Computing · Year 3 · Connecting the Dots: Networks and the Internet · Autumn Term

Staying Safe Online: Personal Information

Understanding the importance of keeping personal information private and identifying what information is safe to share online.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Computing - Online Safety and Responsibility
• KS2: Computing - Digital Literacy

About This Topic

In Year 3 Computing, students explore staying safe online by learning to keep personal information private. They identify details like full names, home addresses, school names, phone numbers, and photos as unsafe to share with strangers. Through justifying privacy's importance, predicting risks such as unwanted contact or bullying, and listing safe information like hobbies or favorite colors, pupils build essential digital citizenship skills. This topic aligns with KS2 standards for online safety and digital literacy in the networks and internet unit.

These lessons connect online behaviors to real-world consequences, helping students understand how networks link devices globally. Pupils develop critical thinking by evaluating sharing decisions, a foundation for responsible internet use throughout primary and beyond. Class discussions reinforce that even fun chats carry risks if personal details slip out.

Active learning suits this topic perfectly. Role-plays of online scenarios and sorting activities make rules relatable and memorable. Hands-on tasks encourage peer feedback, boost confidence in quick decisions, and turn passive listening into engaged practice that sticks.

Key Questions

1. Justify why it is important to keep personal information private online.
2. Predict the potential risks of sharing too much personal information.
3. Construct a list of information that is safe and unsafe to share with strangers online.

Learning Objectives

• Classify online information as either personal or general, providing reasons for each classification.
• Predict potential negative consequences of sharing specific types of personal information with unknown individuals online.
• Construct a list of at least five pieces of information that are safe to share online and five that are unsafe.
• Justify, using at least two distinct reasons, why protecting personal information online is crucial.

Before You Start

Introduction to Internet Use

Why: Students need a basic understanding of what the internet is and how people connect to it before learning about online safety.

Identifying People and Places

Why: A foundational ability to distinguish between known individuals and strangers, and to recognize different locations like home and school, is necessary for understanding personal information.

Key Vocabulary

Personal Information	Details about you that identify you specifically, such as your full name, home address, or phone number. This information should be kept private online.
Stranger	Someone you do not know in real life. It is important to be cautious about sharing personal details with strangers online, just as you would in person.
Online Privacy	The control you have over how your personal information is collected, used, and shared when you are using the internet or digital devices.
Digital Footprint	The trail of data you leave behind when you use the internet, including websites you visit, emails you send, and information you share.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Sharing my first name or age is always safe online.

What to Teach Instead

Small details can combine to identify a child, especially with photos or locations. Role-play activities let pupils see how info adds up, while group discussions correct overconfidence through peer examples.

Common Misconception

Online games are private, so sharing school details is fine.

What to Teach Instead

Game chats often reach strangers worldwide via networks. Sorting card games reveal public nature of platforms, and active justification in groups shifts thinking to caution.

Common Misconception

Strangers online are just other children having fun.

What to Teach Instead

Adults can pretend to be kids, leading to risks. Scenario role-plays expose this, with debriefs helping pupils articulate why verification matters beyond screens.

Active Learning Ideas

Sorting Game: Safe or Unsafe Cards

Prepare cards listing information types such as 'my full name' or 'favourite game'. In small groups, pupils sort cards into safe and unsafe piles, then justify choices to the group. Follow with a whole-class share-out to agree on lists.

30 min·Small Groups

Role-Play: Chat Scenarios

Provide scripted online chat prompts where one pupil plays a 'friend' asking questions. Pairs decide responses, sharing only safe info, then switch roles. Debrief on risks spotted.

25 min·Pairs

Poster Design: My Safety Rules

Small groups brainstorm and illustrate five rules for sharing online, using drawings and key phrases. Display posters around the room for reference. Vote on the class top rule.

40 min·Small Groups

Risk Brainstorm: What If?

As a whole class, project a scenario like sharing a home photo. Pupils predict three risks in pairs first, then share. Record on a shared chart.

20 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Children's online safety teams at police forces, like the Metropolitan Police's dedicated cybercrime unit, investigate cases where personal information shared online has led to harm or exploitation.
• Social media platforms such as TikTok and YouTube have content moderation policies designed to protect users, especially younger ones, from inappropriate content and the misuse of personal data.

Assessment Ideas

Quick Check

Present students with a list of online scenarios. Ask them to hold up a green card if the scenario involves sharing safe information and a red card if it involves sharing unsafe personal information. Follow up by asking a few students to explain their choices.

Exit Ticket

Provide each student with two slips of paper. On one, they should write one piece of personal information that is unsafe to share online. On the other, they should write one piece of information that is safe to share. Ask them to explain why the unsafe information is risky.

Discussion Prompt

Ask students: 'Imagine you meet someone new online who seems friendly and asks for your school name. Why might sharing this information be a problem, and what could you say instead?' Encourage them to think about potential risks and safe responses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What personal information should Year 3 pupils avoid sharing online?

Pupils should never share full names, addresses, school names, phone numbers, exact locations, or photos showing faces or homes. Safe shares include general likes such as 'I love football' or colours. Teach through lists and examples tied to curriculum key questions, emphasising justification for privacy.

How do you teach online risks to 7-8 year olds?

Use simple predictions: 'What if a stranger knows your address?' Relate to networks unit by showing global connections. Activities like role-plays make risks feel real without scaring, building skills to spot and avoid dangers through practice.

What activities work best for online personal info safety?

Sorting cards into safe/unsafe, role-playing chats, and creating rule posters engage pupils actively. These match KS2 standards, last 20-40 minutes, and suit pairs or groups. Follow with discussions to reinforce lists of safe info.

How does active learning help teach staying safe online?

Active methods like role-plays and sorting turn abstract rules into practical skills pupils own. Year 3 children practise decisions in safe settings, gaining confidence to pause and think before sharing. Peer talks correct misconceptions on the spot, making lessons stick better than lectures alone, as pupils teach each other.