20th April 2026
Dear Parents/Carers,
We are writing to remind families about the growing risks linked to social media use among young people and to share practical steps you can take to help keep your child safe online. Many of the concerns raised in school recently relate to group chats, viral content, and unmonitored communication on apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp.
Why this matters
Social media plays a huge role in young people’s lives, but it can also expose them to:
- Harmful or misleading content
- Pressure to join large group chats
- Unkind behaviour, arguments or bullying
- Contact from people they do not know
- Viral challenges or misinformation
- Sharing images or personal information without thinking about consequences
We want to work together with families to reduce these risks and support students to use social media responsibly.
Parental Controls & Safety Settings
Below are practical intervention guides to help you put safety measures in place on the most widely used social media apps.
Snapchat
- Enable Ghost Mode so your child’s location is not visible
- Turn on Two‑Factor Authentication
- Restrict who can contact them to ‘Friends Only’
- Disable Quick Add to reduce contact from strangers
- Set the account to Private
- Limit who can message your child
- Use Sensitive Content Controls to filter harmful material
- Review Tagged Photos and Story Sharing settings
TikTok
- Turn on Family Pairing to link your account with your child’s
- Restrict Direct Messages or turn them off completely
- Enable Screen Time Limits
- Use Restricted Mode to filter inappropriate content
- Check who is added to group chats
- Turn off ‘Add to Groups’ so only contacts can add your child
- Encourage your child to leave any group that feels uncomfortable
- Remind them that messages can be screenshot and shared
Why Group Chats Can Be Risky
Large group chats often lead to:
- Arguments escalating quickly
- Pressure to respond late at night
- Sharing of inappropriate images or videos
- Students being added to groups without consent
- Rumours, misinformation or unkind comments spreading rapidly
Please talk to your child about only joining groups with people they know and trust and leaving any chat that feels unsafe or overwhelming.
What Parents/Carers Can Do
You can make a big difference by:
- Talking regularly with your child about what they do online
- Setting clear boundaries around screen time and devices at night
- Checking privacy settings together
- Encouraging them to speak to you or a trusted adult if something worries them
- Reminding them not to share personal information, images or passwords
- Keeping devices in shared family spaces where possible
If you ever have concerns about your child’s online activity, please contact the school safeguarding team. We are here to support you.
Working Together
Keeping young people safe online is a shared responsibility. By staying informed and having open conversations at home, we can help students enjoy social media in a safer and more positive way.
Thank you for your continued support.
Yours sincerely,
Mr.Halstead
Designated Safeguarding Lead
