Safeguarding: A Big Issue in Education Sector

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Cyber security threats are constantly evolving, and security defences face an ongoing struggle to keep up. Cyber attacks against schools have been growing rapidly in the last few years. Educational establishments are currently more likely to suffer a security breach than businesses (Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2021). The illustration below shows the percentage of institutions that have identified a breach or attack in the last 12 months.

Technology development brings new threats

The Department for Education, alongside the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), have written to schools twice in 2021. Both alerts highlighted the increased attack levels and the urgency of securing systems.

It’s long been essential for schools to prioritise safeguarding and to seek to protect sensitive student data. The attacks can come in many forms, from typical phishing emails to malware via downloads, ransomware, and denial of service attacks.

 

Cyber security as a whole strategy is only really coming to attention now. Creating a culture of security is a known goal in the business world, yet it should also be the same in an education setting.

Even if a school suffers no financial or data losses, losses from an attempted breach are noticeable elsewhere:

  • schools may need to invest in new security measures
  • staff time will be taken up with dealing with the breach (senior management, communications, and IT)
  • the wider staffing body may be unable to carry out their activities
  • students may be unable to receive their full, rich curriculum program.

What steps you can take to successfully protect your school sites?

IT isn’t exempt from human error. It’s worth having a quick check to see that you’re doing all you can to keep your defences up to date.

  • Use a firewall to protect all devices within your IT network from external networks, particularly those that connect to the internet publicly or over untrusted Wi-Fi Networks.
  • Check the settings on all software and devices to ensure security is at its highest functional level. Disable and remove any functions or accounts you don’t need or use.
  • Don’t use the default PINs or passwords that come with new devices; convey the benefits of a strong password policy. Also, consider two-factor authentication for access to mission critical accounts.
  • Control access to your organisation’s data through user account privileges. Only give administrative or extra permissions to employees whose job function dictates a need for this.
  • Only permit access to software from official sources, this is the only way to minimise the risk of malware being installed on devices.
  • Implement anti-malware measures. There are a few options such as sandboxing, whitelisting or using free built-in OS defences such as Defender for Windows or XProtect for Mac. Whitelisting: only running administrator approved applications. Sandboxing: Running an application in an isolated environment with restricted access to the rest of the device and network.
  • Enable the ability to track and erase any lost devices.
  • Keep all devices and applications up to date to both add new features and fix any newly discovered security vulnerabilities.
  • Set ‘automatically update’ wherever this is an option to be protected as soon as an update is released.
  • Consider replacing legacy devices once the manufacturer no longer supports the specific hardware or software and doesn’t continue to release new updates.

Manage your IT stress-free.

Protect your Endpoints, Network and Cloud from Cyber Threats with M-Tech cloud-based Managed Security Suite. This cloud-based MSS logs and alerts to any breaches, unexpected changes, or attack attempts. It also identifies unwanted activity that can evade even the toughest traditional cyber defences.

Our M-Tech Managed Security Suite includes:

  • Continuous Monitoring – Always-on threat detection in real-time
  • Minimal hardware required – A small piece of unintrusive software is added to your endpoint device and/or network
  • Threat Hunting Activity – The software proactively hunts for malicious actors in your network that have evaded security defences such as firewall and anti-virus systems
  • Log Retention – Logs are stored for up to 12 months, with the ability to be retrieved as needed
  • Microsoft 365 Security – Looks at Microsoft 365 as a whole and will log and alert about anything from rule changes to attack attempts
  • Isolation and Remediation – Device isolation contains threats to protect the network with the option to remediate where possible
  • Anti-Virus and Firewall Monitoring – Logs and alerts across many different types of anti-virus or firewall solutions

Keeping up with the latest regulations, technologies and defending against threats requires a huge amount of both planning and knowledge.

We deliver round the clock monitoring through our M-Tech MSS to detect and respond to threats, keeping you always protected.

Contact M-Tech here to chat about how we can help you to protect your school.

 

AWARD-WINNING MUSSILA LAUNCHES IN UK WITH WORDPLAY AN INNOVATIVE READING COMPREHENSION APP

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And adds to their awards taking home the International Digital Education Resource Award at BETT 2022

Hot of their win at BETT 2022, Icelandic EdTech company, Mussila, is expanding into the UK market with its award winning Mussila Music and its new digital learning solution Mussila WordPlay, a new creative digital learning solution for children using Mussila’s unique ‘Learn, Play, Create’ methodology.  Current users of Mussila Music will automatically have access to WordPlay and new users will gain access to both platforms.

WordPlay has been created by speech therapists and content creators that have made the app a fun and powerful learning experience for children from 5-8 years old. Narrated by professionals, WordPlay offers hours of listening to practice not only reading but also listening skills making this app one of a kind.  The app is designed to spark children’s natural curiosity, motivating them to easily master the fundamentals of reading and to use their sense of creativity and play to firmly strengthen the knowledge acquired.

 

Children using the app will be able to:

  • Learn and increase vocabulary
  • Work on listening skills
  • Practice and improve reading comprehension
  • Experience joyful reading, by reading or listening to beautiful stories. 

 

“Children are natural learners and our task is to give them creative tools based on evidence-based practice that sparks their curiosity, motivating them to learn.” Says Jon Gunnar Thordarson, CEO of Mussila. “Post-pandemic, we have seen 370% growth for Mussila Music showcasing the demand for digital based learning and following the success in the Nordics, we are expanding into the UK where demand for this style of learning is definitely on the rise. Cambridge University’s recent research* shows that children learn more through ‘guided play’ that for teacher-led instruction and play-focused learning was found to be just as effective as traditional teacher-led methods in teaching literacy, numeracy and thinking skills.”

Research has shown that language and music are connected through listening, rhythm, and singing. This connection is essential for developing phonological awareness. WordPlay is the perfect addition to Mussila’s first game, Mussila Music, which has proven to be effective in teaching music to diverse groups of students. The multiple award-winning app is available in 32 languages and has been certified by the Finnish Education Alliance as a quality learning solution. Currently, children from all over the world are playing the game, and schools in 19 countries are using the app for music education.

WordPlay is available to schools helping teachers to add new dimensions to their current curriculum, teachers will also be able to track students’ progress through the app to analysis where additional support is needed.  Mussila provides teachers with extensive training and have dedicated experts to help throughout the journey so they can continue to support students through the learning process.

Mussila Music is nominated for 3 BETT awards and won one award:

•  International Digital Educational, Resource  – winner 

  • Class Aid or Educator support

 

  • Educational Resource for Parents and Home Learning

Mussila WordPlay is available for download from the App Store and Google Play

*https://srcd.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cdev.13730

Bett Awards 2022 Winners Revealed

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24 winners, from robots to music apps, celebrate success at the 2022 Bett Awards

London, 24 March 2022

A robot that can play football, an app that connects budding musicians with real-life professional instructors for a fraction of the normal price of lessons and a tool that can help schools pinpoint £100 million in free school meal funding are just some of the innovations that won at last night’s Bett Awards.

Hundreds of submissions were whittled down to a few dozen finalists before 24 winners were unveiled at the 24th annual Bett Awards at a gala dinner last night. 

The awards are designed to celebrate the inspiring creativity and innovation that can be found throughout technology for education.

Covid-19 has sparked unprecedented need for EdTech with hundreds of entrepreneurs and established tech firms springing into action to meet the need.

The winner of the coveted Innovator of the Year award is Practice Pal – which gives children premium music lessons with professional musicians for just £7.99 a week – less than half the cost of a normal half hour lesson.

Marty the Robot, a walking, dancing, football-playing robot that helps introduce children to the world of coding and robotics, won the Hardware, Digital and Robotic award.

The fast-growing LGfl was crowned the winner of the Technical and IT Support service after making its free schools meals eligibility checker free. The tool helps schools track down the up to £100 million in pupil premium funding that they could be missing out on.

 

The company also scooped the Digital Wellbeing award with its tool, built in partnership with the Department for Education, that helps students identify extremism online.

Two of the winners had tools that help prepare children to thrive online whilst keeping them safe: Natterhub won the Transformational Impact award while Southwest Grid for Learning – 360 Early Years – won the Early Years, Digital Product or Service award.

Maths Circle – creators of primary school favourite Times Table Rock Stars and NumbBots – scooped the Company of the Year prize for firms under £3 million while Renaissance Learning, which helped year six pupils in Hertfordshire undergo assessments, to close the learning gaps in challenging circumstances, won the accolade of Company of the Year in the over £3 million category.

A team of 28 judges were tasked with selecting the winners from hundreds of entries. 

 

Julia Garvey, Deputy Director General, British Educational Suppliers Association and Chair of Judges for the Bett Awards said: “The Bett Awards always attract top calibre submissions and this year was no exception. The winners are all amazing and the standard was incredibly high – the hardest job we had was narrowing it down to pick a winner each time. We are delighted to be able to recognise the hard work of so many businesses in the EdTech space all of whom have gone above and beyond to support teachers and learners during these uncertain times. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to the Bett Show at ExCeL over the coming days where visitors will be able to see many of the shortlisted and winning entries on display. “

 

Eve Harper, Portfolio Director, UK EdTech – Hyve, said: “The Bett Awards are a highlight of the three-day Bett show but this year we have really seen innovation flourish like never before. The pandemic has fuelled a wave of new inventions from small start-ups to big tech firms who pivoted to meet the need for new ways of delivering education. Long after the pandemic has subsided, these new tools will have changed the way we learn forever.”

 

Many of the winners and finalists will be showcased at Bett until the 25 March 2022 at ExCeL, London. 

 

To register for a free ticket to see the winners and hundreds of other EdTech solutions at Bett go to www.bettshow.com

For a list of all the finalists, please see: 

https://bettawards.com/2022-shortlist/

 

The full list of the Bett Award 2022 winners is below:

Category 2022 Winner
Collaboration with a School Joskos Solutions with Pheasey Park Farm Primary School and Early Years Centre
Innovator of the Year Practice Pal
Transformational Impact Natterhub
Company of the Year (less than £3m) Maths Circle
Company of the Year (more than £3m) Renaissance
Educational Resource for Parents or Home Learning Your Favourite Teacher
Early Years – Digital Product or Service South West Grid for Learning -360 Early Years
Class Aid or Educator Support Developing Experts – Science Curriculum
Primary – Digital Learning Product – Language & Literacy Kaligo
Primary – Digital Learning Product – Numeracy & Maths Learning by Questions
Primary – Free Digital Content, App or Open Educational Resource White Rose Maths – Primary Resources
Primary – Digital Learning Product – Broad Curriculum (other) Busythings
Secondary – Digital Learning Product  Texthelp – EquatIO
Secondary – Free Digital Content, App or Open Educational Resource Mathigon – Polypad
Assessment, Planning & Progress Monitoring Learning Ladders
Technical or IT Support Service LGfL – The National Grid for Learning
International Digital Educational Resource Mussila Music School
Hardware, AV, VR/AR, Robotics or Digital Device Robotical – Marty the Robot
Leadership & Management Solutions Guide Education – Guide Teacher Training
Guide Connect
Wellbeing, Digital Wellness & Safeguarding Resources LGfL – Going Too Far? Extremism and the Law
SEND Resources, Products & Services Pearson – Mable Therapy
Higher Education – Digital Learning Product Lean Library Futures
The Education Show (non-EdTech) Award for School Resources & Equipment for Teaching & Learning The Literacy Tree – The Literary Curriculum
Outstanding Achievement Award John and Ann Crick, Founders, Crick Software

 

Category 2022 – Highly Commended Highly Commended
Class Aid or Educator Support Highly Commended Findel Education – Electronic Phonics
Secondary – Free Digital Content, App or Open Educational Resource Highly Commended Craig’n’Dave YouTube Channel
Leadership & Management Solutions Highly Commended CPOMS Systems  
SEND Resources, Products & Services Highly Commended JellyJames Publishing (Dynamo Maths) – Puffin Maths

 

Win a Virtual LTA Youth Schools Q&A for your class with US Open Champion and BBC Sports Personality of the Year – Emma Raducanu MBE

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Courtesy of the LTA and its flagship LTA Youth programme, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is being offered to teachers that could see teenage sensation, Emma Raducanu MBE, appear virtually in your very own classroom for a Q&A. Questions at the ready!

 

LTA Youth Schools is available for free to both Primary and Secondary schools nationwide. This innovative junior programme has been created by the LTA – the National Governing body for tennis in Britain – to help more children enjoy the benefits of playing and staying in tennis, whatever their age, gender, ability, disability, or background. Based on world leading expertise, research, and science, and drawing on insight from parents and players – the curriculum aligned tennis resources are perfect to build into lesson planning covering topics such as PSHE and Physical Education.

 

To be entered into the prize draw to win a virtual Q&A for your school with the US Open champion and BBC Sports Personality of the Year, teachers need to simply register for a free, online teacher training course and complete training before 13 May 2022. On completion of the course, schools will also receive a £250 voucher to spend on ten hours of team-teaching support from an LTA accredited Coach or on equipment. Win-win!

 

The free Primary or Secondary online teacher training course (approx. two hours) and can be done in the comfort of your own home (or classroom!). With over 5,000 participating schools having already completed the training, there’s never been a better time to build your confidence in delivering the resources from the LTA Youth Schools Programme. 

 

Following her recent sporting triumphs, LTA Youth Ambassador, Emma Raducanu, expresses her desire to see more young people get involved in playing tennis: “I would like to encourage and inspire more young people to get out there and get active. Not only is tennis great for your overall fitness, it has taught me perseverance, how to balance my education with sport and given me the opportunity to meet new people.”

 

LTA Youth Schools can be included into both Primary & Secondary lessons. Following last year’s launch, the curriculum linked Secondary resources feature 5 employability lesson plans accompanied by engaging videos, as well as PE based resources. The well established and popular cross-curricular Primary resources are packed full of exciting activities to help encourage children and young people to stay active and have fun picking up a racket.

 

As well as teaching fundamental movement skills and developing physical literacy through the PE curriculum lesson plans, tennis is also a great way of developing employability and life skills and LTA Youth Schools have dedicated classroom materials to support this.

 

Teachers can now also try out LTA Youth Schools Primary Skills Festival resource. Featuring 30 exciting, tennis-themed activities, this resource will help inspire your pupils to explore exciting ways to learn new skills. The activities can be used to host competitions in school or even with other schools. 

 

“We’re delighted to offer teachers and their pupils the unique and special opportunity to speak directly with one of sport’s global stars.” commented Head of Education & Community at the LTA, Tom Gibbins. “With recent British success, we know that the topic of tennis is at an all time high. Through the virtual Q&A and our free school resources we hope to continue inspiring the next generation to follow in Emma’s footsteps.”  

 

Join the active community of over 14,000 teachers and complete your free online teacher training before the 13th May and this extraordinary opportunity could be for you and your school. This exciting new competition will help inspire the next generation of tennis players across Britain.

 

*£250 voucher (limited to one per school) to spend on 10 hours team teaching support from a local LTA Accredited Coach, or equipment. View our Terms and Conditions here and competition Terms and Conditions here.

 

ONANOFF unveils StoryPhones, offering independent, screen free audio entertainment for young children

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Audio is proven to benefit children’s reading skills, as well as their mental wellbeing and emotional intelligence. 

 

 

StoryPhones is an independent device offering screen-free entertainment that doesn’t need to connect to any other device for playback. It’s able to store and play audio content at any time, thus providing an entertaining way to boost creativity and decrease screen time.  

Watch a video here 

London, 22 March, 2022: ONANOFF is delighted to unveil StoryPhones at BETT UK; a magical ride to a whole new world of audio fun for listeners of all ages.  

 

StoryPhones are the first smart, portable wireless audio entertainment device for children, combining high-performance headphones with an internet-connected content player. Access stories by simply popping a StoryShield disc into the StoryPhones. It will then automatically download the story into the headphone’s memory and start playing. After the initial download, it will play the content independent of any network or other device. Disney fans can now listen to short stories based on movies such as The Lion King, Mickey Mouse or Frozen wherever they are, so StoryPhones are ideal for long journeys, whilst on holiday or just snuggled up in bed.  

 

StoryPhones also offer the option of recording personalised stories in a loved one’s voice, through the mobile app, creating a customised StoryShield called PlayShield. This way, users can record family stories and share the ones that shaped an individual’s life, with generations to come. It’s also a brilliant way to stay connected with loved ones far away. Even though grandparents live in another country, a child can hear a bedtime story read by grandma and when away, or at work, parents can soothe children with a pre-recorded lullaby. 

 

Listening to and sharing stories is key to improving a child’s early language and literacy development. 

Recent research by the National Literacy Trust found listening to stories to be hugely beneficial to younger children (from birth to age 8) through the development of comprehension skills and engagement with stories. Audio is proven to benefit children’s reading skills, as well as their mental wellbeing and emotional intelligence. 

 

It’s proven that in households where children hear fewer words, their literacy levels at age 5 are lower than those who have been exposed to a higher number of words, impacting on longer-term literacy and ability. Listening to stories helps solve this problem by exposing children to a wider vocabulary, that in turn, helps with pronunciation, improved comprehension, and increased exposure to different cultures. 

 

It also teaches children models of fluent reading. Hearing stories read with accuracy, at an appropriate speed and with proper expression has a positive impact on a child’s own reading fluency. Interestingly, findings revealed that listening to stories requires the same cognitive skills as reading in print, therefore supporting a child’s development of skills that children need to read. For children who are keen to learn more about the world around them, StoryPhones is set to introduce educational StoryShields so children can have fun listening whilst also learning. However, for those children who  struggle with emotional wellbeing and anxiety, the new StoryShield with mindfulness bites may help in calming and reassuring a child.  

 

StoryPhones sparks imagination, fuels curiosity, and encourages independent, active play for a truly immersive experience. Play is important for both escapism and development, while fostering concentration and self-expression, and supporting physical, emotional, cognitive and social development. When listening to a story, children can dance, sing, play and listen to music or an engaging story any time they choose.   Listening is a crucial skill for young children to acquire. It is one of the basic building blocks of language and communication and, particularly in the early years of education, one of the main vehicles for a child’s learning. Up to 80 per cent of learning in the early years is verbal.  

 

StoryPhones makes it easy to access stories as a family, at home or on the go. Family life can be hectic, but with StoryPhone stories can be heard ‘hands-free’. This gives families lots of opportunity to tune in whilst engaging in other activities, whether it’s quiet time, bedtime or in the car on the school-run. 

 

About ONANOFF: 

 

Founded in 2014, with offices in New York, Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Shenzhen, ONANOFF is an audio company that creates award-winning, functional, stylish, and ergonomic products with a social purpose that meet a wide range of listening needs. Having helped initiate and advance the kids audio category, the company is best known for creating the BuddyPhones brand, the world’s leading kids’ headphones, promising to always be kid-safe, kid-proof, and kid-friendly.   

 

ONANOFF is honored to have received the 2021 EU Product Safety Award from the European Commission for our efforts in going above and beyond required safety standards under the category Protecting the Safety of Vulnerable Consumer Group.  

 

UK schools top of the global classroom for embracing technology, with majority of parents supportive of remote/hybrid learning

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  • 64% of UK schools use technology in everyday teaching and learning practices
  • 55% of parents are supportive of EdTech in the classroom and remote or hybrid learning
  • 57% of UK schools involve students in the planning of technology use in the classroom

 

LONDON – 23 March 2022 – The UK education system is a world leader in the adoption and use of technology in the classroom, with teachers, pupils and parents actively involved in the way devices are utilised at school, according to new research released today.

Almost three quarters (64%) of schools in the UK are now embedding technology in everyday teaching and learning practices, using it to transform teaching approaches and learning outcomes.

The findings come from the ‘Capabilities for Success: What’s Working in EdTech Today’ whitepaper from SMART Technologies. The research surveyed more than 3,300 global respondents, including more than 419 in the UK, made up of educational leaders, policy makers, administrators, ICT coordinators and teachers. Collected from SMART’s Edtech Assessment Tool between 2018 and 2022, it is one of the largest studies of education technology adoption available and is based on global frameworks and practices such as those from the OECD and ISTE. 

Parents support schools’ approach to remote/hybrid learning

The research found parents of children between the ages of 4-19 in the UK are actively engaged with how technology is used inside and outside of the classroom. More than half (55%) are supportive of remote or hybrid learning and have been given the training and tools to support their children. This is compared to an average of only 24% of parents who feel the same across the rest of the world. 

More than a quarter (26%) of parents of UK pupils also have significant involvement in technology planning in schools and their children’s digital competencies, which contrasts with a global average of just 16%. Since 2020, the importance of this type of family and community engagement has increased in importance, with schools doing this well reporting higher outcomes. 

The COVID-19 pandemic shifted many schools into remote online learning in compliance with local safety guidelines, but despite the return to in-person teaching, the research found that more than a third (39%) continue to develop curriculum content that can be delivered remotely. Less than a quarter (24%) of schools globally, on average, are doing the same. 

Alongside parents’ involvement, the research found that UK schools are much more willing to involve students in the planning of technology use in schools too. More than half (57%) say their students are involved in decision-making groups and contribute towards the technologies, content and resources used in the classroom, compared to 40% globally. 

As a result of this increased adoption of classroom technology, UK schools are reporting better outcomes for their students and teachers. 84% of schools reported enhanced student preparation in the UK, compared with 78% on average globally. Meanwhile, 76% of UK schools report to have met their teaching and learning goals, compared to just 68% in the rest of the world. 

Those schools reporting high outcomes are using a variety of technology in the classroom, including significant increases in the use of collaborative software, assessment software and game-based software as well as pre-created content, in comparison to schools reporting lower overall outcomes. 

Jim Knight (Rt Hon Lord Knight), Director of Suklaa and former schools minister, said: “While the pandemic has changed the day-to-day execution of teaching and learning across the world, it also accelerated the evolution of technology adoption, curriculum, and other key elements of learning. The data here suggests that technology like collaborative software and game-based activity supports increased levels of student engagement and leads to improved outcomes holistically.

“The world of work is calling for students to finish their education more holistically prepared for the workplace, with many companies placing more focus on noncognitive skills like communication and collaboration over more traditionally academic skills. It is vital the policy changes accompany these needs, along with renewed support for teachers as they navigate new practice and tools.”

Commenting on the research findings, Giancarlo Brotto, Global Education Advisor at SMART, said: “We have been collecting this research for four years now, and the UK is showing itself to be a prominent leader in EdTech adoption.

“It’s clear from the data that technology use in the classroom is advocated not just by the schools themselves, but among parents and students too. At a time when education was pushed to its limits during the pandemic, it has allowed for new and engaging ways of learning to be introduced and enabled crucial connections that matter between teachers and students, especially during lockdowns when face-to-face learning was taken away from students and teachers alike.”

SMART Technologies’ EdTech Assessment Tool questions educational leaders, policy makers, administrators, ICT coordinators and teachers on their organisation’s technology use and teaching and learning outcomes, supporting a collaborative approach to assessing and prioritising digital strategy. 

Dynabook and Encyclopaedia Britannica partner to bring trusted learning content to education devices

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23 March 2022, Neuss Germany – Today, Dynabook Europe and Encyclopaedia Britannica announce a partnership to bring Encyclopaedia Britannica’s trusted ‘Britannica School’ learning content to Dynabook’s fleet of education devices.

The partnership has been forged to make teachers’ lives easier while enhancing the learning experience. By combining Dynabook devices with Britannica School, students will have the freedom to research information that is safe, verified and trusted to be accurate. The partnership comes at a time when there has been an increase in demand for dependable learning content on reliable mobile devices.

The partnership will be announced at Bett 2022, the world’s leading education technology show, from 23rd-25th March. Visitors to the show can visit the Dynabook or Encyclopaedia Britannica stands to hear first-hand about the partnership, as well as to learn more about the two companies’ education heritage and wider initiatives in the sector. Dynabook and Encyclopaedia Britannica can be found at Bett at Stands SD71 and NH31/NJ31 respectively.

Dynabook and Encyclopaedia Britannica partnership

The partnership between Dynabook and Encyclopaedia Britannica aims to provide safe and accessible education for everyone. Schools wanting to this offer can follow a simple process by registering the devices through a web link with login details. Schools will then have full access to the benefits provided by Encyclopaedia Britannica’s leading education resource: Britannica School.

Britannica School is a bespoke education resource designed to benefit teachers and students by offering thousands of trustworthy, credible articles, sources and references to enhance the day-to-day learning experience. Students can toggle between different reading levels on each section of learning content, have articles read aloud, and even hear words pronounced. It also shields certain search terms which may have inappropriate or have dual meanings; ensuring a safe learning experience.

Emma Cork, head of UK sales at Encyclopaedia Britannica said,

“Britannica School offers reliable learning content to ensure schools won’t have the problem with misinformation that they’re often encountering in today’s world of misinformation. The resource has been designed through many years of working with schools to understand their specific needs. It gives students access to a relevant selection of our deeply researched and trusted content: a powerful addition to every classroom. The partnership of our content available on the highly respected Dynabooks offers an important and reliable contribution to classrooms across the country.”

The Beckfoot Trust, a multi-academy trust, said: “We worked closely with Dynabook’s reseller ACS to define the best and most cost-effective devices for use in the school for both teachers and students. The Trust has invested in a number of Dynabook devices, specifically designed for education, including the 14” C40 laptops and also the 11inch E10-S perfect for student use. The key deciding factors were the reliability and robustness of the devices, designed to cope with the rigours of a school day and be powerful enough to run all the required school curriculum software. With the additional free access to Britannica School online, an exclusive offer through Dynabook, schools, teachers and students have a safe curriculum based online teaching and learning resource covering all key stages and includes journals, articles, images and video content.”

“It is really exciting to be back at Bett this year and we are looking forward to show visitors our new devices, solutions and accessories”, said Dawn Henderson education sales lead at Dynabook Europe GmbH. “Our partnership with Encyclopaedia Britannica is a critical element of our ongoing commitment to providing schools and educational institutions with carefully engineered, reliable, sturdy and secure devices. Together, we can support schools and colleges with the perfect solution. The education team and I are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the Dynabook stand.”

Dynabook laptops including the Satellite Pro E10-S are available to purchase via The Dynabook & Tablet Academy 1:1 Programme. This scheme allows schools and parents to select a device that is best suited to them with a variety of financing options to choose from.

Education vacancies hit two-year high while applications tumble

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Education vacancies hit a two-year high at the end of last year, while application numbers fell. That’s according to recent research from the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo).

 

The data, provided by the world’s largest network of job boards, Broadbean Technology, revealed that the number of education vacancies posted in the UK hit a two year high in the final quarter of 2021 as the sector continues to face a skills shortage following a difficult two years. Greater London recorded by far the highest number of jobs (55,000+), followed by the West Midlands (almost 8,000) and Greater Manchester in third (just over 7,000). West Yorkshire and South Yorkshire both featured in the top ten for vacancy numbers.

 

According to the statistics, while job numbers rose, the number of applications per vacancy steadily declined throughout the year. Perth and Kinross reported the highest number of average applications per vacancy, closely followed by Middlesbrough and Antrim in third. Renfrewshire, Glasgow and Edinburgh made it a Scotland treble in the top ten.

 

Despite the decline in application numbers across the education sector, there was a marked fall of around 10% in the average permanent salary for teaching professionals from July 2021 onwards, perhaps linked to the pay freeze of 2021.

 

Ann Swain, CEO of APSCo, commented:

 

“The challenges for education institutions and those staffing firms that support the sector are significant. The pandemic has hit teaching professionals hard and many have simply exited the profession through a combination of health concerns, stress and the initial impact of vaccine requirements in schools. Add to this the lack of financial incentives that can be used to attract professionals in the sector and it’s no wonder that schools, colleges and academies are all struggling to recruit.”

 

“While we’ve seen government marketing campaigns to encourage more people into teaching, there’s a more immediate need to address this dearth of resources. APSCo has highlighted a number of methods to help alleviate the skills shortages in the UK, which includes greater flexibility in Apprenticeship Levy usage to support the ‘Levelling Up’ agenda, as well as the introduction of a work visa for self-employed highly skilled contractors.”

Schools to benefit from bolstered cybersecurity resilience package launched in response to National Cyber Security Centre alert

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“LGfL-The National Grid for Learning is set to bolster online defences for schools in response to the National Cyber Security Centre’s alert to act now following Russia’s attack on the Ukraine,” says John Jackson, CEO, whose organisation has stepped up its cybersecurity resilience package to include monitoring, identification, sandboxing1 and the eradication of ever-evolving threats from phishing attempts, malware, hacks, viruses and ransomware. LGfL has provided services to the public sector over many years and is approved by the governing bodies for the Public Service Network (PSN) and Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) to provide secure access to systems across the public sector, including central government systems.

Newly appointed as the only UK Platinum Partner for Malwarebytes, LGfL is using its significant group buying power to supply schools with cybersecurity solutions at significantly discounted prices,  to help  safeguard their ever tightening budgets and their mass procured devices purchased for remote learning during lockdown.

In addition to the existing Incident Response (threat remediation), LGfL is now able to offer:

  • Endpoint Protection (threat prevention)
  • Endpoint Detection and Response (threat prevention, monitoring, sandboxing, isolation and rollback)
  • Endpoint Protection for Servers (threat prevention for servers)
  • Endpoint Detection and Response for Servers (threat prevention, monitoring, sandboxing, isolation and rollback for servers).

Using its Malwarebytes OneView console, LGfL will also be able to give third party support organisations (PSOs) greater visibility and control over what is happening across multiple sites. It will also be able to provide full information on licences issued/used through its OneView Portal and recover and redistribute any unused licences, helping schools to save money.  Existing licences will be transferred on to the console.  

Through its full CyberCloud solution, LGfL is now also able to offer 12 layers of protection to schools using its Let’s Get Digital Broadband Service, including:

  1. JANET:IP transit and DDoS (Denial of Service) protection – cyberattacks aimed at disrupting the normal traffic of a target’s servers, services, or networks by overwhelming the infrastructure, at or around the target, with a large amount of Internet traffic
  2. Core firewalls to protect the network – a network security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules
  3. Security Operations Centre – alerting and monitoring to protect the network
  4. Local school firewalls
  5. Sophos antivirus for workstations, servers and home use – software that detects and cleans up viruses, Trojans, worms, spyware, adware and other malicious applications
  6. Intercept X managed threat response for workstations and servers – anti-ransomware technology that detects malicious encryption processes and shuts them down before they can spread across a network. Intercept X prevents both file-based and master boot record ransomware
  7. Meraki Mobile Device Management – that allows users to manage mobile devices from the cloud in a secure environment
  8. Malwarebytes incident response and automated remediation – that detects and removes malware from computers
  9. Email protection including MailProtect filtering (Cloudmark) – a cloud-hosted, email filtering system that harnesses the combined strength of multiple market-leading technologies to offer protection against email-borne viruses, malware, fraud and phishing, as well as filtering unwanted bulk mail.  And Egress encryption which encrypts the message so that it is secure in transit and when it reaches the recipient.
  10. Web filtering – provided by Webscreen a highly flexible web filtering system designed to allow establishments and groups, such as MATs, to have access to local filtering settings and Netsweeper which enables organizations to protect internet users from harmful online content and provides web filtering, digital monitoring, and online activity reporting solutions to ensure digital safety on-premises and in remote environments
  11. End user training including Sophos Phish Threat which educates and tests end users through automated attack simulations, quality security awareness training, and actionable reporting metrics
  12. Research and awareness – National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Security Audit and Newsletters etc.

 

For further information on LGfL’s cybersecurity resilience packages please contact: Gareth Jelley, LGfL’s Cyber Security Centre of Excellence 0208 2555 555 (Option 3)

 

  1. Sandboxing  keeps potentially malicious programs or unsafe code isolated from the rest of the organization’s environment. This way, it can be analysed safely, without compromising the operating system or host devices. If a threat is detected, it can be removed proactively.

Belfast Primary School Leverages NSPCC’s Speak out Stay safe Programme to Complement PDMU Curriculum

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A recent independent evaluation by the NSPCC confirmed an ongoing need for Speak out Stay safe (SOSS). Whilst most primary children have a good understanding of what abusive behaviour looks like and which trusted adults they can speak to, the children’s charity safeguarding programme is designed to boost schools’ relationships and sex education (RSE) teaching. Deputy Vice Principal Richard Ewart from Strandtown Primary School in Belfast, Northern Ireland shares how his pupils enjoyed the online assembly.

While COVID-19 caused countless disruptions, it did mean that a lot of organisations such as the NSPCC had to rethink how to deliver their educational programmes. It’s clear that a lot of time and effort went into the Speak out Stay safe (SOSS) online assembly to get it just right. The content is very powerful and purposeful. At Strandtown, a large primary school in Belfast with over a thousand P4, P5, P6 and P7 pupils, we engage with the NSPCC once every two years. This means over four years each of our students will hear their message twice. We last engaged with SOSS last May and the coordinators are excellent at keeping in touch in-between.

 

After coming out of our second lockdown in Belfast it was lovely to hear from the NSPCC again. The new online programme fitted in perfectly with our school’s Personal Development and Mutual Understanding (PDMU) curriculum so it couldn’t have come at a better time. As a teacher I thought who better to introduce the assembly than Ant and Dec. Although the pair only presented the start of the programme our children’s attention was immediately captured. They thought this must be cool, if Ant and Dec are involved it’s going to be good. Their concentration throughout was superb and they were fully engaged in the programme. It was wonderful to see them responding with great listening and great awareness to what’s such an important subject.

As the online assembly is prerecorded it was almost word perfect, dealing with sensitive issues such as sexual and physical abuse with just the right level of care. When you see your pupils every day in the classroom those can be difficult subjects to broach. Sometimes I’m more of a close confidant to my pupils than I am a teacher, such is the relationship. So, with sensitive issues such as these it’s a huge help for SOSS to be taught by an outside organisation who handles them with such care. One of the pupils’ biggest takeaways was the saying ‘I have the right to be safe, you have the right to be safe, we have the right to be safe.’ The constant drip feeding of these key messages throughout the assembly ensure they stay front of mind.

As most of the groundwork had been done it naturally led to follow-up discussions with the children. If I use the analogy of a farmer, the hard work is ploughing the field then sowing the seed comes easy; the NSPCC did that hard work for us. From a statutory point of view the assembly ticks a lot of boxes in our PDMU curriculum such as teaching children how to look after themselves, how to look after each other and how to be an active member of the community. As well as nicely tying into annual focuses such as our anti-bullying week and safety online day, the assembly provided the opportunity for us to reinforce to the children that if they’re worried or concerned about anything they can talk to any trusted adult within the school.

Given the sensitive nature of the topic of abuse the online assembly managed it thoughtfully, purposefully and in a way that children could understand and relate to. It was at a primary level, yet the meaning was not lost. Such was the presentation of it, no child would have gone away traumatised by what they heard, which is obviously the most crucial factor. Myself and my fellow teachers also appreciated that the assembly featured voices from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland throughout. So, no matter where you were watching from in the UK you could relate to that person. It was great that there was some local ownership within the content.

Our SEND children also watched the online assembly with their peers accompanied by their respective classroom assistants. After the assembly was over each assistant found a quiet place within school to chat with their child about the various subjects that were raised throughout. We know children with learning difficulties often find it easier to open up in a small group over a whole class session, so it’s extremely valuable to provide the opportunity to ask any questions they might have. As with all our pupils Ant and Dec were firm favourites and having Buddy appear throughout to drive home the message of speaking out to stay safe was invaluable.

I would wholeheartedly recommend the SOSS online assembly to other teachers, you won’t be disappointed. Children need to hear this message and when it’s done so well why would you not let your children hear it, it’s so important that they do hear it. The children will not only enjoy hearing the message but will benefit from hearing the message. Our collective hope at Strandtown is that SOSS will lead to safer children – children who know how to reach out for help when they need it. Well done NSPCC for taking an exceedingly difficult subject and bringing it down to a child’s level. It’s vital that the message isn’t lost and for our children it really hit home.

Interested in the NSPCC’s online safeguarding programme? Receive their online assembly and supporting resources to use in your classroom discussions by signing up your primary school today.