How have you found your pupils have used tootoot since launching?

Since launching tootoot in September 2017 the majority of cases we have received from pupils involve online friendship issues. I’d say 9 out of 10 cases involve online messaging sites such as Whatsapp and Xbox Live.

Are there any recent cases you could share with us?

One of our recent cases was an argument on Whatsapp between a group of pupils. One pupil had said something that had been taken the wrong way, others had gotten involved on behalf of their friends and soon we had multiple messages through tootoot from a group of pupils all reporting their side of the story.

“Without tootoot we probably wouldn’t have been notified about cases like this, especially as it happened out of school time.”

Without tootoot we probably wouldn’t have been notified about cases like this, especially as it happened out of school time. The pupils involved came forward and voluntarily revealed their identity through tootoot, we were then able to get involved and sort the issues out before it became a more serious case such as online bullying.

How did you manage the case after receiving it on tootoot?

We investigated and offered support and advice, from the messages and screen grabs sent through tootoot we were able to build a bigger picture of what had happened. We found that miscommunication when messaging online had played a big factor.

“We investigated and offered support and advice, from the messages and screen grabs sent through tootoot we were able to build a bigger picture of what had happened.”

Based on this case reported through tootoot we decided to have a PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) lesson around how to be mindful and respectful when talking online. This allowed pupils to talk about online messaging and learn how to cope with potential issues in the future, we talked about the tone of voice in messages, de-escalation and appropriate responses in conversations online.

With the increased use of personal smart devices and messaging apps among young people comes an increased risk of potential bullying and other safeguarding issues. We have adapted our anti-bullying and safeguarding practices to reduce these risks by using the tootoot reporting platform alongside educating pupils on how to stay safe online.

Our pupils know that they can use tootoot to report at any time whether their concerns are inside school, at home or online and we will be able to help.