Teach Secondary 13.8
focused as it is on safeguarding matters, that can be a major factor on school’s decisions around cybersecurity. If you’re not doing enough to look after your students’ data, you’re not keeping them safe. Information concerning where they live, what clubs they might belong to, who their appropriate contacts are – it’s going to be stored on an IT system. If that system’s insecure, that’s a safeguarding failure. When deciding between and testing different security solutions, what avenues are open to schools that they might not be aware of? When choosing products and systems, schools face the same kind of challenges that corporates do. You’ve got to either believe the sales pitch from the vendor, or spend time setting up, testing and reviewing the solution yourself. There are some publications out there which perform independent reviews – like AV TEST , which performs a monthly test of antivirus products – so you can trust what they’re talking about. There are also some tools that many schools will already have as part of an existing service subscription, but which they might not know about. Office 365 Education, for example, includes a feature that will give your school a security score out of 100, which you can improve by turning certain security settings on or off. What are some of the main cybersecurity oversights or pitfalls that schools can overlook? Make sure any new kit acquired by your school is properly configured and has its default passwords changed, and avoid consumer-grade devices. The latter can be seen in, for instance, the growing uptake among schools of IP-enabled doorbells for security purposes. They’re cost effective and easy to use, but the products won’t have been subject to rigorous security testing to check whether it’s actually a good fit. CCTV systems can present particular risks. If configured to be remotely viewable off-site, they can present an 4 STRATEGIES FOR TECH-ENABLED SAFEGUARDING In a constantly evolving digital world, safeguarding strategies must keep pace to ensure that technology supports, rather than hinders schools’ responsibility for keeping their young people safe. The four key strategies below can help schools use technology to both enhance students’ learning and strengthen their safeguarding practice. 1. Set clear policies and procedures It takes everyone in a school to keep children safe, which is why clear safeguarding policies and procedures matter. Schools should avoid vague or confusing language in shaping safeguarding guidelines. A simple statement of a school’s commitment to protect all children online can underpin everything else – including clear instructions on how teachers should report safeguarding concerns, gather key details and contact parents. This will help to ensure issues are managed confidently and consistently right across the school. 2. Establish robust systems for safeguarding support Technology can be a powerful safeguarding tool in schools, but the systems teachers use must be set up to prevent children who may be at risk from slipping through the cracks. Software that flags unexplained absences in real time will help teachers identify any safeguarding concerns and respond to them quickly – but if a system automatically generates alerts throughout the day when a child is off school ill, it can distract the teacher from spotting genuine issues requiring immediate attention. 3. Engage partners When you have a child who is being bullied online it’s not always easy to know how to help – But teachers aren’t on their own when it comes to keeping children safe. The relationships between schools and parents can be a firm foundation from which to start addressing issues together.With support from both home and school, it’s easier to spot signs of social withdrawal, anxiety or declining academic performance that may indicate a child is struggling. Schools concerned about cyberbullying can also partner with local charities specialising in teaching young people about online safety and mental health. School staff can then keep their focus on the safe use of tech for learning. 4. Regular training Not every teacher has the technical knowledge and skills to keep sensitive data on young people safe. Regular training can help staff use the tools they have access to more effectively, in line with broader safeguarding policies. Teachers need to know how to use their own mobile devices to access and share student data securely, for example. A regular course aimed at keeping their skills up-to-date could help them work more efficiently, without putting sensitive data at risk. The right CPD will give teachers more confidence to explore the exciting digital tools available to enhance their teaching. The Bottom Line Safeguarding and technology are deeply interconnected. By keeping strategies straightforward and focused, you can help to ensure that technology enhances your school’s safeguarding mission. Matt Tiplin is a former school senior leader and Ofsted inspector, and currently VP of ONVU Learning; find out more at onvulearning.com 74 teachwire.net/secondary
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