June 22nd 2018
Managing children’s screen time at home can be a real challenge for parents, and is a very emotive issue in many households. When I was growing up, screens in their current form did not exist, but the reality of today’s world is that they are now part of the routine of daily life, and this is unlikely to change.
We know that a number of Moulsford parents are currently finding it difficult to guide their children to get the balance right at home particularly in relation to the game “Fortnite”. This game appears to be particularly addictive and has the ability to take over boys’ lives, causing friendship issues and arguments with parents. We do have genuine concerns about the amount of time being spent by Moulsford boys in the game and talking about it, and would like to work in partnership with parents on this thorny issue. Please click here for a letter from Tiffany Squire, Deputy Head (Academic) and Director of IT, which provides further information specifically about Fortnite and its effects. Parents should be aware that Fortnite is rated as PEGI (Pan European Game Information) 12 by the Video Standards Council for frequent scenes of mild violence, and is not suitable for people under 12 years of age.
Two articles which may be of interest can be found at https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/parents-ultimate-guide-to-fortnite#whatis and
From September 2018, all Moulsford boys in Years 4 to 8 will have their own iPad. Currently these are available to boys in Years 4 to 6. To reassure parents, our network is so designed to allow us to have complete control over these iPads. They are for use in class, specifically for educational purposes, and it is extremely rare for them to be sent home. If this is the case, we alert parents in advance and give the specific reason for doing so. If boys use their iPads for any reason other than that directed by their teacher, they immediately have all privileges withdrawn for a period of time. Boys are not permitted to use their Moulsford email accounts to sign up for anything unless directed to by a member of staff.
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