The City of London Police has rolled out its Mini Police programme to all key stage two pupils across the UK. The programme was originally piloted in 2018 at The Aldgate School in the City of London.
The partnership is between the City of London Police, Lloyds Banking Group who funded and co-developed the programme, and the Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education Association (PHSE) who will distribute the lessons to schools through a website link.
The programme aims to raise awareness of online fraud and its associated risks, and explore the skills pupils need to stay safe online and protect their personal information, as well as how to report concerns and access help.
The resource pack includes two comprehensive lesson plans for Year 5/6 pupils, with supporting PowerPoints, accompanied by teacher guidance, explaining how to ensure the most effective delivery of the lessons.
The pack also contains information and guidance for parents, to help them stay informed about how online fraud could affect their child, along with practical tips and advice on how to keep safe.
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The lessons will support pupils to:
- Explain what online fraud is and identify and analyse some examples of scams;
- Describe the importance of protecting personal information and data online;
- Explain why age restrictions for online games can help to keep people safe and prevent fraud; and.
- Recognise ways to stay as safe as possible online and how to report concerns about online fraud;
The children will also learn what it means to be a police officer and the importance of working with the public to protect them from crime.
Temporary Commander, Clinton Blackburn of the City of London Police, Policing Lead Force for Fraud said: “The Cyber Detectives project is an excellent opportunity for us to work with schools and teach children to protect themselves from cyber criminals.
“We have designed the programme so that the children receive age-appropriate messages that allow them to learn about policing and cybercrime in a stimulating environment.
“This programme highlights how important and effective partnership working is and we are looking forward to hearing the feedback from pupils, teachers and parents. With more children being online from a young age, the importance of learning about cybercrime and fraud has risen. The programme also makes children think about all aspects of online safety and how they can protect themselves and others.”
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