education & business 15


Lessons to be learned when it comes to using IT in schools


Technology is now at the heart of everyday learning in our schools, and the way in which children are now using IT in their everyday lives has opened up a number of concerns around privacy and access to data held on a school’s IT network. These concerns are often not that dissimilar from those experienced by businesses – just on a different scale and often with alternative priorities. Tim Walker of Taylor Made Computer Solutions looks at these issues and how they can be resolved


From the moment pupils are registered in the morning to the time they finish their homework at the end of the day, information technology is a vital part of their learning.


Just as in business, no two schools are the same – and getting the right approach is vital to making sure that the IT setup is safe, secure and meets the unique needs and requirements of pupils and staff.


Following a few simple pointers can help ensure that your system is safe, supported and cost-effective.


Stop to think


As technology has found its place at the heart of the school day, many schools have added equipment and software on a piecemeal basis over the years without a clear strategy in place focused on business objectives and to minimise support or long-term costs.


Many schools will want to keep a tight rein on how their systems and connections can be used


A strategic review of a school’s IT systems can help understand how it is aligned with the current and future needs of a school and ensure that any new system is seamlessly integrated to eliminate incompatibilities and security gaps.


Left to your own devices?


How a school wants to manage the devices used by pupils and staff is a key consideration.


Many businesses operate a ’Bring Your Own Device’ (BYOD) policy and which schools are now implementing to enable users to connect their own smartphones,


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Like any organisation or business, schools are vulnerable to events that can compromise data


tablets and laptops to the school wi-fi network.


This has obvious cost advantages in that schools will not need to spend as much on equipment. Key considerations however revolve around network security and ensuring that the basic infrastructure and wi-fi network are capable of supporting the additional workload. Providing the sixth form pupils with new iPads to access the IT network/Internet without the school wi-fi system being capable of handling the increased traffic will only cause frustration and complaints from end users, parents and governors.


Like any business it is vital to define what the outcome of any IT change should be and then put policies in place to ensure best practice is achieved and the system is not open to abuse.


This is particularly important in a school to restrict children from having access to unauthorised content.


How much freedom?


Many schools will want to keep a tight rein on how their systems and connections can be used. Content filters for the Internet and keeping pupils restricted only to applications that are approved by the school are the most sensible approaches for many.


Taylor Made manages IT for a number of schools where pupils have access to services such as Facebook, Netflix and YouTube. The challenge is to provide access to the network but in a way that keeps confidential systems and data safe from user error or malicious attack. As all


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business will appreciate, there is always a balance to be struck but this should be defined by school policy as part of a strategic approach to IT planning.


Have a backup plan


Whatever your approach, you’ll want to be sure to safeguard data for compliance and retention requirements and be able to recover data in a timely manner. Like any organisation or business, schools are vulnerable to events that can compromise data – whether that’s through fire or flood, user error or a malicious attack.


In one recent example, data in a school system managed by Taylor Made was under threat when a pupil accidentally opened an attachment containing the Cryptolocker virus, which encrypts every file on the system and then demands a ransom in the Internet currency bitcoins to unlock them.


Fortunately, Taylor Made was able to work quickly to safeguard the IT network and restore a complete backup of the system.


Details: www.tmcs.co.uk


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