This informal CPD article, ‘The Importance of CPD in Teaching Online Safety to Pupils’, was provided by Computeam, who provide IT products and services to schools and Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) across the UK, with the aim of improving educational outcomes through technology.
Why teaching online safety matters
Technology is now a universal constant in children's lives. From the moment they’re first able to swipe a screen, developing minds are exposed to the benefits – and dangers – of online interaction. And, as digital platforms play a bigger role in education, teaching online safety has never been more important.
From cyberbullying and online grooming to exposure to inappropriate content and misinformation, there are countless risks young learners must navigate. While filtering systems and parental controls can offer some protection, nothing replaces the need for high-quality digital literacy education – and schools must be proactive in equipping pupils with the knowledge to make safe choices online.
The role of educators in digital safeguarding
As online threats emerge, evolve and become more sophisticated, teaching pupils how to stay safe on the internet shouldn’t just be in the remit of IT staff. All teachers have a role to play in guiding children through digital environments – whether that’s helping them understand how to identify suspicious links, protecting their personal information, recognising deep-fake content or knowing when and how to report online abuse.
But what if educators feel underprepared to teach online safety effectively and with confidence? Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is an essential tool in helping school staff keep up with emerging risks with structured, ongoing training.
CPD helps teachers stay informed and confident
CPD provides a reliable framework for building and maintaining staff knowledge around online safety. Rather than simply relying on one-off training modules or reactive responses to incidents, CPD supports a consistent, informed approach that evolves at the same rate as an ever-developing digital landscape.
With CPD-accredited training, teachers can explore key areas of online safety – from identifying phishing attempts to understanding privacy settings and recognising signs of online exploitation. It’s this kind of critical knowledge that helps teachers speak confidently to pupils about online risks and model safe behaviour in the classroom.
When training is kept current, schools can respond more effectively to the latest challenges – whether that’s identifying AI-generated content and its associated dangers, social media trends, or the growing sophistication of scams targeting children.
Building a whole-school culture of digital safety
Online safety education is most effective when it becomes part of the school’s broader safeguarding culture. CPD ensures that all stakeholders – from senior leadership to classroom assistants, from governors to site staff – share a baseline understanding of digital risks and how to respond.
By embedding regular CPD into school development plans, staff are better placed to support one another, reinforce consistent messages to pupils and work with parents to address concerns – a collaborative approach that helps to normalise conversations about online risks and encourages pupils to seek support when needed.
Accessing expert-led CPD in online safety
Schools often face time and budget constraints that limit their ability to deliver specialised training in-house. That’s why many turn to CPD providers who have had their learning materials reviewed and accredited by a recognised third party to support their efforts.
Specialist IT product and service providers offer training that reflects the real-world challenges schools face when teaching online safety. By drawing on sector-specific knowledge, CPD training modules provide practical, up-to-date guidance that staff can immediately apply in their work with pupils.
Equipping pupils for a digital future
As pupils spend more of their lives online, schools have a responsibility to prepare them for the risks they’ll inevitably encounter both in their time at school and beyond. By investing in a long-term commitment to staff training and development, online safety can be a subject educators approach with confidence, gaining the ability to guide pupils and create safer digital learning environments for all.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Computeam, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
