Safer Internet Day is a cornerstone of efforts to support children and young people to thrive safely in an increasingly digital world. At Computing At School (CAS), we believe online safety education should be dynamic, age-appropriate and integrated across computing and school life, not just talked about once in isolation.
This page brings together a range of practical resources, lesson plans and guidance designed to help educators lead thoughtful conversations, inspire positive digital behaviours and build confidence in safe and responsible technology use. Through these materials, CAS aims to equip teachers and school leaders with the tools they need to make online safety learning relevant, engaging and meaningful for learners of all ages, helping every pupil to be a confident, respectful and safe digital citizen.
Safer Internet Resources
Safer Internet Day 2026 resource helps primary pupils aged 7–11 understand how artificial intelligence is part of their everyday lives. Through engaging activities, children identify ways they already use AI and focus on digital assistants, exploring both the positive and negative impacts of these tools. Adapted from our popular AI Adventure: Explore, Create, Innovate, this resource encourages thoughtful discussion and empowers pupils to make smart, safe choices when using AI.
These resources are designed to follow on from the KS1 & KS2 Assembly and cover the following learning objectives:
- Recognise that everyone can play their part to make a positive online environment
- Define how AI generates images
- Identify errors in AI generated images
- Illustrate how patterns are used to generate images
These resources are designed to follow on from the KS1 and KS2 Assembly resources and cover the following learning objectives:
● AI systems are made by humans
● Humans must act responsibly and make sure new technology works for everyone
● The ‘personality’ of an AI voice assistant has an influence on how we interact with it
The resources include a lesson plan, slides, a vocabulary sheet, 2 worksheets and the Code of Conduct for Designing an AI Voice Assistant
Safer Internet Day assembly for KS1 and KS2
Safer Internet Day - An assembly lesson plan for KS1 and KS2. These resources will:
- Explore ways to make a positive change to the online environment
- Describe the influence that technology can have on our thoughts and feelings
- List common uses of artificial intelligence (AI) in the world around us
- Explore examples of AI generated content
There is a great lesson plan with speaker notes and tips for each slide.
We're excited to share this newly updated secondary resource, designed to educate pupils on the potential and limitations of using AI. Through practical use of AI tools, students will:
- Understand when to use AI and when not to
- Be aware of HALLUCINATION and BIAS in output
- Be aware of its strengths (summary and editing)
- Understand that detailed questions produce better output
A Barefoot lesson that focuses on the subject of ownership, permissions and the use of digital resources, which are the basics of the ethical use of computers, including data literacy and cyber security.
This lesson sees the classroom turned into a courtroom as pupils hear several cyber-crime court cases. Pupils take on the roles of judge, barristers and members of the jury as they determine whether the defendant has broken the law, the sentence they could receive and the impact on victims of their crimes.
In this lesson, pupils are challenged by a cyber security expert, to develop their knowledge of cyber-crime. As a class, pupils think about how a criminal might try and discover the secret number on a physical combination padlock and write an algorithm for this.
An Intermediate introduction to Cyber Security, covering social engineering concepts and security measures
Through Barefoot Computing, we are committed to helping primary teachers build confident, meaningful online safety and digital literacy learning into the classroom, because understanding how to stay safe and make smart decisions online is fundamental for every child. Our Online Safety Zone brings together a suite of engaging, curriculum-linked lessons and activities that support pupils to navigate online behaviours, cyber security basics and responsible digital choices in a way that’s age-appropriate and classroom-ready.
For Safer Internet Day 2026 (Tuesday 10th February), Barefoot is excited to offer two free Online Safety Live Lessons designed especially for primary pupils. These interactive online sessions How Computers Learn (for ages 5–7) and Exploring Everyday AI (for ages 7–11) bring key computing and online safety concepts to life and help young learners think critically about smart tech and safe choices.
Teachers can sign their class up to attend these Safer Internet Day sessions and other free Barefoot live lessons via our primary computing workshops page:
Safer Internet event summaries
In the first of a series of focused e-safety sessions, primary educators came together to explore how tools like Project Evolve can be used alongside engaging activities from Barefoot Computing and national partners to build a broad, curriculum-linked online safety programme. This blog captures the key discussions, take-aways and helpful materials shared during the session, providing a valuable recap for those who couldn’t attend and inspiration for strengthening e-safety teaching ahead of Safer Internet Day and beyond.
In the second Computing At School Primary Thematic Community meeting on e-safety, educators and online safety experts came together to explore practical ways to strengthen digital citizenship and online safety teaching in primary schools. Focusing on free, high-quality resources from organisations like Parent Zone and Common Sense Media, the session highlighted tools that help pupils develop critical media literacy, practical online safety habits and lifelong digital resilience. This blog captures the key discussions, resources shared and ideas for embedding these themes into computing and PSHE lessons throughout the year — helping schools move beyond one-off activities to a year-round approach that truly supports children’s safe and confident engagement with the digital world.
Safer Internet Blogs
Safer Internet Day - Teaching online safety is an integral part of education
Every time children go online, they step into a world full of exciting possibilities and real risks too. Safer Internet Day is a powerful prompt for educators to embed online safety across the classroom, so pupils learn not just to use technology, but to navigate it safely, respectfully and responsibly
What does Safer Internet Day look like in EYFS?
In the early years, online safety starts with the simple things: taking turns with screen time, recognising emotions, and building a shared language to describe what they see and feel. Safer Internet Day offers a natural moment to embed these habits and to support parents and caregivers in guiding their youngest learners through life online — gently and developmentally appropriately
Me, Myself & AI: What UK children’s use of chatbots tells us — and why it matters
For many children, chatbots aren’t just tools — they’re companions, advisors, and learning partners. But as use spreads, so do concerns about accuracy, emotional reliance and safety, highlighting why we urgently need to understand how these technologies are influencing childhood and what we can do about it.