The Digital Proficiency Course

Building Digital Resilience and Confidence to Stay Safer Online

The Digital Proficiency Course will be live for a limited time from 5th February for Safer Internet Day 2026, and we want you to be a part of it!

0
0
0
0
Days
0
0
Hours
0
0
Minutes
0
0
Seconds
Who is it for? What is covered? benefits to your schools Information Webinar Delivery Options FAQs

The Digital Proficiency Course

The Five C’s of Online Risk

The Digital Proficiency Course, developed by the Online Safety professionals at INEQE Safeguarding Group, offers an accessible way for the entire school community—pupils, parents/carers, and professionals—to build the knowledge and confidence needed to navigate the online world safely and responsibly.

Delivered exclusively via the Safer Schools Mobile and Web App, these short, video-based courses guide users through key aspects of online life using relatable examples. Learning is certified via a Class Quiz (for young children) or an independent test (for everyone else).

Topics are based on the five C’s of online risk:

Cyber Security

Content

Contact

Conduct

Commerce

and include subjects like age restrictions, grooming, online bullying, and Artificial Intelligence.

Certification and Insights

All participants will receive a certificate on successful completion. By participating, your community demonstrates the start of a digital proficiency journey, providing you with data and insights into the current online safety knowledge and capability in your school.

This crucial information allows you to inform and tailor your online safety curriculum, ensuring the lessons you teach are relevant and make a real impact by focusing on areas where support is most needed. This innovative initiative equips all learners with the awareness and practical skills required for today’s fast-changing digital landscape.

The Digital Proficiency Course will be live for a limited time for Safer Internet Day 2026, and we want you to be a part of it!

Certification and Insights

All participants will receive a certificate on successful completion. By participating, your community demonstrates the start of a digital proficiency journey, providing you with data and insights into the current online safety knowledge and capability in your school.

This crucial information allows you to inform and tailor your online safety curriculum, ensuring the lessons you teach are relevant and make a real impact by focusing on areas where support is most needed. This innovative initiative equips all learners with the awareness and practical skills required for today’s fast-changing digital landscape.

Certified Safer School

If a school demonstrates a whole school commitment to take part, including professionals, parents and carers and pupils, they’ll receive a digital badge and certification as Certified Safer School, upon review of their account.

Images shown are for illustrative purposes only and may not reflect the final design.

Many schools are already committed

Can We Count You In?

Remember this is only available through the Safer Schools platform so your school must be registered.

What is covered?

Courses will be available for all groups across the school community with carefully curated topics, examples, and language used to ensure learning is relevant and relatable for every participant. All courses are fully accessible with audio and visual elements to aid learning. 

Lower Primary 

Upper Primary 

Lower Secondary

Recommended for ages 11 to 14

Upper Secondary

Recommended for ages 15 to 18

Primary SEN/SEND/ASN/ASL 

Secondary
SEN/SEND/ASN/ASL

Parents and carers

Professionals

All Education Staff

Want to hear more?

If you couldn’t join us at one of our 20-minute live webinars, watch our recorded version here to listen to one of our trainers explain the delivery and content of our Digital Proficiency Course for teachers, parents/carers and pupils.

What Will You Receive?

Before the Course

You’ll receive supporting resources including crib sheets and introductory guides on delivery, graphics to advertise your participation and communication templates for your school community.

During the Course

Reminders on course open and closure and your results as they happen via your Safer Schools Web Management Portal.

After the Course

Social Media and website graphics to promote your school’s proficient status and a complete picture of your school’s level of online safety proficiency.

Delivery Options

Depending on your school’s timetable, devices, and staffing capacity, you can choose the delivery method that best fits your context. The courses are flexible and can be used in several ways:

The Collaborative Classroom

Display and teach the full course and complete the digital test as a whole-class activity. This works particularly well for lower primary pupils and may also be suitable for some SEND/ASN/ASL groups, or those who benefit from supported learning.

*Note: this is the suggested delivery method for the Lower Primary Course based on The Friend Ship story.

Best Option For:

  • Younger children
  • Groups requiring extra guidance or structured support
  • Promoting discussion

Collective Learning and Individual Assessment

Display and teach the full course to the whole class – either in a single session, during form time, assemblies, or other allocated slots. Once all course learning is complete, allow at least 30 minutes for students to complete the digital test individually on a device.

*Note: if choosing this option, the test will be locked, and students must be instructed to mark course videos as ‘Done’ to unlock the test.

Best Option For:

  • Delivering content in short bursts
  • Pupils who need frequent breaks
  • Schools with limited timetable flexibility

Independent Learning

Schedule a class session where each pupil has access to a computer, laptop, tablet or phone where they can access the Safer Schools App. Allow 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes for learners to complete the course and test independently. Students will need headphones, as all content is video-based. If some pupils do not finish, you may wish to run a ‘mop-up’ session.

Best Option For:

  • Independent learning
  • Internet Safety Week or themed focus sessions

Home Learning Task

Assign the course content and digital test for pupils to complete at home through their Safer Schools app under parent/carer supervision. You can track completion through the Safer Schools Web Management Portal.

Best Option For:

  • Schools with reduced curriculum time or flexibility

  • Limited access to school devices

  • Pupil requiring extra guidance or structured support

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will the course be available for?

This course will be live from the 5th of February and will be open until at least the end of term (Easter) in order to give schools plenty of time to schedule the course and test into their timetables.

Due to the different delivery options, and considering discussion time, the duration of the course may differ. For a breakdown of the approximate course duration if videos are played back-to-back, see below:

  • Lower Primary Pupils – 5-7 minutes (Intended to be teacher led with pause points)
  • Upper Primary Pupils – 20 minutes
  • Lower Secondary Pupils – 30 minutes
  • Upper Secondary Pupils – 35 minutes
  • Primary SEND/ASN/ASL – 20 minutes
  • Secondary SEND/ASN/ASL – 30 minutes
  • Staff – 45 minutes
  • Parents/Carers – 20 minutes

Yes, each user will require their own login to the app which is quick and easy to create. Staff and parents/carers can access with an email and password, then entering the unique school code distributed by your school (administrators can find this in the Management Portal).
Pupils do not require an email address or password; they simply log in using the dedicated pupil entry code provided by your school.
Reminder! QR codes must be scanned within the Safer Schools in-app QR code scanner, not a phone camera.

If you have already registered with us at Safer Schools, your school’s name should appear as a dropdown option when you log into the app or portal. If you are still unsure, or are having trouble logging in, feel free to drop us an email at [email protected] or call us at 02896 005 777

The Digital Proficiency Course seeks to involve and equip every member of the school community – staff, pupils and parents/carers. If your school can encourage an active participation from each group to complete the course and test, upon review, we would be delighted to award you the Certified Safer School badge and certificate. Contact us when you’ve completed the course, we’ll review your portal and get back in touch with your certificate and digital badge. This can be placed on your school’s website, social media and emails.

Yes! From the 5th February, Safer Schools is launching the pupil role for the Web App so pupils can log in using your school’s dedicated log in codes on school devices.

For further support check out our support articles here!

Can We Count You In?