Dfe Restricted Laptops - Filtering ending - What to do now?

[maxrebo]

We received a number of the Dfe Restricted laptops over the Lockdowns, the filtering support for these is due to expire at the end of September, we currently don`t have anything in place for filtering of devices loaned out to pupils, what`s everyone doing for this to maintain Safeguarding?

 

Regards

[mavhc]

How many devices do you currently have loaned out? Are you planning on them returning? What filtering do you use internally?

[maxrebo]

Over 200 out currently, we use Sophos XG internally - I know you can filter using an MDM - Currently using Lightspeed.

[Garacesh]

We (and I suspect many others, given the lead times on laptop trolleys...) are having them returned to us, reimaged, and put to work as school resources.

[hardtailstar]

We (and I suspect many others, given the lead times on laptop trolleys...) are having them returned to us, reimaged, and put to work as school resources.

 

same for us.

[ITGuyNW]

This is what we are pondering too.

 

When they are used in School, they have to log in via Smoothwall for access. They are quite completely off the network. However there's nothing in place for when they take them home.

 

SLT plan is to give them out again from September onwards rather than keep them in School.

[DavR]

Given that the period of COVID closures are now over (touch wood!) I would say that the time of IT being responsible for loaning devices to students to use at home is also now over.

 

Either the device is staying with the student long term, in which case ownership and web filtering liability now rests with the family, OR, the device remains the property of the school and should be returned.

[maxrebo]

This is what we are pondering too.

 

When they are used in School, they have to log in via Smoothwall for access. They are quite completely off the network. However there's nothing in place for when they take them home.

 

SLT plan is to give them out again from September onwards rather than keep them in School.

 

The only option I can think of is to add these to our MDM which (I think) can filter web addresses, but not Categories. This though would be a huge task to maintain a list of websites to filter.

I agree with @DaveAshworth - Lockdowns are now over and need to decide if these devices are to be given to students to keep or return.

[Garacesh]

SLT plan is to give them out again from September onwards rather than keep them in School.

You're going to need a cloud monitoring platform, at minimum. Something like Senso Cloud, or Netsupport DNA.

 

We use Senso here, and I gave a trial of Netsupport a good thrashing, and was suitably impressed. Both of them do keyword monitoring and Web logging. Netsupport can also block websites (though I'd hesitate to say you should use it as a filtering solution) and applications, not sure if Senso can do that though.

Edited June 17, 2021 by Garacesh

[gmonks]

Given that the period of COVID closures are now over (touch wood!) I would say that the time of IT being responsible for loaning devices to students to use at home is also now over.

 

Either the device is staying with the student long term, in which case ownership and web filtering liability now rests with the family, OR, the device remains the property of the school and should be returned.

 

I was of the understanding that if it is a school owned device (which these DfE ones now are) then we had to provide filtering whether that device is on site or off site and it is a legal obligation to do so.

[Boredguy]

I was of the understanding that if it is a school owned device (which these DfE ones now are) then we had to provide filtering whether that device is on site or off site and it is a legal obligation to do so.

There was nothing requiring us to filter the laptops offsite, however it is good practice where possible for peace of mind of your equipment over anything else.

If the DfE laptops not had the Cisco umbrella filtering configured, then it's likely we would have continued to ensure the onus on the device not accessing unsuitable content was still with the parents as it had been in the past since we are not responsible for providing an internet connection.

[Garacesh]

There was nothing requiring us to filter the laptops offsite, however it is good practice where possible for peace of mind of your equipment over anything else.

If the DfE laptops not had the Cisco umbrella filtering configured, then it's likely we would have continued to ensure the onus on the device not accessing unsuitable content was still with the parents as it had been in the past since we are not responsible for providing an internet connection.

Yep. Exactly this.

I'd argue it's entirely reasonable for a school to say "We don't control your Internet, so it's up to you to ensure this device isn't being abused."

 

That'll never actually work, mind you, but at least it drives home the point of 'this isn't our network, the onus is on you.'

 

We put Senso on our chromebooks, so that works off-site, but Windows devices (for now, at least) are just set up the way the DfE gave them to us. We'll, ignoring the 50-or-so we've reimaged.

[maxrebo]

I guess the first thing to determine is if we are Legally obliged to do this, if no then the school can then decide themselves what they would like to do, if we are legally obliged then I think the Dfe should at the very least offer a solution to this e.g suggesting suitable software..

[TLARWise]

On a related note, what will happen when the DFE filtering expires and the laptops haven't been returned. Does the laptop lose internet connection completely or does it change to being completely unfiltered?

[maxrebo]

On a related note, what will happen when the DFE filtering expires and the laptops haven't been returned. Does the laptop lose internet connection completely or does it change to being completely unfiltered?

 

Unfiltered I think

[TriggerHappyUK]

We're going to recall all of the laptops. Image them with our school Windows image and install our monitor Smoothwall client. Then use Direct Access for the ones going back out to the students.

 

That way, it uses our onsite Smoothwall filtering and our Smoothwall Monitor safeguarding software.

Edited June 17, 2021 by TriggerHappyUK

[Jaan]

We (and I suspect many others, given the lead times on laptop trolleys...) are having them returned to us, reimaged, and put to work as school resources.

 

Were doing this...... however we currently have a Sophos XG device and we're using the mobile device web filtering product to filter the chromebooks

[Rob_D]

This is looking like one of those "feature creep" things for us. The assumption being that we will now be giving out laptops to any student who doesn't have device access at home going forward.

We're using Sophos for web filtering and hoping to azure join them.

I can't find it now, but I remember a big debate last year when everyone started sending devices home that concluded that if it's a school owned device then we should be monitoring/content filtering it regardless of where it is.

[TechMonkey]

This is what we are pondering too.

 

When they are used in School, they have to log in via Smoothwall for access. They are quite completely off the network. However there's nothing in place for when they take them home.

 

SLT plan is to give them out again from September onwards rather than keep them in School.

 

Smoothwall have their Cloud Filter that syncs and interacts with your on site Smoothwall box, but the client is in the cloud. I'd speak to your account manager.

[ITGuyNW]

Smoothwall have their Cloud Filter that syncs and interacts with your on site Smoothwall box, but the client is in the cloud. I'd speak to your account manager.

Yeah we are contacting them to find out whats what.

[maxrebo]

Just wondering - Can MS Intune achieve what we would need?