A PORTISHEAD school is leading the way in teaching parents how to keep their children safe from paedophiles and bullies who target youngsters online and via mobile phones.

A PORTISHEAD school is leading the way in teaching parents how to keep their children safe from paedophiles and bullies who target youngsters online and via mobile phones.

Gordano School, in St Mary's Road, is running an e-safety event this week to give parents and pupils tips on how to stay safe when surfing the World Wide Web.

It is the second time the school has put on an E-Safety Week, the only event of its kind in the south west, and the aim is to engage the community and raise awareness of the risks that children can face on the Internet.

Paul Hancock e-safety officer at Gordano School said: "It will be a great week. The Internet is a truly fantastic resource, but we all need to understand the risks.

"We know that one in 12 nine-19 year olds who use the Internet regularly have met face-to-face with someone they only knew online, and that many of them did so without an adult present.

"We also know that some parents lack the confidence or understanding to involve themselves in their children's online activities, and that's something we want to help with."

The event involves a wide range of activities including workshops and awareness classes, presentations and drop-in sessions, where regionally and nationally recognised experts from Avon & Somerset Police and the South West Grid for Learning will be sharing information with those in attendance.

Karl Hopwood, a former headteacher who now works exclusively in e-safety nationally will be running a workshop at Gordano School tomorrow (Thurs) from 1-3pm for primary school headteachers and ICT coordinators, as well as a special drop-in session for parents and children from 3.15-4.15pm.

The drop-in session gives parents an opportunity to talk to Karl about e-safety issues and see some of the resources that are available to help parents and teachers keep up with the children, and the children will have the opportunity to use some of the resources being developed too.

Anyone attending the sessions can pick up a free copy of Know It All for Parents, which is a helpful guide about keeping children safe online and on mobile phones.

For more information E-safety Week call Gordano School on 01275 842606.