Newsletter. Spring OneDrive. Ransomware. EIS Achieves SIMS Accreditation. BETT 2017 Review

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1 Newsletter Spring 2017 OneDrive Ransomware EIS Achieves SIMS Accreditation BETT 2017 Review

2 Photo fade OneDrive Did you know that OneDrive now provides FIVE TERABYTES of space for every user! OneDrive is the new revolutionary personal storage option for KLZ users. This is a game changer and when schools embrace this technology, they will be able to realise huge potential savings by looking at what onsite storage requirements are still really required. The radical school may decide that they don t need any file storage onsite at all, nothing to manage, nothing to backup and access for everyone from wherever they are on the internet, not just in school! Every KLZ user can access their own OneDrive storage from any internet connected device. OneDrive is accessible from tablets, smartphones and other portable devices, via the available apps across all platforms. EIS are considering ways of making OneDrive appear as a mapped network drive for users, following feedback from schools. My Portal My Portal can be branded for all your school users. In the last newsletter, we told you about the newly improved and relaunched My Portal. The new My Portal is the single sign-on gateway to all our existing and new exciting features, accessible with your single KLZ account. Lots of KLZ users are now enjoying the ability to get single sign-on access to Microsoft Office 365 features. It s now even easier for schools to provide targeted sets of tiles to different groups of users at the school. Individual users can also easily add their own tiles to link to their favourite online resources.

3 What is Single Sign-On? Single sign-on is the ability to use one account and password to access multiple systems or applications. KLZ users have always been able to use their account name (eg: jamess05) to logon and access all the KLZ features for example; , SharePoint and Skype for Business without having to sign in again and again as you switch between applications. KLZ has been broadening its scope to include access to features and applications that aren t just supplied by EIS. To get access to these applications though, users need to start logging on slightly differently. To be able to access other applications, those applications need to know where users are coming from, or where they belong. This is done by adding the KLZ domain name to your account name when signing in. If you log on using... If you logon using username@klz.org.uk this will identify you as coming from the KLZ system and external applications will know how to deal with your request to use their system. All of this is done behind the scenes for you when you click on a tile in My Portal to gain access. Mathletics Does your school use the popular online Mathletics application? Did you know that you can now use your students and teachers KLZ accounts to access Mathletics? This is possible because of the recent changes that we have made to the way that security works behind the scenes of KLZ. If you would like to make use of this new feature, then please log a call with the EIS Service Desk so that we can setup the connection for you. This is only the start of being able to access more and more online applications with your KLZ account.

4 Ransomware Follow this link for the news story: uk/news/department-ofeducation-ransomware-alertjan17 Ransomware - What is it? Ransomware is a form of malware that is designed to hijack your system and lock you out of specific file types or lock your system screen, preventing your access until a ransom is paid. Paying the ransom does not guarantee that you will be sent the unlock code of course! How do you get infected? Ransomware packages can be downloaded when unwittingly visiting malicious or compromised websites. Ransomware packages can also be delivered as attachments from spammed . Fraudsters have recently targeted schools by cold calling them first. They claim to be from the Department of Education and ask for the Headteacher or Bursar s address to send them guidance forms or something similar. When the arrives, it contains a file attachment with the ransomware. Up to 8,000 has been demanded to recover access to the files. Similar scams have also been attempted where fraudsters claim to be from the Department of Work and Pensions or from Telecoms providers. How can EIS help protect against Ransomware? There are several steps that you can take to help protect yourself against the Ransomware threat; 1. Backup all your critical files onto a system completely disconnected from your main PC You can use the EIS Remote Backup service to keep your files safe offsite. Files stored in KLZ s OneDrive will also be protected from Ransomware attacks 2. Keep your Anti-Virus software up to date. EIS negotiated a County wide price for McAfee Anti-Virus products to protect schools. This is the best value anti-virus solution for your school 3. Keep your Operating System up to date with security patches and updates 4. If you aren t sure about the origins of an , or if anything seems suspicious, do not open any attachments or follow any links in the Of course, as with all security threats of this nature, no software can guarantee your safety 100% as the fraudsters and the security community battle it out with each other.

5 BETT 2017 Review BETT this year had all the big names with the bigger stands; the likes of Microsoft, Google, Intel, RM and Capita. The world s leading education technology exhibition was held in January at the ExCel London. Those who have attended previously will tell you that anyone working in the ICT for Education sector has a presence at BETT. There were several areas dedicated to foreign countries, as well as a whole zone specifically for coding and another for STEM education, which follows current trends in ICT for Education. During the four days, there are many sessions of interest and those mentioned here are just a flavour of what was on offer. This demonstrates the importance that BETT has in the education technology world, and is far more than just a learning technology trade show. With the return of huge speakers like Sir Ken Robinson, it s never been too early to register for your spot at the 2018 show. Attending BETT is useful to see the latest innovations in interactive technology, audience response systems and plagiarism detection software. Hidden away amongst the whiteboards and mobile device storage solutions is the Higher Education Leaders summit a forum for colleagues to share thoughts and practice of using technology in their teaching.

6 An empty classroom is the ideal opportunity for EIS to perform maintenance, installations and repairs in your school Server & PC Deep Cleans Projector Servicing Touch Panel, Whiteboard & Projector Installations Printer Servicing Classroom Moves - All IT and AV Kit Free Site Surveys and Consultancies

7 Kent-Teach have a number of exciting activities launching over the next few months Isn t it time the kids were in charge? Watch out for our new, I m In Charge campaign, which is designed to inspire 11 to 14 year olds, before their minds are made up, to experience the power of teaching for themselves. We re inviting them to imagine what they d do if they were in charge of the classroom More to follow so make sure you look out for further information to ensure your school is involved! We are excited to be running another international recruitment project later this year with an Australian teaching agency who we are collaborating with to source high calibre teachers keen to bring their teaching talent and experience to Kent schools and academies. We have already successfully recruited 11 teachers to Kent in both the primary and secondary phase; our first candidates started in November 2016 and January 2017 and we hope to have many more starting in Kent schools over 2017/18. If you are in need of recruitment support and are interested in this initiative, please get in touch with Katerina.Nicholaou@kent.gov.uk. From October to March, we are busy visiting University Teaching Fairs across the country where we continue to meet enthusiastic trainee teachers who are passionate and keen to start their teaching career. We offer them advice and highlight the strong range of Kent school opportunities. Each year we have over 800 Newly Qualified Teachers begin their first year teaching in Kent, including many who have chosen to relocate. January to May is our busiest recruitment period and we therefore recommend you start advertising during this peak time. As well as experienced teachers, there are a large number of trainee teachers who are already applying for September 2017 NQT roles. So, don t miss out on these enthusiastic and passionate candidates and start promoting your school opportunities on Kent-Teach. Finally, we are excited to launch our new live chat function coming to Kent- Teach soon which will offer immediate help to job seekers using Kent-Teach. This additional service will provide Members support and advice with job applications to further strengthen our service and ensure an even smoother user experience.

8 School IT Support & Solutions EIS Achieves SIMS Accreditation from Capita Following a rigorous process of evaluation, an independent survey of our school s experiences and onsite inspections, we are pleased to announce EIS has successfully achieved SIMS Accreditation for the next two years. EIS is proud to be delivering a SIMS accredited service and to continue supporting schools at the highest level. Our customers agree, scoring us highly in areas such as value for money and quality of service; you really do get the best of both worlds with EIS accredited support. With nearly half our customers responding to the survey and over 100 comments about the service we would like to thank you for your feedback, for helping us improve, grow and shape EIS in the future. A special thank you and congratulations also goes to Ellen Knight from St Augustine s Catholic Primary School in Hythe who has won a tablet PC for her school after taking part in the customer survey. If you are interested in finding out more about our accredited SIMS support or any of EIS services get in touch on or info@eisit.uk. Are You Using SIMS to Identify Vulnerable Children? Did you know that the SIMS Behaviour & Achievements module could be used to support the identification of potentially vulnerable children? Even if you are not currently using the SIMS Behaviour & Achievements module to record pupil conduct, the functionality lends itself to effectively capturing incidents that could support your school in identifying a vulnerable child. In addition, this approach can also be used to support a variety of agendas such as PREVENT, Sexual Exploitation and Drugs & Gangs.

9 School IT Support & Solutions Using the SIMS Home Page widgets, as well as SIMS Discover, school leaders can quickly understand where there are concerns for particular students. Setting up Behaviour Types to record unusual behaviour for that pupil means you can understand the frequency of such events and, where appropriate, take measures to provide effective support. Examples might be where a pupil is: Unusually tired Unusually emotional Unusually withdrawn Unusually hungry Unusually unkempt Unexplained injuries SIMS User Forums Have you Booked Your Place? The Report Card area of the Behaviour & Achievements module can also be used very effectively, to highlight to staff that a particular pupil requires closer monitoring. The creation of a report card will highlight a pupil in red on the register. The Spring 2017 SIMS User Forums are taking place throughout March at a variety of venues around Kent. These free events provide EIS Customers with the opportunity to meet with members of the SIMS Team, find out useful news, gain some hints & tips and network with other school colleagues. Topics include: Troubleshooting and solving common problems Exploration of SIMS Activities and the new SIMS Interventions module Support and evidencing key focus areas in the Ofsted Framework To find out more visit and search for SIMS User Forums. Places can be booked on by searching for keyword S316 (Primary) and S317 (Secondary). Support Information from EIS We do our best to respond to customer feedback and we are aware that, although you value receiving support messages from us, sometimes less is more! From 1st March we will be changing the way we communicate with our customers and will be moving to a weekly summarising the Information Notices, News articles and Tools & Resources we have made available on our Support Portal. We will also let you know about training events and other useful information. If you would like to find out how you can put this in place, contact the SIMS Team on and we ll be happy to explore this with you further. We will only send a support at other times when we have something urgent that we need to let you know about for example, some vital information related to the School Census, or notification of potential security issues such as viruses. This should allow our customers to be able to deal with EIS communications in appropriate timescales and recognise when something may require immediate attention.

10 Statistics November January 2017 Statistics November 2016 January 2017 Between 1st November 2016 and 31st January 2017 the Service Desk took 9508 phone calls. They created 8550 logs and 2826 (33%) of these were closed at first point of contact. The School Workforce Census was in November and although the number of calls logged for SWC was similar to last year (338 in 2015, 329 in 2016), the number closed at first point of contact increased from 84 (25%) to 179 (54%). January Census also saw a massive increase in calls closed by the First Line team, at first point of contact. In 2016 they closed 37% of Census related calls (141 from 386 Census calls logged) but in 2017 they increased this to a huge 75% (405 from 543 Census calls logged). The team have been working hard to increase their knowledge in all our services and we hope this is evident to you. The stats above definitely show their hard work is paying off!

11 Web Filtering Control for Your School The Lightspeed Lunar Module provides a simple, easy to use web portal for managing access to websites. The Lightspeed Lunar Module provides a simple, easy to use web portal for managing access to websites by your school users. With the Lightspeed Lunar Module you can quickly allow or block access to a website or a single web page. Easy to use lists enable your school to allow a website for all users, allow access for staff only or block a website for all users. Contact the Service Desk to request access. Fixed & Reduced Price Options Helping you to confidently plan for the future. EIS have introduced new fixed and reduced price multi-year options available for all customers; helping you to confidently plan for the future, knowing your IT support is covered at the best possible price for a minimum of 2 years. Monitor Your School s Internet Activity Ensure appropriate filters and appropriate monitoring systems are in place. The Department for Education revised its guidance for Keeping Children safe in Education in May 2016 that schools are obligated to ensure appropriate filters and appropriate monitoring systems are in place. EIS have self-certified on the UK Safer Internet Centre s website that our Lightspeed web filter provides appropriate filtering for our schools. To assist your school in providing appropriate monitoring you can request daily reports of your school s internet activity. Open the reports in Excel and filter the report to quickly and easily search web access by user, website or web category. Please contact the Service Desk to request daily reports for your school.

12 Tel: Fax: The Shepway Centre Oxford Road, Maidstone Kent ME15 8AW