Education Adviser, Emma Mudge, provides schools with practical tips for supporting pupils with digital and face-to-face interactions over the summer holidays… 

As the school year draws to a close, our pupils are about to step into a season of freedom and flexibility. While summer offers a welcome break for many families, it also brings a unique set of challenges.

For children, the holidays mean more unstructured time, which often leads to an increase in both online activity and face-to-face social encounters, which will be taking place without the day-to-day pastoral support and supervision provided by school. 

For teachers, DSLs and school leaders, the final weeks of term are an important time to reinforce the social and emotional skills that children will draw on during the summer.

Whether they’re navigating a group chat on WhatsApp, taking part in a football camp or reconnecting with cousins they haven’t seen all year, the ability to manage relationships safely and respectfully is vital. 

Why Digital and Face-to-face Interactions Matter 

In 2024, Ofcom (www.ofcom.org.uk) reported that: 

• 61% of 8–11-year-olds in the UK now own a mobile phone, with a steady increase throughout this age category, increasing to nine in ten children owning their own mobile phone, as distinct from using a family device, by the age of 11. 

• 34% of 3 – 7-year-olds and 63% of 8 – 11-year-olds use at least one social media app or site (even though they have a minimum age requirement of 13). 

• 1 in 3 children (32%) aged 8–17 have encountered harmful or distressing content online in the past 12 months. 

At the same time, many pupils continue to struggle with face-to-face interaction due to disrupted social development following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lack of and reduced exposure to social interactions during this period has had a long-reaching impact upon some children’s ability to appropriately interpret and respond to emotional confrontations, or tricky situations, which can be encountered daily.   

These statistics underline the growing importance of addressing both digital safety and real-world social skills in tandem.

The two are increasingly interconnected – children often move fluidly between in-person interactions and digital communication, with experiences in one space affecting their wellbeing in the other. 

Supporting Online Readiness 

Digital spaces offer opportunities for creativity, connection and learning but they can also expose children to unkindness, misinformation, online grooming and peer pressure.

Before the holidays begin, it’s crucial to equip pupils with a basic level of digital literacy and resilience, particularly if they’ll be spending more time online. 

Key areas to explore with pupils might include: 

• Understanding personal privacy: What is safe to share and what should stay private? 

• Kindness and respect online: How does our tone change in texts or messages and how do we respond to unkindness? 

• What to do if something feels wrong: Who can they talk to and how do they report or block content or users? 

These conversations can be embedded into PSHE lessons, assemblies, form time or circle time and the identification of a trusted adult out of school is key – who would they report concerns to?

Repetition and simplicity are important – especially with younger pupils who may struggle to transfer learning from one context to another. 

It’s also helpful to use real-world examples that children relate to, such as messaging on Roblox or group chats with friends. Normalising these discussions and encouraging further conversations with trusted adults about online behaviour, helps to create a safe space where children feel they can share their experiences without shame or fear.

This is a necessity when trying to reduce risks regarding exposure to inappropriate or potentially harmful or extreme content, and with negotiating and reporting any unwanted communication. 

Preparing for Face-to-Face Social Encounters 

For some children, the summer brings more real-world social contact than they’re used to – whether that’s with family members, neighbours or peers at activity clubs.

While these interactions can boost confidence and emotional intelligence, they can also be sources of anxiety or conflict. 

In the classroom, you might notice children asking questions like: “What if no one wants to be with me?” or “What do I do if someone says something mean?” or “What should I do if I don’t want to join in?”. 

It’s important to validate these concerns and provide simple strategies that help children feel equipped for real-life interactions. 

You could focus on: 

• Helping children recognise their feelings (e.g. nervousness, jealousy, excitement)

• Providing sentence starters for tricky moments, like:

• “I don’t like that, please stop.”

• “Can I have a turn when you’re finished?”

• “I’d like to do something else now.”

• Reinforcing the idea of consent and boundaries in all social settings, not just in safeguarding contexts.

Even a short circle time activity practising “how to join a game” or “how to say no kindly” or “how to be assertive rather than aggressive” can go a long way in helping children approach summer situations with confidence. 

There is also an increased possibility during the summer holidays of individuals being exposed to criminal gangs or deepening their association with them if one already exists.

The increased likelihood of filling time by ‘hanging out’ means that pupils may be associating with older children, individuals outside of their normal social group, or those who are engaged in criminal activity.

Making our pupils aware of the risks and reinforcing messaging around healthy relationships and potential signs of control or coercion is critical.  

Working with Families Before the Summer Holidays 

Although children are in school for only a few more days, schools remain one of the most trusted sources of advice and support for parents.

A brief end-of-term message or a link to useful resources can help families feel more prepared to support their children’s social wellbeing during the break. 

Information shared with families might include: 

• Tips for managing screen time and using parental controls 

• Guidance on digital etiquette – how to talk about group chats, emojis and video sharing 

• Ideas for practising social skills at home, like turn-taking games or role-playing different scenarios 

• Safe and unsafe spaces identified – where do children feel safe to walk or hang out? Where should they avoid? 

This doesn’t need to be a separate session or resource – it can be a short message in a newsletter, a handout at the gate or a link via the school communication app. 

Final Thoughts 

As educators and safeguarding professionals, our influence extends beyond the classroom. The final stretch of the school year is an opportunity to equip children with the social tools they need to enjoy a safe, confident, and connected summer – online and offline. 

By taking a proactive approach now, we not only prepare pupils for the weeks ahead but also support their long-term development as resilient, respectful individuals. 

Recommended resources for staff and families:  

• Internet Matters – practical guides for parents and carers, plus toolkits on gaming, screen time, and parental controls.  
• Childnet – classroom resources, child-friendly videos, and conversation starters for online safety.  
• NSPCC – Online Safety Hub – advice for managing online risks and spotting signs of distress 
• BBC Bitesize – KS2 resources and videos to support with emotional development 
• Family wellbeing – BBC Parents’ Toolkit – supporting your child’s wellbeing 

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 About the Author

Emma Mudge - Adviser, Services For Education

Emma has more than 20 years' experience in primary education and has worked in a variety of roles including Assistant Head Teacher, Deputy Head Teacher, and Acting Head Teacher - working at the forefront of school leadership and improvement for the majority of her career.  

Emma now works as the Educational Adviser for English sharing her experience and knowledge to continually promote and improve the standard of teaching and learning in English, and in school improvement overall. Supporting schools with the accuracy of their KS1 and KS2 writing assessments is an important part of her role, using her expertise as a member for the moderation team to inform, train and support teachers and school leaders. 

Emma is also part of the team which delivers the Health For Life programme (improving the healthy opportunities for primary aged children) and the NPQSL, where she proudly supports the development of our aspiring leaders in the city.