Last week, Prince’s Mead was delighted to welcome renowned online safety expert Karl Hopwood to speak to our parent community. With years of experience advising schools, governments and organisations on how best to navigate the ever-evolving digital world, Karl delivered an insightful and thought-provoking presentation on the importance of keeping children safe online.
At the heart of Karl’s message was the importance of open dialogue between parents and children. Rather than focusing solely on restrictions and controls, he urged parents to prioritise communication, creating a relationship where children feel heard, not judged.
He shared a powerful example of a child who had confided in his parents after receiving inappropriate messages while playing an online game. Instead of reporting and blocking the offending user, the parents responded by banning the game altogether. The child felt punished for being honest, and later told Karl he wouldn’t tell his parents again if something similar happened, a stark reminder of why listening without overreacting is crucial.
Karl also highlighted that one of the biggest risks for children online is not necessarily what happens at home, but what happens elsewhere, for example, at a friend’s house with fewer restrictions or less awareness around internet safety. He encouraged parents to talk to each other and to be mindful of the digital environments their children might encounter beyond their own homes.
The talk touched on recent developments, including the Online Safety Act announced earlier this year, and the positive trend that the average age for smartphone use among children has increased slightly since 2024, now sitting around 10 to 11 years old. Karl encouraged parents to lead by example, whether that means putting phones away at the dinner table, modelling healthy screen time habits, or being present and engaged during family time.
The presentation left many parents feeling better equipped to have open and honest conversations with their children about the digital world, not from a place of fear, but with a spirit of mutual trust and understanding.
As a school, we remain committed to supporting both pupils and parents in navigating online life safely and responsibly. Our thanks again to Karl Hopwood for such a valuable and engaging session.