GPJ_Liverpool

story: Schools 'blackmailed' into swapping IT flexibility for BSF buildings Schools 'blackmailed' into swapping IT flexibility for BSF buildings - Building

story: Schools 'blackmailed' into swapping IT flexibility for BSF buildings Schools 'blackmailed' into swapping IT flexibility for BSF buildings - Building

But you're preaching to the converted. We're all pretty much up to speed on Every Child Matters (or Every Child Really Matters according to Zentek ). NOT AT ALL, I SEE LOTS OF SCHOOL THAT DONT HAVE A CLUE!

V Good, well done!!!! All our user sign an AUP and have to click “confirm” to a disclaimer message regarding AUP and Data protection. We are a FULL Ceop school, myself and 2 members of my team completed the Ceop ambassadors training (I have now given training to ALL staff and ALL students) – even the kids that missed it, I pulled them out of lessons! Have you all read the Byron review?? Some link for you and your staff… 1 Thinkuknow - home 2 BBC ChatGuide 3 WISE KIDS: Promoting Innovative, Positive and Safe Internet Use 4 The Quality Information Checklist 5 Department for Children, Schools and Families : Byron Review Let me know if you want anymore… Regards Greg

No probs, What LA are you from? Regards Greg

Good, I can’t believe how personal everyone is taking this, are we not all fighting the same corner. It is as if I have come in here talking about BSF, although most of you who can be bothered on this forum have good systems in place but you will be surprised at the number of schools in my area and outside that don’t have the budget to implement such technologies. I see it on a regular basis as the school rent my services out on a consultancy/troubleshooter basis. I am not in here and don’t have the time to attack schools who are doing a good job, quite frankly I have too many diary commitments. But I am in this forum to raise awareness of e-safety in the UK whether you like it or not. I thought forums where for balanced views, and should be moderated to that effect. God knows the response I will get if I even tried to address my thoughts on BSF and managed services within this forum, as I seem to be getting the same negative responses from this forum as I have been getting with the media. Regards Greg

No probs mate, have a chat with colin and we can sort something out! I will show you a copy of my letter I wrote to MR Ed Ball (3weeks ago now, I belive Tanya Byron has the letter now) Get Colin to drop me a mail with your e-mail address and i will give you a call after the interviews tomorrow. THANKS:)

StJohn, I can assure you this is the case, I have been involved in a huge number of news reports and all the media seem to be doing around this is scaremongering and trying to blame IT Managers just to sell a few extra copies or create more coverage for their news! I ended up having to take the Liverpool Echo article legal as they published misleading/wrong headings regarding firewalls being cracked. It was technically nothing to do with a firewall it was at filtering level well behind the firewall. Students in quite a lot of schools in Liverpool where using proxy avoidance websites or proxy bypass scripts to access games, chat services! There was the opportunity i suppose for students to view porn, but the Liverpool Echo sensationalised this and created a negative slant on the whole e-safety issue as opposed to raising awareness to parents. I have now received a legal apology from the Liverpool Echo and I believe they will be printing an apology in press all be it probably on page 6422 in size 3 font, I will be making a statement on Radio City 96.7 on Monday as I am being interview tomorrow by them but it is only going out on air on Monday. It is so annoying as all IT Managers are working very hard with City Councils to protect students, but they are just looking to apportion blame and mislead the general public. I hope you all manage to catch the radio interview on Monday, if you are outside of the area I believe you can listen to it online. I would check but my e-safe software doesn’t let me LOL! Regards Greg

The 20k they comment on in the article is regarding a number of software packages we purchased as part of our last upgrade. By the look of this forum it might be the case that Zentek is not the company for a few schools but it works for us and helped us receive an “Outstanding” from Ofsted for IT Support and IT systems. I have always had a very good level of service from them and most importantly outstanding solutions, (Secure SSL VPN, E-safe – HP C700 chassis with ILO (16Servers – 2xquad core in each, 10gb Ram and so on –) MSA 2000 – 4EB of data, secure dirty wireless clouds (any device, with or without AV, Separate VLan with low level network detection and port blocking and reporting) It gives me what I need to deliver good service to my users (over 2100) I have logon speed of under 15sec at any desktop in any building. We have over 1400 desktops and laptops so our cost might seem quite expensive compared to some smaller schools. Case studies / Reference sites 1) Ramesy’s LP 2) Ranger Network (for the last 8 years) 3) HP National reference site and test site for new devices (wait till you see what’s coming out late next year, just returned from their head office in Grenoble in France) 4) Cisco showcase site (Multiple 4507R with 2xsupcards in both) – 99.9% Network up time, tested by Cisco 5) Liverpool City Council – Best practise for LP 6) E-safe Education 7) Zentek Computers Just off the top of my head, a few more I think! If anyone would like a look around or test some bits, you are more than welcome. We have over 100 new test devices for BSF, we where on Newsround tonight regarding all our test devices. Phones / PDA’s / Laptops / Text style keyboards / biometric logons / biometric catering systems / text message service to ALL parents) LOTS /LOTS MORE, Worth a look trust me!!! J

Thank you for your response as I have said in all of my articles we do not have a problem with porn or many other issues surrounding e-safety, however, with the likes of Free Tech Support from Ask Dave Taylor! you must admit I.T managers and personnel do struggle with proxy avoidance websites and lots of other nightmare problems which are on Dave’s site. We didn’t have an issue with porn and you are right it is down to classroom management you sound as if you know which way is up but believe me you would be surprised at the amount of schools out there that don’t. Internet filtering as I am sure you are aware is about 5% of the problem, for example e-safety covers cyber bullying, proxy avoidance, text messaging, wireless clouds and students typing text that they don’t necessarily save to a document therefore not picked up by most security software i.e. Ranger. Not being sucked in by Zentek as you put it merely spending tax payers money wisely.

Esafe problems with in the uk, Monday 24th Nov 2008 Is Right Rossie Lad! Regards Greg Jones @ Gateacre

HI All, This makes interesting reading, personally I do believe the education sector has a problem with e-safety, and it does need to be addressed as soon as possible. I.T managers within the city and beyond are working extremely hard to protect student and staff within schools but there are some schools out there who are totally blind to the e-safety concerns within the digital world we live in. I can personally say I have been to a vast number of schools both in and out of the city, some schools are doing fantastic jobs however some schools are not addressing concerns (possible negligence) as you probably well know I have a professional working relationship with Zentek Solutions and find the e-safe education software package fit for purpose and also robust, I can assure you I am somewhat uninterested whether schools employ the e-safe package or other limited packages that are out there. I have no personal or financial ties whatsoever with Zentek Solutions but I will keep pushing for press regarding e-safety concerns both within Liverpool and beyond. I can also assure you that my involvement in the Liverpool Echo article was merely to say how good the city and the I.T managers are with regards to trying to make e-safety as easy as 1-2-3. The Liverpool Echo have totally misconstrued the article as they are merely wanting a high profile story which in my eyes is only clouding the water and not helping the e-safety campaign, I am behind the scenes liaising with legal teams and the Liverpool Echo have now admitted there negligence with regards to the article including the sub headings that were printed, they will be issuing an apology albeit probably on page 967 in size 8 font BUT this is the best I could achieve as I was out of the country at the time. Tomorrow I have been invited to Radio City to talk about the e-safety campaign and to raise awareness as you are more than aware it takes not only I.T managers but steps from the government, local authority, schools and parents/carers, this piece will air on Monday 24th November and I will be referencing to the Liverpool Echo and the poor piece they published as I would like to have thought our local newspaper would back all the hard work that we as I.T managers are doing and will continue to do regarding e-safety online. It is alarming to see that some schools within the city are still not CEOP ambassadors/gold members (meaning all staff and students have been CEOP trained). It was good to see yesterday the CEOP and Merseyside Hi-Tech Crime Units event attracted a huge number of I.T managers/schools yesterday, but this still shows that schools are not fully CEOP aware/trained. It baffles me to think why as a city we are having a negative slant on this at the end of the day it is all about protecting the students/children and raising the awareness of e-safety issues around the UK, I can only think it is because some members of educational institutions still need to be congratulated on their hard work. As the Byron review points out e-safety is here to stay and will be as easy as crossing a road for students, example; we will put measures in place pelican crossing, lollipop staff and teach the green cross code, with regards to e-safe let us put software in place (ANY) and educate students, staff and parents/carers. On a personal note can I thank Alan for his e-safety group and all the hard work they are carrying out within the city, with representatives such as Paul Bradshaw. This mail is not intended to directly insult anybody as I can assure you if it was I would have named over 40 schools within this area which I know personally are not e-safe compliant at the moment. Best Regards Greg Jones @ Gateacre School