Teaching online safety in schools

Guidance has just been updated supporting schools to teach pupils how to stay safe online within existing subjects.

This non-statutory guidance originally issued in 2019, outlines how schools can ensure their pupils understand how to stay safe and behave online as part of existing curriculum requirements.

It complements existing subjects including:

• Relationships education
• Relationships and sex education
• Health education
• Citizenship
• Computing

There are no additional teaching requirements.

This guidance is for school leaders, school staff and governing bodies. It applies to all local-authority-maintained schools, academies and free schools.

Independent schools and non-maintained special schools may also find this guidance helpful as they are required to teach relationships education, relationships and sex education and health education.

The interventions and support information may also be helpful for early years settings, colleges and other post-16 institutions.