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We often hear from partner schools the question; ‘Why are some websites I want to use filtered?’ and here’s a simple explanation of how and why some websites appear to be filtered and what you can do if this effects you.
First of all let’s look at the filtering process.
Easynet is the ISP (internet service provider) who manage and deliver internet access to Northern Grid schools.
Sites that are identified as illegal are filtered before the internet connection reaches your school. This is non negotiable and Easynet, Northern Grid and your governing body could not condone such sites reaching your learners or teachers. Although this filtering process is very effective it is always possible that a new or unknown site could inadvertently be allowed through the connection and in these cases it is very important that Northern Grid are alerted immediately so the filtering can be adjusted accordingly.
In the majority of Northern Grid schools there is also a second filtering mechanism located within the school building. This is called a CachePilot and the filtering rules on this device can be adjusted to meet the needs of the school. The CachePilot performs two key functions:
1) Acts as a cache and stores popular websites visited by teachers and learners so that the internet experience of users is much faster. Instead of getting the website information from the internet servers it can display pages previously visited by members of that school’s community from its own cache or memory.
2) Acts as a dynamic local internet filter to provide customised web experiences for individuals and groups.
It is usually the case that the local web filter (the CachePilot) handles those sites that have been broadly identified by the school as ‘appropriate’ and ‘inappropriate’. Examples of the categories include, but not exclusively, social network sites (Facebook etc.) and online shopping (ebay, Amazon etc.)
If we take the category ‘social networking’ as an example then some schools may find that providing access to YouTube for learners a disruption and distraction. Although there are some excellent resources on YouTube – there is also some inappropriate content and comments that many schools would prefer their learners did not have access to.
The CachePilot can be customised to provide access to Youtube for specific groups eg ‘teachers’ and at specific times. For the school that wants their Year10 students to have access to Youtube or a social media service such as a blog then this can be administered via the CachePilot. The specific group of learners can have access while the rest of the school community do not.
The person who manages the CachePilot is usually an onsite technician or network manager however in some LAs this task is performed remotely by a member of the LA team.
It is very important that any changes to the CachePilot rules are logged to ensure, that in the event of an incident occurring, members of the senior team have the correct information available to them. We want to avoid a situation where a Headteacher believes no member of his school can access YouTube when a network manager had provided access for a teacher at their request.
So we can see that for most teachers it is possible to access websites and services they feel will enhance their teaching and the students’ learning simply by making a request within their school.
What are the reasons for filtering?
Safeguarding Learners
A governing body and Headteacher is responsible for the safety of its learners and its adult employees. This legal responsibility means that it is understandable that they will err on the side of caution when it comes to any website that offers direct access for people in the wider world to the children and colleagues in their care.
Enable Effective Teaching and Learning
Where a school has unfiltered access to web services and sites there is a temptation and opportunity for learners to waste time and stray off task. Effective filtering can help to focus learners and ensure that their time in school is productive and meaningful. Having said this, it should be the aim of every school to instil in its students the discipline and will to make use of the resources available to them and reduce filtering to ensure they have a purposeful and enjoyable learning experience.
Protect Infrastructure
Managing a school IT infrastructure is both challenging and demanding. Viruses and malware can rapidly reduce computers and networks to a crippled and inoperative disaster. With the advent of Web 2.0 and more interactive web services and social media the opportunity for these destructive programs to be downloaded and installed has grown significantly. Technology is now essential for schools as they increasingly rely on it for management, assessment, data, teaching and learning. Anything that can result in a loss of access to the technology will have significant consequences and cause major inconvenience. This means that systems need to be in place to ensure access to the wider online world is controlled. However, systems need to be set in the context of supporting teaching and learning and can’t be driven by technical considerations alone.
It is important therefore, that students, teachers, IT support and school managers work in partnership to ensure that their internet access is appropriate and fit for purpose. The Northern Grid team is happy to help provide advice, guidance and support at all levels to help ensure that all our learning communities make the most of the online opportunities available to them – and we look forward to hearing from you soon.
Further information on filtering can be found here:
Technical Information
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