CalmComplianceRisk Assessment template
School Online Safety Lesson Safeguarding Risk Assessment
- Version
- v1
- Updated
- 1 October 2026
- Audience
- Primary and secondary maintained schools and academies in England, including safeguarding leads, deputies, leaders, teachers and staff planning or delivering online-safety or related safeguarding lessons and activities.
- Jurisdiction
- england
Activity assessed
Planning and delivering online-safety lessons or related activities, including activities that may prompt disclosures of online abuse or harm, involve known or suspected safeguarding cases, or address suicide, self-harm or eating-disorder content. Applicability and controls must be considered in light of pupil age, known cases, lesson content and local safeguarding arrangements.
Assess each hazard and its controls against your site before use. Template ratings require local review.
Hazards and controls
A pupil may be experiencing online abuse or harm, and the lesson or activity may prompt recognition of the harm or a disclosure without adequate safeguarding preparation.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls or evidence were supplied. Confirm current safeguarding arrangements before use.
- Proposed controls
- Before the lesson or activity, consider whether the topic could affect pupils experiencing online abuse or harm. Involve the designated safeguarding lead or deputy where appropriate, and agree how concerns, disclosures and immediate support will be managed in accordance with local safeguarding arrangements. Create a safe, non-judgemental environment in which pupils can seek help.
Local assessment and additional controls
A known or suspected victim may be identified, singled out or exposed by the lesson content, examples, discussion or responses of other pupils.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls or evidence were supplied. Confirm whether relevant known cases have been considered by the designated safeguarding lead or deputy.
- Proposed controls
- Where the school is already aware of a child being abused or harmed online, plan the lesson with the designated safeguarding lead or deputy as appropriate. Avoid examples, questions, grouping, questioning or public responses that could draw attention to or publicise a pupil's circumstances. Adapt or defer the activity where necessary, subject to safeguarding advice.
Local assessment and additional controls
Pupils may not know how to report a concern or may avoid seeking help because they expect to get into trouble, be judged or not be taken seriously.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls or evidence were supplied. The school's current child-friendly reporting mechanisms have not been provided.
- Proposed controls
- Before delivery, confirm the school's child-friendly reporting mechanisms and ensure they are suitable for the pupils' age, needs and communication preferences. Explain clearly how pupils can report a concern during or after the activity, including routes for private or one-to-one help. Ensure staff know how to receive and pass on concerns under local safeguarding arrangements.
Local assessment and additional controls
A disclosure or safeguarding concern may be mishandled, delayed, shared inappropriately or not escalated through the relevant local safeguarding arrangements.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls or evidence were supplied. Confirm the school's current disclosure, recording, escalation and emergency arrangements.
- Proposed controls
- Agree in advance who will receive disclosures, how the designated safeguarding lead or deputy will be contacted, where a pupil can speak privately, and how concerns will be recorded and escalated. Brief relevant staff on maintaining an appropriate response, avoiding promises of confidentiality, preserving relevant information and following the school's safeguarding procedures. Keep these arrangements conditional on the school's local processes.
Local assessment and additional controls
Lesson content, discussion or activities may be unsuitable for the age, maturity, communication needs, additional needs or lived experience of pupils, increasing distress or reducing their ability to seek support.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls or evidence were supplied. Pupil age groups, individual needs and relevant known cases have not been provided.
- Proposed controls
- Review content and activities for the pupils' age, maturity, additional needs, communication preferences and known circumstances. Use accessible formats and participation options, avoid requiring personal disclosure, and provide an alternative or adapted activity where appropriate. Consider whether particular pupils need advance planning, a trusted adult, additional support or exclusion from a specific activity, based on safeguarding advice.
Local assessment and additional controls
Discussion of suicide, self-harm or eating disorders may encourage or make harmful conduct seem more viable, particularly through methods, instructions, emotive language, videos or images.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls or evidence were supplied. Confirm whether the planned content includes suicide, self-harm or eating-disorder material.
- Proposed controls
- If the lesson or discussion covers suicide, self-harm or eating disorders, do not provide instructions or methods and do not use emotive language, videos or images that could encourage the conduct or make it seem more viable. Review all resources before use, remove harmful or unnecessary detail and plan how questions and disclosures will be managed with the designated safeguarding lead or deputy where appropriate.
Local assessment and additional controls
Pupil contributions, examples, online material or peer discussion may expose personal information, harmful content or details of abuse during the activity.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls or evidence were supplied. Confirm the planned resources, platform settings and supervision arrangements.
- Proposed controls
- Review and curate all resources, links, videos, images and discussion prompts before use. Avoid requesting personal experiences or identifiable case details. Set clear boundaries for discussion, supervise contributions, stop or redirect unsafe content, and provide a route for private reporting rather than public disclosure. Where sensitive content is conditionally included, confirm that it is necessary, age-appropriate and supported by safeguarding planning.
Local assessment and additional controls
Pupils affected by the lesson may not have timely access to appropriate support after the activity, including pupils who do not disclose during the session.
- Existing controls
- No site-specific existing controls or evidence were supplied. Confirm available pastoral, safeguarding, accessibility and support arrangements.
- Proposed controls
- Before delivery, identify the support available during and after the activity in line with local safeguarding arrangements. Allow time for questions and private follow-up, communicate reporting routes again at the end, and arrange proportionate follow-up for concerns identified during planning or delivery. Consider accessibility and communication support so pupils can understand and use the available routes.
Local assessment and additional controls