Schools in North West Leicestershire are being encouraged to sign up for a free session to raise awareness of online grooming and exploitation.

Castle Rock School in Coalville is the first school in the district to receive a session which was delivered by the Breck Foundation.

Other schools are also being invited to book their own.

Founded in 2014, The Breck Foundation was set up following the tragic loss of Breck Bednar, a 14 year old boy who was groomed and murdered by someone he met online.

The talks are part of the work of the Safer North West Leicestershire Partnership and have been funded by Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire, Rupert Matthews.

Sessions have been designed to fill a gap in the current UK curriculum that otherwise leaves children vulnerable to online grooming and exploitation.  

The talk at Castle Rock School was attended by around 240 students. Photo: Supplied

Following the session at Castle Rock, which was delivered to around 240 people, students said that they would be more careful online in the future and that they were less likely to trust someone that they had not met in real life.

Schools can find out more or book a session by emailing [email protected].

Councillor Michael Wyatt, North West Leicestershire District Council Portfolio Holder for Community Services, said: "The majority of young people are active on the internet and it's important that they know how to navigate it safely.

"Thanks to the Breck Foundation, we can help to educate our children on the risks of online grooming and exploitation and teach them how to spot the signs.

"Schools should get in touch with our Community Safety team to find out how they can book on to one of the free sessions."

Kerry Mace, Vice Principal at The Castle Rock School said: "Students and staff have been chatting about the topic, following the session and many students have commented directly to me that it has made them think about who they now talk to online."