61% of independent schools in the UK have experienced a cyber-attack within the last five years, according to a new report profiling the increasing cyber security challenges facing the independent education sector.

‘Independent, but insecure? The growing cyber security risks facing the independent education sector’, compiled by Endsleigh Insurance Services, also reveals that less than 40% of those surveyed considered themselves a target for cybercriminals, with just 1% admitting to feeling ‘highly vulnerable’.

Independent schools are responsible for keeping special category data, such as religious beliefs, medical history and sexual orientation, secure; as well as the financial details of fee-paying parents and guardians.

Despite the prevalence of cyber-attacks within the sector, just 38% of schools monitor their cyber-security policy at least once a month.

Malware (58%), phishing scams (51%) and hackers (40%) topped the list of schools’ concerns, with consequences including: file encryption and deletion, extortion and financial loss, as well as associated reputational damage.

The report also profiles how the cyber-risks faced by schools are not limited to criminal activity, and include accidental data breaches through loss of devices, or human error. Such occurrences can also cause reputational damage to a school, depending on the subject and scale of the data breach. 

The findings are supplemented by advice and guidance from leading legal and cybersecurity experts within the independent education sector as to how to navigate the diverse range of cyber risks schools currently face.

Following the launch of the report, Will Brunwin, Head of Travel and Schools at Endsleigh Insurance Services, commented: “The sustained integration of technology into the schoolroom over the past two decades has undoubtedly changed the art of teaching. Yet, technological innovation has also created new vulnerabilities which can be exploited by criminals, who see schools as profitable targets.

“The disparity between those schools experiencing a cyber-attack (61%) and those who consider themselves a target (39%) demonstrates the worrying gap between risk and perception across the sector. However, by acknowledging the risks and ensuring all IT security systems are routinely assessed, monitored and tested, coupled with a robust staff and pupil education programme, schools can go a long way to mitigating threats.”

Will Brunwin concluded: “Supplementing such practices with a dedicated cyber liability insurance policy can help close the loop and provide a contingency plan if a breach does occur, and ultimately help to support a safe school environment for pupils, parents and staff.”

John Murphie, Chief Operating Officer at ISBA, added: “The ongoing difficulty for schools is finding an effective way to anticipate and counter each cyber threat, without knowing which is coming first, or which is the more sophisticated. It is the ever evolving nature of cyber risks which makes them so difficult to counter. However, strict adherence to basic cyber safety measures and a high degree of ‘cyber hygiene’ with good staff training will be key.”

He concludes: “While some within the sector may feel that a school is not as high a target for cyber criminals as a multi-national firm or public service body, schools can remain vulnerable by not protecting themselves.”

Kristine Scott, Partner and Head of Education at Harrison Clark Rickerbys, who contributed to the paper, said: “Having provided legal counsel to independent schools for a number of years, I would say that cyber security is now in their top three concerns. Schools have come a long way in recent years in acknowledging the cyber-risks posed by the modern working world and we are keen to support that progress.”

James Griffiths. Director, Director at Cyber Security Associates, added: “The key to mitigating the damage is training. Crucially, this should not only be aimed at staff, but pupils too. The best way for schools to future-proof themselves against cyber-threats is to prioritise the risk and to be prepared.”

To access ‘Independent, but insecure? The growing cyber security risks facing the independent education sector’ please visit: https://www.endsleigheducation.co.uk/independent-but-insecure/

For more information, please visit: www.ensdleigheducation.co.uk. ffffffff

Exam season is nearly over. Students and teachers alike will soon breathe a sigh of relief, put away their pens and calculators and enjoy a well-deserved summer holiday. Yet the controversy around the pressures of our ‘testing culture’ rages on.

When even Ofsted’s Chief Inspector is urging teachers not to ask students how they are feeling about their papers lest they provoke more anxiety, surely it is time to reassess assessment. Is there a way to measure students’ progress that does not rely disproportionately on stress-inducing, one-size-fits-all exams?

The answer is yes. Trust teachers. According to a compressive study in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, teachers’ assessments are just as reliable as exams at predicting educational outcomes. The study found that these correlated strongly with test results across English, Maths and Science from ages 7 to 14, with both measures equally effective at predicting later success at GCSE and A level.

There may well be a place for standardised testing in our education system, if only to objectively judge the performance of schools and to what extent they are effectively serving their students. However, the evidence of the reliability of teachers’ assessments, especially at primary school level, is demonstrated in the study; and if we could make testing less stressful, possibly even enjoyable, why wouldn’t we?

Part of the problem is political point scoring on an already testy subject. Last month Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn announced that a future Labour Government would scrap SATs. In response, schools minister Nick Gibb accused Labour of planning to “keep parents in the dark”. This of course begs the question, ‘Who are SATs for?’ – parents, Government league tables, Ofsted? Regardless of which side of the debate you stand on, the reality is that the UK ranks 15^th for Science, 27th for Maths and 22^nd for Reading in the international PISA league table, and young people’s prospects rely increasingly on their education. The question of how our society assesses its youngest members matters more than ever.  

There is a fine line between testing that pushes a student to the edge of their ability, and testing that reduces them to unhealthy levels of stress. This is something we should be doing more to improve on, and that begins with empowering teachers. With insight into a student’s day-to-day learning and performance, teachers are uniquely placed to measure their trajectory. Rather than place all emphasis on the results of a single day of testing, why not capitalise on this insight?

Crucially, the ability of teachers to assess students has been fundamentally transformed and enhanced by the technological tools they now have at their disposal. In my experience from visiting schools across the country, access to accurate, real-time data on students’ maths and literacy skills on an online platform has significantly reduced the time it takes to make an informed judgment. Harnessing the data gathered by ed-tech, teachers can now better track progress, locate pinch points, and tailor their lessons and assignments to individual students accordingly.

Teachers’ assessments are not only becoming more incisive and reliable, but also more meaningful for the student than traditional testing. A SAT score doesn’t evidence how a student can progress – but a teacher can.

Giving less weight to high-stakes testing reduces the strain on educators and students, and makes learning more fulfilling too. The benefits would doubtless not only be reflected in the mental health of our schools, but in their performance.

Standardised exams may well have a role to play in the future of education, but the technological revolution means it is time to give a greater say to the people who know the students best. The teachers.

Margaret Allen

Former Teacher and Curriculum and Education Specialist at Renaissance Learning UK

• New acquisition is set to further improve visibility of safeguarding trends in schools that may otherwise go unnoticed
• Tightly integrated Monitoring and Record Keeping will improve student safety and wellbeing as safeguarding incidents are flagged quickly and efficiently
• Exclusive Partnership announced with National Online Safety to provide best-in-class training for teachers, parents and student in e-safety.
• Smoothwall strengthens its market leading position in digital safety with market first.

Pioneering EdTech brand, Smoothwall, has announced the acquisition of digital record keeping company, Safeguard Software. It’s a move that sees the market leader further strengthen its position as the UK’s number one provider of digital safeguarding solutions. Already a well established and respected brand in schools across the UK, Smoothwall’s acquisition of Safeguard Software is the latest in a wave of strategic improvements the company has made in pursuit of the mission to become the most trustworthy digital safeguarding provider across the globe.

The acquisition builds on the technical integration between Smoothwall’s Monitoring service and Safeguard, announced last year, which revealed the strong demand from customers for better integrated Record Keeping to fulfil statutory requirements. Schools, education professionals and DSLs (designated safeguarding leads) can now benefit from a fully integrated approach to digital safeguarding. Users will have greater visibility of children at risk and a more holistic insight into specific issues and incidents impacting individual students.

Existing Safeguard customers are also set to benefit from the acquisition, as Smoothwall pledges to develop the software’s features and functionality over time using its UK based software engineering team, now joined by Safeguard founder, Steve Morrissey. 

Furthermore, Smoothwall and National Online Safety (part of the National Education Group) are announcing an exclusive partnership whereby Smoothwall will offer its customers access to NOS’s rich training content designed to support Designated Safeguarding Leaders, Teachers, Governors, Parents and Students.  From powerful, engaging videos to practical lesson plans and parent guides, National Online Safety is the UK’s leading e-safety training organisation.

Georg Ell, CEO at Smoothwall, commented on the acquisition and its anticipated impact on Smoothwall’s significant growth:

“We are delighted to have acquired Safeguard Software. It is a well-respected product, with a rapidly growing customer base who greatly value its ease of use and affordability. Bringing together Monitoring and Record Keeping under one roof means we are now the only provider to offer both, strengthening the value in our Optimum digital safety suite of products. Schools can have integrated digital record keeping to fulfil their statutory requirements with a holistic safeguarding picture. Combining online and offline record keeping means DSLs have a better chance of getting the right support, to the right student, in the right way, at the right time. 

Naturally we understand the world of education technology is heterogenous and we will simultaneously continue our work to integrate with other leading record keeping providers.

Smoothwall’s partnership with National Online Safety is a very natural fit for both companies. Their expert training resources combined with our market-leading technology solutions means we can educate and support not only school IT professionals but parents, teachers and students. It’s a unique mix of resources and a powerful and holistic approach to digital safeguarding.

For more information on Smoothwall please visit www.smoothwall.com.

Bike Week is a campaign to inspire people from all over the UK to give cycling a try. Cycling is becoming increasingly popular, not only for recreation but also due to an increase in cycling benefit schemes, designed to improve the health and wellbeing of company employees and to reduce an organisation’s carbon footprint.

As the number of people cycling increases, so does the demand for suitable and secure bicycle storage. Keen cyclists often spend thousands of pounds on the initial outlay of their chosen bike and all cyclists understandably worry about the security of their bikes when not in use.

The Office of National Statistics reported a total of 317,000 bicycle thefts last year (from adults over 16 and households) in England and Wales alone. This staggering number highlights the importance of secure bicycle facilities being made available.

The general advice for making a bicycle secure from theft is to invest in a good quality and tested bicycle lock that can be secured through the frame of an immovable object such as a bike stand. Investment in a cycle shelter or rack will inevitably aid the reduction in bicycle thefts, as well as ensuring cyclists feel comfortable and less stressed when leaving their bike on your premises.

A variety of shelters and racks to suit all budgets are currently available from companies such as NBB Outdoor Shelters. The NBB organisation was picked to be featured in this article due to its extensive range, UK manufacturing, competitive pricing, product guarantees and high-quality finish.

Ready to assemble cycle shelters from NBB start from prices as low as £875.00 with various shelter sizes and styles available. Popular shelters such as the Kimmeridge Cycle Shelter are delivered free of charge to UK mainland addresses and come with a 15-year maintenance free guarantee on the surface treatment of the product. A plethora of inexpensive cycle racks and stands for all type of premises are also available including the eye-catching Loopy Loo Cycle Stand, which the organisation claims is a popular choice of educational environments.

It was pleasing to also see that products for bicycles, scooters and motorcycles designed mainly for residential use haven’t been left out of the NBB portfolio, nor have custom made shelters for those premises’ unable to accommodate standard shelter shapes and sizes.

Another major consideration for anyone thinking about bicycle security is location. Racks and shelters should be positioned in areas with higher footfall, as this will inevitably discourage criminals from attempting a bicycle theft.

In the light of Bike Week, organisations are encouraged to review their cycle storage facilities as good facilities should in turn encourage more people to cycle to you, making for a healthier environment.

To view the full range of bicycle shelters and racks mentioned in this article, please visit NBB Outdoor Shelters at www.nobutts.co.uk.

 

• In 2019 80.9% of applicants for a secondary school place received an offer of their first preference school. 93.0% received an offer of one of their top three preferences. This is the lowest percentage in a decade.
• At primary level, 90.6% of applicants received an offer of their first choice school, and 97.5% received an offer of one of their top three preferences.
• In 2019 604,500 applications for a secondary school place were received, an increase of 3.7% on 2018 (which itself saw a 3.6% increase on 2017 application numbers), as rising births since 2002 continue to move into secondary level.
• Applications for a primary school place for 2019 were virtually unchanged from the number in 2018 with 609,000 being received (up 0.1% on 2018).

Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, comments: “As with many critical issues desperately in need of political attention, education has dropped down the agenda as government bodies focus on Brexit and our future position with the rest of the world.
“This year not only were the lowest percentage of pupils offered a place at their first preference secondary school in a decade, the percentage offered a place at any of their preference schools also fell. This comes as the number of pupils applying reaches the highest number recorded.
“England faces a significant challenge as the school-age population is set to increase over the next two years and as children progress from primary to secondary education we now need to focus on building new secondary schools. There will be 313,164 additional secondary school pupils looking for places in the next two years – an increase of over 9%.
“While the Brexit fallout has created a vast amount of uncertainty, knowing your child will be able to get a preferred local primary or secondary school place should be a constant.

“We must collectively focus on delivering a strategy and solutions which not only provide high-quality, modern spaces for teaching and learning but also offer our colleagues in local authorities cost certainty, value for money and timely delivery. So there are more high-quality learning spaces for parents to choose from.

“Technologies such as offsite construction will play an essential part in that. Modern Methods of Construction not only allow quick construction but can also cost local authorities significantly less. Until the government takes more pragmatic action, they cannot claim to be safeguarding the futures of the UK’s young people.”

Scape’s The School Places Challenge 2019 report found:

• There will be 385,031 more school-age pupils in England by 2021/22, which equates to 12,835 additional primary and secondary school classrooms, the equivalent of 640 new schools.
• Although all regions will experience an increase in pupil growth above 3 per cent over the next two years, London, the South East and the South West can all expect to see the largest increases.
• Birmingham City Council is faced with the most substantial projected increase, with Manchester City Council coming in a close second.
• Both cities can expect more than 12,000 extra secondary school pupils by 2021/22. Between them, they will need to build the equivalent of 53 new schools by 2021/22.

View the full report here: www.scapegroup.co.uk/research/the-school-places-challenge-2019

About Scape Group

Scape Group is a public-sector organisation, dedicated to creating ongoing efficiency and social value via the built environment. Scape and its subsidiaries offer fully managed frameworks, property services, innovative design solutions, community investment opportunities and joint ventures.
By bringing together the strongest teams from the public and private sectors, Scape’s rapidly deployed, highly measurable and collaborative approach delivers value for money and quality buildings whilst stimulating local economic growth and community enrichment. Scape operates with a buying capacity of around £13bn and has helped to deliver over 2,400 public sector projects with more than 1,800 currently in progress. In 2018, Scape Group was named the ‘Best Client to Work With’ across the public and private sector, at the annual Construction Enquirer Awards for the third consecutive year. For more information visit: www.scapegroup.co.uk