Safety Guidance by UK School Stage
Many teachers, headteachers and parents think in Key Stages rather than ages. This hub maps each stage to our age-based guidance so you can find the right advice quickly.
The mapping below follows the Department for Education's structure: EYFS covers 0-5 (nursery and reception), Key Stage 1 covers ages 5-7, Key Stage 2 covers ages 7-11, Key Stage 3 covers ages 11-14, Key Stage 4 covers ages 14-16, and Sixth Form or Post-16 covers ages 16-18. Each card below opens the matching age guide.
The Early Years Foundation Stage sees children learning by imitation and exploring their first screens through parents and carers. Focus is on co-viewing, gentle routines and the very first conversations about bodies, feelings and asking a trusted adult.
See the 0-4 guidance→Key Stage 1 — Years 1-2 (5-7)Children at KS1 are reading their first on-screen text and meeting their first family device. They are trusting of authority figures and adverts, so this is the moment to introduce simple rules about asking before clicking and telling a grown-up if something feels wrong.
See the 5-7 guidance→Key Stage 2 — Years 3-6 (7-11)KS2 children grow rapidly in confidence, gaming, and group-chat use, and peer pressure for social media starts in earnest. The focus shifts to media literacy, the meaning of personal information and how to respond to unkind messages without shame.
See the 8-10 guidance→Key Stage 3 — Years 7-9 (11-14)KS3 covers the move to secondary school, first smartphones and the legal age for most social platforms. Risk assessment is still maturing, so calm conversations about group chats, grooming, and image-sharing matter more than ever.
See the 11-13 guidance→Key Stage 4 — Years 10-11 (14-16)KS4 brings GCSE pressure alongside more sophisticated online risks including sextortion, harmful ideologies and the mental health impact of social comparison. Parents and teachers act as trusted advisers rather than gatekeepers.
See the 14-16 guidance→Sixth Form & Post-16 (16-18)Older teenagers are approaching adulthood, university and the workplace. The focus moves to digital reputation, fraud awareness, AI-generated content and consent in relationships, while parental controls are phased out by mutual agreement.
See the 17+ guidance→