This week Year 8 pupils took part in a Digacy skills day in collaboration with our sister school Putney High, and the online awareness organisation Digital Awareness UK.
The day started with a live stream from Emma Robertson, a digital rights activist at Digital Awareness, who gave an inspirational talk about empowering young people to survive and thrive online. The day was then organised in groups to write, record, and show short films on the five most pressing issues facing young people online – addiction and technology, online abuse, sharing nudes, cancel culture, and online activism.
Pupils were also given time to reflect on these themes and their ideas for short films in a mindfulness and relaxation session with our Yoga teacher, Mrs Eborall. At the end of the day, we held a special premiere of the performances, and pupils voted on their favourites. These will be shared with other GDST schools and Digital Awareness, who will showcase the best from across the Trust in their campaigns in the future.
The Year 8 day came at the end of our Online Safety Week, to coincide with Safer Internet Day on 8 February. Our Digital Leaders led a special assembly in Junior School, looking at the issues surrounding online relationships.
Our school Digacy programme is designed to encompass all things digital and the Digital Leaders will be cropping up in many other ways over the year, both to advise the pupils in matters of safety and wellbeing, and to offer support to teachers when it comes to EdTech, and using devices for learning.
