Concerns over Oovoo

A number of concerns have been raised about the use of Oovoo and it's potential for being exploited by predatory adults. Here is some advice issued by the Principal Officer: Child Care and Protection Training and Development

"OoVoo is a high quality video chat application similar to Facetime or Skype. It allows people to connect with up to 12 friends at one time and video chat or have a voice call. You can download it on an iPad, iTouch, iPhone, Android phone, etc. And you must be 13 years old to set up an account, which doesn’t slow anyone down who can subtract 13 years from 2015.

What are the concerns for your child using ooVoo? As with all social media, the main concern is who can search out your child easily. The easier it is to find the child, the faster a predator will find them, start talking to them and find a way to connect with them without the child realizing what is happening. The second concern is the way in which ooVoo is being used. Young children (pre-teen) find this app through their peers or older siblings. It’s Internet-based and often used at home in the young person or child’s bedroom. It has been the case that whilst talking with friends an adult has entered the group chat.

How do you manage your child’s ooVoo account?

1. Always know your child’s password. This will allow you to ensure that they are using ooVoo safely.

2. Make sure that the privacy settings are properly set up. Without using the privacy settings, your child can be contacted by anyone at anytime and anyone can see the profile of your child. (I have my daughter’s set to ‘Nobody’ so that only people who know her ooVoo ID can contact her).

3. You can review the history of your child’s account. You will be able to see who they are chatting and messaging with. Ensure that you know all of these people and are comfortable with it. Note that your child can erase the history.

4. If your child receives an unwanted friend request, ignore it AND check the box to Also block this person from contacting me again.

5. If your child experiences a more serious encounter with an adult contact CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) Command https://www.ceop.police.uk/

6. With young children (pre-teen) You can frequently review your child’s friends to ensure that you know them all.

7. Remind your child to always log out when they are finished using ooVoo, especially if another person’s device is being used.

8. Learn how to use the product! If your child knows that you are involved and understand the technology they are using, they will not feel free to do whatever they please because “Mum doesn’t have a clue how this works!”

ooVoo is not necessarily bad. Like most social media apps, there are some great uses for teens. For example, working on a group project would be a great use of ooVoo, given the ability to have multiple users on the same video chat session. However, the dangers come when children and young people use them in unproductive ways and when the privacy settings are not set tightly. This is where our job as parents is so critical. This is where if you drop the ball you could end up dealing with a lot more than an unwanted friend request.

Heather Smith | Principal Officer: Child Care and Protection Training and Development | Planning and Performance | Children and Families | The City of Edinburgh Council |

Junior Mathematical Challenge success

Well done to our S1 and S2 pupils who gained 7 silver and 14 bronze awards in the recent Junior Mathematical Challenge Competition.

Currie CHS Cluster - Rights Respecting Schools Transition Event

A group of enthusiastic S3 pupils accompanied Mrs Mackenzie & Miss Scally to Juniper Green Primary to take part in the annual transition event with the Primary 7 pupils from our cluster primaries. This event creates an opportunity for all pupils to mingle by playing games and taking part in activities.  The theme of the afternoon is Respecting Rights by accepting and supporting one another. In small groups the S3 pupils from Currie High School answered questions posed by the primary pupils. Discussion centred on fears about moving school, punishment exercises, strict teachers, a loud foyer in such a big school and about the food in the cantine. The afternoon was very well organised and we all enjoyed the warm welcome when returning to the primary school environment. 

AMOPA-Écosse competition

On Tuesday, 24^th March, Emeritus Professor Philip Bennett from the University of Edinburgh came to present the graded certificates to the four AH pupils from Currie Community High School and Balerno High School who entered the AMOPA-Écosse competition "Parlons Français" this year. Robbie Forbes, Rebecca Laidlaw, Hayley Valentine and Cara Kennedy (Balerno High School) acquitted themselves very well and were very pleased by the feedback received. The Modern Languages Department was also awarded a French DVD :)

The Head Teacher, Mrs D. Mackinnon and the Senior Depute Head Teacher, Mr P. Farren were also present at the little reception hosted by the Department afterwards.

A well-deserved “Bravo!” to Robbie, Rebecca, Hayley and Cara!

AMOPA-Écosse competition

Quiz La Francophonie

Every year on 20 March, the world celebrates the French language and the Day of La Francophonie. The French Institute in the UK has organised again this year the 2015 Quiz La Francophonie on 9th March 2015.

In Scotland, the online quiz contest was open to S2 and S3 pupils. This was a good opportunity for pupils to learn and have fun while developing key skills such as work in a team, make research using ICT, and enhance knowledge of French cultures. Each team had to find the right answers as quickly as possible using all available resources in the Modern Languages classroom.

Pupils had one hour to complete the quiz. The team which will have the highest number of correct answers and which will be the quickest to send back the questionnaire will be THE winner.

There will be three prizes for the three quickest and most effective teams of Scotland and Scottish pupils would be entered the competition for the best UK team to win a special prize.

Thirteen S2 pupils and ten S3 pupils represented CCHS and managed to submit their answers within the allocated time. Winners will be announced in 4-weeks’ time! Fingers crossed for our participants!

AMOPA Speaking competition

The Ordre des Palmes Académiques was established by Napoleon in 1808. The Scottish section of the AMOPA (Association des Membres de l’ Ordre des Palmes Académiques) , whose aim is to support the development of French language and culture, organised a Speaking competition for French Advanced Higher pupils.  The competition integrates with the typical study and examination programme for the AH French students and aims to support them in their preparation for the Speaking test. The entries for the AMOPA Speaking competition were based on the candidate’s Unit Assessment and members of AMOPA – Écosse, a group that includes native speakers and SQA assessors, assessed them.

This year, CCHS presented four AH pupils, Robbie Forbes, Rebecca Laidlaw, Hayley Valentine and Cara Kennedy (Balerno High School) and they all received a graded certificate and very useful external feedback.  The Modern Languages Department was also awarded and received a French DVD. A member of the AMOPA will officially present the prizes and certificates by the end of March.