October 2015
Dear parent
I wish to share with you our growing concern regarding incidents of “sexting” - a problem nationally
among teenagers in our society.
You may or may not have heard of ‘sexting’: it is the exchange of self-generated sexually explicit
images, through mobile picture messages or webcams over the internet. You may have also heard it
referred to as sending a ‘nudie’ or sending a ‘selfie’. This is not a problem related solely to schools; it
is a generational issue but something that we are aware of and actively combatting in our school.
Images and videos can be copied and shared rapidly. These files can quickly spread outside of a group
of friends and finish up anywhere in the world.
Sexting can have serious consequences for a child, for example, leading to blackmail and bullying and,
in an increasingly digitised and scrutinised world, it may affect young people’s job and university
applications in later life. We are currently making our pupils aware of the dangers of sexting: special
year assemblies are being held in addition to the expansion of our PSHCEE program to cover the topic.
Greater Manchester Police also provide the following facts to be aware of: If your child takes a sexualised image of themselves technically they are now in possession of
an indecent image. If they send it on to another they are distributing indecent images, once
the person receives the image that person is now in possession of an indecent image etc.
 The image can still be classed as indecent even if items of clothing are still being worn.
 If your child is in possession of an indecent image a Crime Report may have to be submitted.
 Popular phone apps that delete the picture once it has been viewed for up to a maximum of
10 seconds are being used as the sender believes that the image will not be saved. However,
the person receiving the picture can still capture an image easily and save it to their phone. If
this app is being used on an Android device the picture in not deleted it is just stored
elsewhere on the phone and can be recovered.
 If a parent or guardian takes their child’s mobile phone into a shop to have it repaired and
during those repairs indecent images of children are discovered they will report it to the
Police. The first person now spoken to as part of the investigation into possession of indecent
images of children is the parent or guardian who took the phone in.
When dealing with incidents of this nature both teaching and policing professionals frequently
observe that the child often fully understands the consequences and possible outcome, but the desire
to take the picture and send it on appears to be outweighing those consequences.
Therefore I am asking you to assist me in the task of doing our very best to ensure open and frank
dialogues with our children about this issue: we all have a responsibility in safeguarding our children.
Headmistress: Mrs Jo Anderson BA PGCE MEd
Bridge Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0HH
T: 0161 797 2808 F: 0161 763 4658
E: [email protected] W: www.bgsg.bury.sch.uk
The Bury Grammar Schools Trustee Limited (company number 06612259) as trustee of Bury Grammar Schools Charity (registered charity number 526622).
Registered office: Farraday House, Bridge Road, Bury, Lancashire BL9 0HG. Registered in England and Wales
The issues raised in this letter should be discussed at home with your daughter. Whilst it is important
to understand the social and emotional problems sexting can cause, it is also important to understand
the law relating to what is almost becoming to be seen as ‘normal ‘or even ‘natural’ behaviour for
some children.
At Bury Grammar School Girls, we take our responsibility to keep parents and pupils informed about
such issues very seriously. This letter is being sent to every family in the school to ensure we do our
best to safeguard your child from potential problems.
The advice we get from CEOP – the Child Exploitation and On-line Protection Centre - is to talk openly
with young people about such issues so that they may confide in us if they make a mistake, so that we
can help take action to prevent a situation getting out of hand.
I know that I can rely on your support in this matter and would ask you to contact me on
[email protected] if you have any queries at all about on-line safety.
Yours faithfully
Mr J Southworth
Senior Teacher (ICT Lead)
Headmistress: Mrs Jo Anderson BA PGCE MEd
Bridge Road, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0HH
T: 0161 797 2808 F: 0161 763 4658
E: [email protected] W: www.bgsg.bury.sch.uk
The Bury Grammar Schools Trustee Limited (company number 06612259) as trustee of Bury Grammar Schools Charity (registered charity number 526622).
Registered office: Farraday House, Bridge Road, Bury, Lancashire BL9 0HG. Registered in England and Wales