Gaming

Gaming is a passion of many pupils at St Damian's as well as nationally. However, there are risks associated with gaming online. Firstly, the average age of male and female gamers is 32 and 36 respectively. This means that pupils are likely to be interacting with individuals much older than themselves which can make them vulnerable to grooming or exposure to adult content. Steps can be taken to control parental settings on gaming consoles to keep children safe and this information can be found in the links below.

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Another issue with gaming is that the amount of time, if unregulated, can mean children can spend hours on a game without a break. This includes late into the night and early hours of the morning. Obviously, children will be tired the next day, but this has a huge effect on the pupil’s ability to concentrate and learn within lessons. Ultimately this can lead to pupils underachieving and then can have a detrimental impact on a young person’s prospects post 16. Finally, prolonged lack of sleep can lead to low mood, poor mental health, and well-being. Gaming consoles are either best left outside of a pupil’s bedroom or handed over to parents / carers before bedtime.