Governors ICT policy request

[MrWu]

Hi all

 

Our board of governors have decided to look at auditing and policy across the school, including IT which I think is a good way of formalising our department, and tighten up on things that might not have been addressed ..

 

They have listed following questions / suggestions

 

Check all staff have login name, password and email address – how is this recorded and updated? Who has access to it?

 

What software platform is used for school communications? Regularly reviewed, updated? What are its capabilities/limitations? Virus protection, monitoring/search capability, automatic triggers (e.g. specific words, material)? How often are search criteria reviewed and updated?

 

Who controls rights of access, how, reviews, monitoring regime?

 

When are IT Mangers audits carried out? What do they look like? Who do they report findings to?

 

Check all staff have signed the Acceptable Computer/mobile device Usage Agreement.

 

Where are access rights records kept, regularly reviewed? What criteria is used to decide on access levels? Is this reviewed regularly?

 

What plans are in place to manage a ’serious (IT) security incident? Updated?

 

What policy breaches have occurred? Response, learning?

 

What training is given to staff? How regularly? Records?

 

What is the monitoring regime to identify possible safeguarding risks, Prevent risks, inappropriate use etc.

 

How is use of SM by staff monitored?

 

How are school-owned portable devices and their use managed?

 

How do we ensure leaving staff delete all school related material from their personal devices.?

 

School has the right to' intercept, monitor, analyse and read email using school networks'. Do we, how, why, when?

 

Any monitoring of comms between staff and parents/carers? If ‘yes’, how, if ‘no’ why not?

 

How are FOI requests managed? Have we had any?

 

 

 

Lots of good points in there and some I’m not familiar with or haven’t been implemented.. what are your procedures and Audits you carry out at your school?

 

Thanks as always

[mikeprice]

sensible questions - never seen govs ask them before but they should

 

What size school are we talking about?

[MrWu]

sensible questions - never seen govs ask them before but they should

 

What size school are we talking about?

 

Secondary school, 1500 pupils and staff... the governors have a corporate IT background .. must admit a lot of the questions I have gaps or senior management is not aware of...

[DrBeaker]

"What training plans are there in place for the IT team?" - would be a good one to be asked? I'm sure at least 90% of us would respond with "what training?"

 

I would be interested to hear the outcome of this - it should reveal massive gaps in their wish-list versus reality. Especially coming from a corporate background. Maybe they can ask why schools are using 10-year old equipment then complaining about how slow it is? Compared to 3-5 year refreshes on corp kit.

Edited February 25, 2019 by DrBeaker