativity.

Update to Y7 Progress Assessments

27th January 2023Louise Gatti
Dear Parents / Carers of Y7 

Due to unforeseen circumstances we have had to change the date of the Mathematics progress test for those students who are in the X band for their Maths lessons. The test was originally scheduled to take place on Monday 30th January during period 2 but will now be moved to period 2 on Thursday February 2nd. Please accept our apologies for any confusion or inconvenience this change causes.

12 Top Tips For Building Cyber Resilience At Home

26th January 2023Louise Gatti
Most of us habitually check our doors are locked each night. We don’t leave our cars open with the keys in the ignition. We take care not to let anyone watch us enter our PIN at the cash machine. When it comes to cyber-security, however, many people aren’t anywhere near as routinely cautious – which is one of the reasons that online crime continues to pose a major threat.
 
In the last couple of decades, the volume of online traffic has increased exponentially – but, by and large, people’s awareness of the accompanying risks hasn’t grown along with it. To illustrate the scale of the issue, consider this: a report by the Internet Crime Complaint Centre found that, in the US during 2020, there was a successful cyber-attack every second. Yes: every second.
 
The UK had the largest percentage of cyber-crime victims per million internet users in 2022; the US had the second-highest ratio. Nations with (relatively) wealthy populations who spent a lot of time online are, therefore, lucrative hunting grounds for cyber criminals.

Criminals continue to find new and devious ways to attempt to hijack our online transactions and harvest our private information. To them, the smart devices that many of us now use as standard at home are simply a convenient back door into our lives – and our networks. Check out our #WakeUpWednesday guide for advice on beefing up your household’s cyber resilience. In the guide you’ll find tips on a number of potential risks such as how to use a password manager, how to back up your data and how to check for breaches.