Cyber Hygiene Without Borders
Cyber Hygiene Without Borders: Year 7 Students Reconnect with Wolmer’s Boys’ School
Year 7 students at Handsworth Grammar School recently took part in a second international Cyber Hygiene lesson with Wolmer’s Boys’ School in Jamaica, focused on global digital awareness. Delivered live via Microsoft Teams, the lesson brought together a new cohort of students to explore cybersecurity through shared experiences and student-led discussion, highlighting that digital risks are constant and borderless.
Founded in 1736, Wolmer’s Boys’ School is the second oldest school in the Caribbean, with a distinguished alumni community that includes a Prime Minister, 24 Rhodes Scholars, and several Olympic champions. This collaboration provides a valuable opportunity for students to connect with peers from different lived experiences, while recognising the common challenges young people face online.
A standout feature of the lesson was a student-led Q&A, led by Anania and Giovanni (8 Henry), who confidently guided discussions on school life, community, and national identity. Their leadership helped create an inclusive and engaging environment, encouraging students from both schools to contribute and share their perspectives.
The use of a live Cyber Threat Map helped students see the scale of global cyber activity in real time. Many were surprised to learn that over 14 million attempted cyberattacks occur each day, around 160 every second. As one student reflected, “the internet is always under attack,” reinforcing the importance of staying alert online.
Students also discussed how they use technology in their daily lives, from social media to communication platforms, and shared their experiences of scams and online risks. An interesting moment came when students realised that while terms such as “phishing” may not always be used universally, the risks themselves are widely understood.
The lesson concluded with practical tips to stay safe online, including the use of secure passphrases made up of random, unrelated words, and the importance of protecting email accounts as a key digital gateway. Students left more informed and more confident in how to manage their digital lives safely.
This collaboration continues to grow as a powerful example of how students can learn, connect, and lead together in a shared digital world. We would like to thank Mr King and Mrs Green for making this opportunity possible, and we look forward to continuing this important work together.
