Pupil Premium - Internet Provision

[RichCowell]

Hi All,

 

Just wondering whether any schools have had to provide internet for students at home under the Pupil Premium scheme?

 

If so, what options did you consider and what did you decide on?

 

We've provided a few laptops, and while we've not had to think about internet yet, I'm sure it's a bridge we'll have to cross at some point...

 

Obviously we'll have to ensure that it's filtered appropriately and not leave that up to parents, but I'd be keen to hear from anyone who's already done this at their school...

[FN-GM]

Filtering on dongles is expensive.

 

However, if you provide laptops, business laptops like dell latitude have sim card slots for 3 & 4G. Use one of these with an unfiltered internet only SIM. Use Microsoft Direct Access, the laptop will automatically VPN back to the school system, thus getting filtered! It will also mean they can login with domain accounts and get shared drives etc.

[RichCowell]

Filtering on dongles is expensive.

 

However, if you provide laptops, business laptops like dell latitude have sim card slots for 3 & 4G. Use one of these with an unfiltered internet only SIM. Use Microsoft Direct Access, the laptop will automatically VPN back to the school system, thus getting filtered! It will also mean they can login with domain accounts and get shared drives etc.

 

That's a great idea, thanks! We can VPN directly into the Sophos UTM and do everything through that...

 

Thanks again!

[FN-GM]

Is it an automatic VPN? If it isn't the kids might not dial in and not use the filtering.

[MatthewL]

You can get a gateway device that sits on your network and connects back to the mobile operator, they create you an APN and you can get the SIM to authenticate via your network via radius therefore filtering all data traffic back through your network.

 

Cannot remember the product name but Vodafone for sure do one as I was looking into it. Just to add to the list of facts some of you may or may not be aware of. Not sure on costings though.

[FN-GM]

You can get a gateway device that sits on your network and connects back to the mobile operator, they create you an APN and you can get the SIM to authenticate via your network via radius therefore filtering all data traffic back through your network.

 

Cannot remember the product name but Vodafone for sure do one as I was looking into it. Just to add to the list of facts some of you may or may not be aware of. Not sure on costings though.

 

We looked at that. Orange do it as well. It costs a lot and for the odd few sims cards you won't get vaule for money.

[localzuk]

Andrews & Arnold offer data sims at £10 and £2pcm. Then the data is 2p per MB. You can install a Firebrick device and have the SIMS authenticate back with your own network, where you could put in place a data limit on your own filtering device to cap how much data people can use. It all depends on how you want to do it. Doing it this way works out reasonably expensive if its used quite a large amount - 2GB of data works out at £40.96 exc VAT.

 

http://www.aa.net.uk/telecoms-mobile-data.html

[SchoolsBroadband]

Hi all,

 

There a very good chance that we will be offering this in the near future on all of our SIM cards via a private apn. Your SIM cards will effectively be part of your school lan )set as a private clan if you like). All connecting SIM cards then get filtering as if they were onsite. Including ad integration.

 

No proxy servers, vpn or any other settings will need to be done on the tablets or ipads if connecting via 3g. Bundles will be up to 5gig per SIM for a pretty reasonable price.

 

Pm me if interested in becoming a beta tester.

 

Ta

 

Dave

[Sylv3r]

If your a Smoothwall school, I am 99% sure theres a mobile client on that that will connect to your Smoothwall proxy on site.

 

Not used it though so can't comment on how good it is.

[robk]

The smoothwall global proxy feature would work as well u suspect.

 

You need a externally accessable ip on the smoothwall box then force the proxy via group policy. Will also work with ipads etc. Not tried it yet though.

[mjs_mjs]

Something to think about for routing data back through your school network is maintenance downtime (if you take anything offline overnight).

[elsiegee40]

Hi All,

 

Just wondering whether any schools have had to provide internet for students at home under the Pupil Premium scheme?

 

If so, what options did you consider and what did you decide on?

 

We've provided a few laptops, and while we've not had to think about internet yet, I'm sure it's a bridge we'll have to cross at some point...

 

Obviously we'll have to ensure that it's filtered appropriately and not leave that up to parents, but I'd be keen to hear from anyone who's already done this at their school...

 

As a governor, I have to justify the cost of everything done with Pupil Premium money and its effectiveness. Pounds must mean measurable progress.

 

Could I justify the cost? Especially as it is quite high to benefit only one student. Would the lucky student show measurable progress above what would be expected without this? If we choose this course and it is shown not to be working then we must have to have the ability to spend the money on something else; ideally something which benefits more than one student.

 

Ofsted, and I have had the grilling on this,want evidence on the effect of Pupil Premium spend... and evidence that the school changes course when it is shown not to have had the desired effect. Progress in online gaming doesn't count.

 

That said, IF the school can justify it to the GB both before and after doing it, I would be looking at a MiFi or dongle. With a PAYG SIM.

Edited October 23, 2014 by elsiegee40

[RichCowell]

As a governor, I have to justify the cost of everything done with Pupil Premium money and its effectiveness. Pounds must mean measurable progress.

 

Could I justify the cost? Especially as it is quite high to benefit only one student. Would the lucky student show measurable progress above what would be expected without this? If we choose this course and it is shown not to be working then we must have to have the ability to spend the money on something else; ideally something which benefits more than one student.

 

Ofsted, and I have had the grilling on this,want evidence on the effect of Pupil Premium spend... and evidence that the school changes course when it is shown not to have had the desired effect. Progress in online gaming doesn't count.

 

That said, IF the school can justify it to the GB both before and after doing it, I would be looking at a MiFi or dongle. With a PAYG SIM.

 

Thanks -I'll copy your comments in an email to the person asking about it...

 

Just one comment / thought though... if each pupil premium person is allocated £900ish to make certain provisions for that pupil, while the school can choose to spend it how they like, so long as it's making something advantageous available to the pupil in question, surely that's what matters at the end of the day? If it's the difference between them being able to access web based resources / educational sites at home, or having to make a 20 minute bus ride to the library to do their homework, surely no one would ask any questions about that?

 

Not trying to be argumentative - it just happens to have become an actual need since I raised the issue... I must be psychic! lol...