OSA course updates for 2020-21

As ever, we have been busy over the summer ensuring our courses are as accurate and up to date as possible. Throughout the year we ensure we are aware of all online safety issues and news, and of developments to the Statutory frameworks within which schools work. The information collated is used to adapt and evolve courses from the previous academic year to ensure new courses are as accurate and effective as possible.

Please see below for details on the changes we have made to our courses for pupils and for school staff. Our course for parents has been substantially updated with a totally new structure and new learning content throughout.

Changes to courses for pupils include:

  • Updated statistics relating to online bullying based on OSA survey of thousands of UK school children.
  • Updated case studies in areas such as grooming and consequences of inappropriate use of digital technologies.
  • New sections relating to gaming addiction.
  • Social media management section expanded to include TikTok.
  • Positive developments taken by social media to protect children highlighted to raise awareness of support features available.
  • Disinformation section expanded to reflect on COVID-19 issues.
  • Young Minds added to the section ‘Seeking help and reporting concerns’.

Changes to our CPD course for school staff include:

  • Section added on implications of new statutory requirements for Relationships Education (primary settings) and Relationships and Sex Education (secondary settings)
  • Updated for KCSIE 2020
  • Inclusion of steps taken by different platforms to reduce risk of online harms
  • Updated statistics on usage of social media platforms by children
  • Additional information added regarding security concerns relating to TikTok
  • Updated statistics on online bullying
  • Impacts of bullying updated with data from Ditch the Label’s 2020 annual report
  • Added data from and reference to OECD study on social media impacts
  • Inclusion of data from and reference to Guardian investigation into legal response to child sexting
  • Inclusion of children’s mental health being added to KCSIE 2020 referenced in mental health section
  • Grooming case studies replaced and updated
  • Links to reports suggesting impact of lockdown on levels of online grooming
  • Added section on fake news / disinformation
  • New section on gaming
  • Young Minds added to available support channels
  • New case studies throughout, particularly drawing on Teacher Regulation Agency cases from past 12 months
  • Creation of new section on managing remote learning, incorporating new DFE guidance