đź’¬ Chats, Games and Screens: A May Online Safety Update for Families
At St Peter’s CE Primary School, we are committed to helping our children Love, Learn and Shine – both in the classroom and online. As part of this commitment, we regularly share online safety guidance with families to help children enjoy the digital world safely and positively.
Our May 2026 Online Safety focus highlights some important areas where parents and carers can support children at home, particularly around group chats, online games and screen time.
💬 Group Chats – What Families Need to Know
Many children are part of group chats through messaging apps or online games. While these can be great for keeping in touch with friends, they can also carry risks.
These include:
- Children seeing inappropriate language or content
- Unkind or bullying messages, including exclusion from groups
- Contact with people they do not know
- Messages or images being shared or screenshot
- Personal information being shared too easily
Talking regularly with your child about who they are chatting with and reminding them to be kind, thoughtful and cautious online can make a real difference. Encouraging children to think “Would I say this face to face?” supports positive digital behaviour.
🎮 Online Games and Chat Features
Some gaming websites and platforms include chat features that allow children to communicate with others while playing. The newsletter highlights concerns around unfiltered games and chat spaces, where content may not always be age‑appropriate and moderation can be limited. We encourage families to:
- Check age ratings
- Use parental controls
- Talk to children about what they are playing and who they are interacting with
- Keep devices in shared family spaces
🧱 Roblox – New Safety Updates for Children
Many children enjoy playing Roblox, a platform made up of games created by users. Because content is user‑generated, not all games are suitable for every age.
From May 2026, Roblox is introducing new age‑based accounts designed to better protect children:
- Roblox Kids (ages 5–8) – limited to mild content, with chat turned off by default
- Roblox Select (ages 9–15) – access to moderate content, with stronger controls over chat and gameplay
Parents and carers can also manage screen time, spending limits, chat settings and even approve specific games. Regular monitoring and open conversations remain key to keeping children safe.
⏱️ Screen Time for Younger Children
Government guidance reminds us that:
- Children under 2 should avoid screen time where possible
- Children aged 2–5 should have less than one hour per day
Choosing high‑quality content, watching together, and modelling healthy screen habits all help support children’s development and wellbeing.
💖 Love, Learn and Shine – Online Too
Online safety works best when school and home work together. By having open conversations, setting clear boundaries and modelling positive behaviour, we can help our children feel confident, safe and supported as they navigate the online world.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support in helping every child at St Peter’s Love, Learn and Shine.
