School events

Cunningsburgh Primary School P6/7 class was tasked to create a debate about Artificial Intelligence and the pro’s and con’s of the fast developing tool.

The purpose of the excercise was to consider all aspects of AI, whether its the pro or con side, can still successfully argue the case for the other side.

A week before the Public Protection team visited, P7 pupils have split into two teams, conducted a thorough research and worked on their presentation on the negative and positive aspects of AI.

On 30 April, members of the Shetland Public Protection Team visited the class to hear the debate and engage in further discussions. The class has done an amazing job preparing for the day and participated in some interesting dicussions.

"AI is smart and it has good and bad points. It can be both Helpful and a hindrance. "

In June 2025, Sandra Summers, Lead Officer of SPPC has visited Whitness Primary school to hear their AI debate. P7 pupils have been split into 2 groups to do research on the useful or harmful sides of AI and delivered a fantastic summary of the topic. The debate has started some in-depth conversations with a rebuttal at the end, with P6 pupils voting against AI use.

Pupils who participated in debate said they felt "extremely interested in the topic", "It was so good to listen to facts/opinions" and "Adrenalin listening to the debate"

When asked pupils what they can take away from debate, pupils said: "The importance of engagement when others are speaking/listening skills/ responses (including good posture!)" and "We want to share our opinions/ things we learned with others"

1. Ask the awkward - conversation starters about online life
2. 8 steps to support your child to be safer online - secondary school helpsheet
3. Keeping children safe online- guide for parents, carers and guardians on topic as parental controls, most common apps and how they work, and harm prevention.

On 3 September 2025, SPPC organised a “Virtually Safe, Virtually Sound” event in Sandwick Junior High School, attended by pupils from S1 to S4. The five workshops delivered were as follows:

1. CEOP - a comprehensive session on online safety, apps, bullying, grooming, AI, peer pressure, the law, how to spot risks and where to get help.
2. Online Sexual Violence - Explores examples of online sexual violence, especially on social media used by young people. Includes interactive activities asking pupils whether certain behaviours or language are acceptable, and shows how minor acts can escalate into more serious violence.
3. Caring for your Mind in a Digital World - Promotes self-care through discussions on online stress and its effects. Practitioners lead brief wellbeing conversations and share tools and resources to support young people's mental health.
4. Digital Abuse and Relationships - explores the signs and impact of digital abuse among young people. Delivered by specialist practitioners, it discusses how technology and social media can be misused in relationships to control and intimidate.
5. Wellbeing - Raises the awareness of how everyone’s brains work and how this directly affects our wellbeing. Understanding and learning things we can do to help make our wellbeing better.

For more information, you can get in touch with [email protected] or click on the below websites:

• Report&remove content: Internet Watch Foundation
• conversation starters for parents: ask the awkward
• How to keep your child safe online: Ceop education
• Guide for parents/carers around set ups: Cyberfraudhub.org
• I am me Learning platform: I am me

Pupils have said:

“learned to be mindful about normalised misogyny”

“learned about a good technique to understand my feelings”

“don’t add strangers”

“people’s feelings matter”