As children spend more time online than ever before, helping them navigate the digital world safely has become a shared responsibility between schools and families. Northern Education Trust continues to prioritise online safeguarding and recognises that close collaboration with parents and carers is essential in creating a safe, positive digital experience for young people.
To strengthen this support, Northern Education Trust has partnered with Smoothwall to launch a free Online Safety Hub specifically designed for parents and carers. Smoothwall is the monitoring and filtering system already used across trust academies to help protect students from harmful or inappropriate online content while in school.
What the Online Safety Hub offers
The Online Safety Hub provides trusted advice and practical guidance to help families manage online risks at home. Resources cover a wide range of topics, including:
- Managing and balancing screen time
- Understanding popular gaming platforms and apps
- Recognising online risks and digital threats
- Supporting children to develop healthy online habits
The content is written by experts and is regularly updated to reflect the rapidly changing digital landscape.
Free parental control tools for families
As part of this partnership, parents and carers can also access a free Qustodio account, including 30 days of premium features. Qustodio is a parental control app that can be installed on smartphones, tablets, computers, and laptops, offering greater insight into children’s online activity.
With Qustodio, families can:
- Filter and block unsafe or inappropriate content
- Set screen-free times and daily usage limits
- Receive alerts for concerning activity
- Monitor location settings
- Gain a clearer understanding of how children use their devices
Parents and carers can register for their free account using the dedicated link provided.
How to access support
The Online Safety Hub is available online and can also be accessed via a QR code shared by the trust. Families with questions or concerns are encouraged to get in touch with the trust directly via email.
Further information and access to the hub can be found on the Northern Education Trust Online Safety Hub website.