We all know that internet filtering helps children to access the online world safely; something that is particularly important in schools. Schools are liable for the safeguarding of their children, but when even the most innocuous of searches can present inappropriate results there is only so much teachers can do to protect pupils while online.
That is where filtering is supposed to step in. The DfE have a set of filtering requirements that are designed to protect school children and it is down to the ISP to ensure that the right things are filtered and the children are safe. So what happens when this fails?
In November we read in the media about a school whose students inadvertently accessed inappropriate online content while researching poem covers in class. According to the Telegraph report, this was the second incident of this kind at the school and has caused major concerns about the filtering provided by their ISP Virgin Media. The article says the school recently chose Virgin Media Business to provide their internet and made the decision based on the filtering standards rather than the price. However, now that the service is in place they have found the filtering does not perform to the standard they were expecting.
When Turn IT On chose education ISP Exa Education to provide Broadband to our schools one of the essential features we looked for was effective filtering. Exa provide broadband to over 4000 schools nationwide and have been experts in broadband for education for over 10 years. They have worked with the DfE to develop their filtering provision, Surf Protect, which allows schools to easily tailor and manage the rules themselves. Schools are shown how to manage their own filtering and documentation is provided for future reference, ensuring the school has control and the ability to adapt rules when needed. When schools choose Turn IT On to provide their broadband they also have access to our technical helpdesk where our knowledgeable staff are happy to help.
If you would like to know more about our broadband offering have a look on our website or contact us in the office.