Wake Up Wednesday – Online Relationships and Dating Apps

12th February 2025Louise Gatti

 

Findings from Ofcom last year indicate that as many as 16% of the UK’s population are currently using dating apps to form new connections. That’s more than 11 million users in this country alone, and among so many, there are bound to be some who don’t hop on these platforms with the best of intentions.

 

This is especially important to remember when we consider that an Ofcom consultation in the lead-up to the Online Safety Act found that some children and young people use these apps – regardless of their age restrictions. It’s vital that parents and educators remain aware of the risks associated with dating apps and learn how best to keep youngsters safe from them. That’s why we’ve put together this week’s expert-led guide, detailing the most prominent risks of these platforms. 

KS3 Progress Tests Dates & Revision Tips

10th February 2025Louise Gatti

 

  

Scams and Fake News

5th February 2025Louise Gatti

‘Fake news’ is a widespread issue in the digital world, and it’s overwhelmingly likely that both children and adults will be exposed to it online. In fact, a study from the Alan Turing Institute has found that 94% of people in the UK have encountered misinformation on social media and that’s only the ones who were aware of it! 

 

However, while some fake news is shared mistakenly by well-meaning individuals, it’s also shared by scammers and other cyber-criminals to lend legitimacy to their con. While this presents a clear risk to children and young people online, the question remains as to how we can protect them against such tactics. This week’s free guide offers expert advice on the specific ways scammers use misinformation and how to safeguard younger users against these techniques. 

Supporting Children to Develop Emotional Literacy

29th January 2025Louise Gatti

Anger at a toy being stolen. Sadness when losing a game. Frustration when struggling in class. All children will experience challenging feelings sooner or later. Emotions are a natural part of life, and while youngsters should be allowed to express themselves, it’s important they also learn how to process these more difficult emotions in a mindful way. 

 

Of course, many children may well be encountering these intense feelings for the first time, and it can be intimidating to skirt the line of helping them properly handle their emotions while also validating their experiences. That’s why we’ve put together this free guide, offering expert advice on supporting youngsters to develop emotional literacy. 

Severe Weather Warning: School Closed

24th January 2025Louise Gatti

As the most recent forecast from the Met Office update is now predicting winds of 80mph and the peak later in the day, there is a significant danger that we could open school this morning but would be dismissing pupils while the winds were at their strongest. At 80mph, this poses a very significant danger to anyone travelling, so we have taken the difficult decision to close school today.

As many other schools and nurseries are closing and some staff will be travelling from areas where the winds are even stronger, we have also taken into consideration that we may not be able to fully staff the school today when making the decision to CLOSE.

We are sorry for the inconvenience that this will cause, but our decision has been made to prioritise the health and safety of our pupils at NCEA Dukes

Work will be set for pupils today on Google Classroom.
Stay safe everyone.

Health and Fitness Apps

22nd January 2025Louise Gatti

A study entitled The Digital Health Generation has highlighted that more than 70% of young people in the UK, some aged just 8, are using apps and other digital online technologies to track and manage their health. For those of us who might struggle with sticking to a routine or even knowing where to start, physical wellbeing and fitness apps promise to do the heavy lifting for you providing meal plans, exercise routines and more.

 

However, some of these apps aren’t always as safe as they might first appear, and they tend to present a few risks to their users – especially for their underage demographic. That’s why we’ve put together this free guide on safety concerns around physical wellbeing apps, to provide you with expert advice on how to mitigate these risks for young people.