CLOSED: Win a set of Gadgets, for your classroom, worth up to £180!
Learning Resources is the number one manufacturer of educational toys in the UK toy market. Founded in 1994, Learning Resources UK provide high-quality educational toys and games to schools and homes. The range supports both academic learning and learning through discovery, play, and exploration. Their mission, to help kids love to learn. We’ve teamed up with Learning Resources® to give away a fantastic bundle of education toys especially for you and your classroom! You could win three must-have products from their 2019 product range; Artie 3000â„¢ – the coding and drawing robot, Botley® The Coding Robot and Activity Set and a 5-in-1 Outdoor Measure-Mate. Enter now for your chance to win these innovative educational toys designed especially to support learning and provide hours of endless fun! For more information about Learning Resources please click here Just a reminder of the amazing prize… You could WIN: Botley® The Coding Robot Activity Set Artie 3000 5-in-1 Outdoor Measure-Mate Please enter the competition below and good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway *The administrator of this competition is the QA Education Magazine (“administrator”). By participating in the competition, each Entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of Administrator, which shall be final and binding in all respects. The administrator is responsible for the collection, submission or processing of Entries and the overall administration of the competition. Entrants should look solely to Administrator with any questions, comments or problems related to the Competition. The administrator may be reached by email at socialmedia@euromediaal.com during the Promotion Period. * This giveaway will close at 12.00am, 3rd June 2019. * The prize is A set of Gadgets, for your classroom, worth up to £180 from Learning resources. The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable. There is no cash alternative. * Open to UK residents aged 18 or over, excluding employees of the Administrator, the sponsor, their families and anyone else professionally connected with this promotion. * There is one compulsory entry which requests that to enter the competition you answer a question based on the throw. Additional entries are available. * The prize winner will be asked to provide their email address so that contact can be made to arrange prize delivery, and their name and county be published in the next issue of the magazine * By entering the competition, you grant the Administrator permission to add your details to the mailing list, share your email address and any other personally identifiable information with the other competition Entities for the purpose of administration and prize fulfillment, including use in a publicly available Winners list. * Entries will only be accepted as instructed and any entrant that does not complete the qualifying requirements will be disqualified * The winners will be chosen using the random entry selector built into the widget. * The winners will be informed by email within 5 days of the closing date, and must respond within 5 days to claim their prize. If there is no response within the 5 days and new winner will be drawn at random. *This prize draw is governed by English law and the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising in connection with it. For further T&C and our privacy policy please see here Euromedia Associates Ltd: Privacy Policy https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/66331438/legal
Financial literacy learning is as important as maths, English and science
Julian Wright, Head of Education Expansion at RedSTART, writes about the need for financial literacy teaching if we are to become a money-savvy society… Rarely a week goes by when a story appears in the news detailing one of the many ways we as a nation are in some way personally in debt. Whether this is the spiralling costs of housing, the amount of debt students are leaving university with, or the amount sitting unpaid on our maxed out credit cards. The general message seems to be that as citizens of the UK, we do not understand how money works and our financial literacy is poor at best, and non-existent at worst. However, despite these constant warnings about the damage to the UK economy, and individual lives, this ‘financial ignorance’ causes, there still seems no appetite to rectify this. Despite calls from various charities, financial education remains all-but absent from the national curriculum. One of those charities is RedSTART, an organisation committed to providing key financial education to young pupils in schools. Their focus is on primary schools, as it is generally recognised that children develop their saving and spending habits early on – by the age of seven. Although financial education is not on the primary school curriculum, this doesn’t prevent teachers from integrating it into existing lessons. The bitesize ‘Money Matters’ lesson plans provided by RedSTART integrate a lot of the PSHE curriculum into its topics, allowing teachers to deliver key financial understanding as part of the school day. However this also doesn’t need to be limited to these sessions. By understanding the key elements that underpin financial literacy, teachers can contextualise and adapt existing curriculum items to deliver the same message. For example, it is a statutory requirement within the year 5 programme of study within the maths curriculum that pupils ‘recognise the percent symbol (%) and understand that percent relates to ‘number of parts per hundred’. When teaching this and other elements of percentages, there is no reason this cannot be contextualised to show how interest rates work. If you had a savings account that paid 5% interest per year (we wish!), and you had £500 in that account, how much interest would you earn in a year? Alternatively: If you had a credit card that charged 5% interest per month and you had a debt of £1000 on your card, how much interest would you pay in a month? And having introduced the concept of ‘interest’ as a percentage, it is only one very important step to teaching ‘compound interest’ – “He who understands it earns it, he who doesn’t pays it” (Albert Einstein). Opportunities to contextualise financial literacy are available throughout the curriculum, once the key concepts such as risk, reward, borrowing, lending, budgeting, goal setting and of course, compound interest have been taught. If pupils aren’t learning financial literacy in the home then the classroom is the most appropriate place to break that cycle. RedSTART Educate’s financial literacy resources can be found at redstarteducate.org and Julian can be found on linkedin.com Photo: Learning about financial literacy with RedSTART at The Oak Bank.
Longmoor Primary School wins Shine a Light communication award
Longmoor Primary School in Liverpool, which is dedicated to developing their pupil’s communication skills, has won the coveted Primary School of the Year Award at the 2019 Shine a Light Awards organised by Pearson, in partnership with The Communication Trust. The awards were presented by British comic actress and writer, Sally Phillips with special performance from Britain’s Got Talent winner Lee Ridley (Lost Voice Guy). Longmoor Primary School started an initiative in 2011 to address the very low communication and language skills of their youngest pupils and due to the team’s hard work and dedication, Longmoor Primary has now become a ‘trailblazer’ in their local authority! The school has developed a bespoke diagnostic assessment for pupils on entry to early years so they can specifically tailor interventions to individual needs. This has formed the basis of provision that has been so successful, it has been expanded throughout the whole school to improve the language skills of every child. The Shine a Light judges were blown away with the level of importance the school places on communication. It is at the forefront of everyone’s mind and the school has a dedicated oracy team and a communication specific teacher performance management target. In addition, Longmoor Primary has joined the nationally recognised Voice21 project and a dedicated section about speech, language and communication within their annual school improvement plan. The high priority of oracy is also reflected in the school’s curriculum planning documents and despite school budgets being squeezed, a portion of Longmoor’s budget is directed to the development of oracy for staff training and purchasing specialist equipment. They have also employed a specialist drama teacher and invested in a new communication and language tool, Stoke Speaks Out. It wasn’t just the senior leadership team and staff room activity that grabbed the judges’ attention, it was also the support they provide their children. Following assessment for speech, language and communication needs (SLCN), a provision map and pupil profile is created for each child requiring additional support, working with their experienced Communication and Language Assistants to ensure progress. On a wider, whole-school level, the school is constantly looking at ways to promote and support communication in a fun and interactive way. They have introduced themed weeks with an oracy element and encourage participation in whole-school/public performances with their spelling bees, Poem a Day, choir, orchestra and productions at Christmas and over the summer. Longmoor Primary has even created specific roles and clubs that prioritise communication including school councillors, playground buddies, play leaders, debate team, public speaking club and press gang. As if all that wasn’t enough, the staff take the time to extend their support to parents, working closely with them to promote speech and language skills via parental training, oral motor and health sessions and stay and play sessions. They have also created a weekly Lego Club for parents of children with special educational needs (SEN), particularly those who have SLCN. Longmoor recently worked with the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service team in Liverpool to develop a programme for new-entrant pupils, who have English as their additional language, and their families to support integration into school, assessment of their language needs and appropriate provision. The school performance results are testament to the school’s amazing work in promoting communication. Just 10% of their pupils are at the ‘expected’ level for communication and language (C&L) upon admission to the nursery. By the time the children leave, they are articulate, fluent and confident speakers. Summer 2018 results showed 94.9% of children were at expected level in C&L come the end of Reception. By the end of Key Stage 2, 93% of children were at expected level in reading, 88% in writing and 91% in EPGS (English, grammar, punctuation and spelling). For more information on the Shine a Light Awards visit shinealightawards.co.uk and follow on Twitter: #awards_SAL
DBS check mythbuster – avoid costly delays when applying
As most people working within education will know, all staff in schools and nurseries are subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check. Schools can encounter staffing problems if DBS checks aren’t done quickly and efficiently. Here, QA Education editor Victoria Galligan busts some of the myths regarding DBS checks and explores what a DBS check actually is, who needs one and how to avoid costly delays when applying… There is only one level of DBS check for school staff Yes – for general employees in England and Wales there are three levels of DBS check – Basic, Standard and Enhanced. However, an Enhanced with DBS Barred List check is required for all staff who teach, supervise, instruct, train or care for children in schools and colleges. This is considered “regulated activity” with children. Even school employees who won’t engage in this regulated activity require a DBS check as there is the opportunity for regular contact with children. Staff such as cleaners don’t need a DBS check Any member of staff who is like to come into contact with children needs an Enhanced DBS check – even if not taking part in regulated activity. This includes cleaners, caretakers, and often contractors working within schools or even in the school grounds. DBS checking service CRBS states on its website: “The reason for this is due to ‘where’ they are working rather than the ‘job role’ in which they are doing. Schools, nurseries and other similar educational institutions fall into a category known as ‘limited range of establishments’. Legislation provides the scope to allow such establishments to request checks on any candidates working on those sites (as long as they meet the other criteria) to make sure the highest measures of safeguarding are put into place for children.” Volunteers don’t need a DBS check It depends – people working in schools at least four times in a 30-day period are eligible for a DBS check. As are people who will be left unsupervised with children. So weekly reading helpers, for example, would need one. If you’re taking children on a trip and have asked for volunteers to help out for a day, then they won’t need one as long as a staff member is with them at all times (including in a vehicle). The exception to this are trips with overnight stays as they are also regulated activity – even one overnight trip requires the volunteer to have a DBS check. If a parent is a regular school volunteer, then they will be eligible for a DBS check. A barred person cannot work in school The DBS decides whether or not a person should be on one or both of the two barred lists – one for working with children and one for working with vulnerable adults. When on the list, individuals are therefore prohibited from seeking or taking up regulated activity with children (or vulnerable adults). A barred person cannot work for a school at all, or a number of other “specified places”. The government document Regulated Activity in Relation to Children: Scope clarifies that people who “provide occasional or temporary services (not teaching, training or supervision of children)” can work with children as long as they are supervised. The document explains what is considered regulated activity which a barred person must not do. This is important to check, as regulated activity does not cover activity which is supervised by another adult. An example would be a trainee tradesperson working with a professional. School governors don’t need a DBS check Wrong! All governors in all schools – maintained, free, academy, or independent – are required to have a current enhanced DBS check: this regulation came into force on 8th March 2016. This is not simply due to the possibility of contact with children but the fact that governors play a key role in the decision-making process in schools, particularly of recruitment. I can’t check qualifications through a DBS check True – they only show an applicant’s criminal record history (with some restrictions). However, Teacher Services is a free government service which will allow you to check qualifications, QTS, completion of induction and any prohibitions, sanctions or restrictions that may stop a teacher from working in certain roles. This can be done by signing into the school’s Gov.uk portal and if you’re waiting for login details to be confirmed and have an immediate need to check the status of a teacher you can email employer.access@education.gov.uk – just type ‘urgent query’ in the subject line. Schools have to pay for staff members’ DBS checks Not necessarily – it’s up to the employer whether or not to foot the bill. One DBS advisory service, clearcheck.co.uk. states: “There is no law which states that employers should be the ones who cover the cost of having a DBS check done, it’s just good practice for the employer to shoulder the cost. Not all employers take this approach though, and some may ask employees to stump up the cash themselves. For people who move jobs regularly of have more than one employer might then find themselves quite out of pocket, so if applying for a job which requires DBS checks it is worth enquiring about the process at the interview stage.” The answer to this is to take out an Enhanced with DBS Barred List check, which costs £44, and pay the extra £13 to be added to the Update Service. This £13 is a yearly fee which will allow the applicant to make changes, and for the employer to make a status check of the certificate to see if changes have been made. Teachers can transfer their DBS check from school to school Possibly. If teachers opt to be added to the Update Service, a new DBS check is not necessarily required for each school they teach in – it’s up to the new school. Supply teachers register for a DBS check through their agency. The Update Service website says teachers will only need a new DBS check if: an
CLOSED – WIN a personalised book from In The Book!
Here at In The Book, we like to consider ourselves book specialists. To encourage little ones to become keen readers, we are giving three lucky kids to the chance of having their own personalised book! We believe that one story is enough to change a child’s view of the world. From favourite stories read in childhood or a classic fiction tale, the memorable adventures last a lifetime. But, with a personalised twist, we write your child into the story. Have you ever imagined yourself in a storybook? As the Hungry Caterpillar munching its way through delicious treats, or as the lovable Peter Rabbit getting up to mischief in Mr McGregor’s garden? Now, you can star and journey in these personalised adventures written just for your child. What Makes Me Great? Disney Board Book – £17.99 What makes a person “great”? Is it bravery and courage? Or helping those in need? Is it having the courage to help someone in need? Or having the patience to listen and think? What makes a person “great”? Is it bravery and courage? Or helping those in need? Your child can find out with this “What Makes Me Great” Disney book, featuring a cast of Disney characters. Created to stimulate your child’s cognitive development, the book demonstrates a variety of scenarios using hand-drawn illustrations, and easy-to-read text to explain why each Disney character is great. In turn, your child will understand what makes them great too! https://www.inthebook.com/en-gb/personalised-disney-board-book/ My Day at the Zoo Personalised Book – £12.99 Take your child on an animal adventure through the wild, encountering mammals and sea creatures, crocodiles, meerkats, monkeys, sea lions and more, all with this personalised day at the zoo book. When your child spots their name featured throughout the book, their learning experience will be brought to life as they’re written into the safari adventure as it unfolds. The mesmerising illustrations and captivating fact pages make the book all the more worthwhile! They’ll know exactly who the book is from too as you can add a loving message on the opening title page for the perfect personalised touch. https://www.inthebook.com/en-gb/my-day-at-the-zoo-book/ Personalised Encyclopaedia – Just For Kids – £12.99 Explore an encyclopaedia of knowledge with this personalised edition. It’s a book of knowledge to capture your child’s interest instantly, beaming with facts and illustrations to enthral their imagination! Watch your child’s eyes grow with excitement when they find their name entwined in the mind-blowing facts and hand-drawn illustrations. There’s so much to discover on all school subjects, giving your child a maze of knowledge to get lost in. Why not add a thoughtful message for your child to read on the title page? It will be the perfect introduction to this knowledgeful keepsake with every read. https://www.inthebook.com/en-gb/personalised-encyclopedia-for-children/ For more information about In The Book please click here To enter the competition please see below and good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway *The administrator of this competition is the QA Education Magazine (“administrator”). By participating in the competition, each Entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of Administrator, which shall be final and binding in all respects. Administrator is responsible for the collection, submission or processing of Entries and the overall administration of the competition. Entrants should look solely to Administrator with any questions, comments or problems related to the Competition. Administrator may be reached by email at socialmedia@euromediaal.com during the Promotion Period. * This giveaway will close at 12.00am, 3rd June. * The prize is a personalised book from In The Book! The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable. There is no cash alternative. * Open to UK residents aged 18 or over, excluding employees of the Administrator, the sponsor, their families and anyone else professionally connected with this promotion. * There is one compulsory entry which requests that to enter the competition you answer a question based on the throw. Additional entries are available. * The prize winner will be asked to provide their email address so that contact can be made to arrange prize delivery, and their name and county be published in the next issue of the magazine * By entering the competition, you grant the Administrator permission to add your details to the mailing list, share your email address and any other personally identifiable information with the other competition Entities for the purpose of administration and prize fulfillment, including use in a publicly available Winners list. * Entries will only be accepted as instructed and any entrant that does not complete the qualifying requirements will be disqualified * The winners will be chosen using the random entry selector built into the widget. * The winners will be informed by email within 5 days of the closing date, and must respond within 5 days to claim their prize. If there is no response within the 5 days and new winner will be drawn at random. *This prize draw is governed by English law and the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising in connection with it. For further T&C and our privacy policy please see here Euromedia Associates Ltd: Privacy Policy https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/66331438/legal
Girls’ progression in science studied by Institute of Physics
Schools from across England are being invited to sign up for free to the Institute of Physics’ Improving Gender Balance national research trial. Across England, the trial, funded by the Department for Education (DfE) will work with teachers on whole-school approaches to tackling gender stereotyping and the resulting limits on both boys and girls’ choices. In doing so it seeks to redress the fact that for more than 30 years only a fifth of those taking A-level physics in England have been girls. The randomised control trial, will see half of participating schools receiving a wide-ranging programme of valuable evidence-based support including: · Training and continuous professional development for teachers · The development of a whole-school strategy to combat gender stereotyping · Options evenings, careers guidance, and student-led projects · A dedicated, Institute of Physics coach A previous smaller scale pilot project run across six schools in 2014-2016 saw the number of girls taking A-level physics more than treble over two years. Participating schools reported that a non-gendered whole school approach and head-on tackling of gender stereotypes had equipped teachers to ensure that all students were able to explore the possibility of studying subjects across the board, irrespective of gender. Fifty-five per cent of A-levels were awarded to girls in 2018. However, girls just 43% of A levels awarded in STEM subjects and only 22% of A-levels awarded in physics, with only 13% of girls who achieved grade A or A* in GCSE physics going on to study the subject at A-level. This compares to 39% of boys who go on to study physics at A-level having achieved grade A or A* in the subject at GCSE (Institute of Fiscal Studies, August 2018). The Institute of Physics’ ground-breaking Improving Gender Balance trial is open to all state-funded co-ed secondary schools where a gap currently exists between the proportion of girls and boys taking physics A-level and all girls schools with a relatively low number of girls progressing to A-level in physics. Beth Bramley, Gender Balance Programme Manager at the Institute of Physics commented: “Physics is hugely rewarding subject to study at A-level and a gateway subject to so many exciting career roles and higher education options. We want to ensure that as many young people as possible, irrespective of gender have the chance to benefit from the opportunities it can open up. “This ground-breaking research study represents a unique opportunity to make a real difference. It will tell us what really ‘works’, embed whole-school approaches to tackling gender stereotyping and help set the future agenda for best practice in gender balance improvement in schools.” All interested schools can sign up to participate in the Institute of Physics trial at beta.iop.org, with applications open until 31st May 2019.
Exploring the long-term impact of Reading Recovery
Literacy expert Dr Susan Bodman, National Lead for Reading Recovery, delivers training on literacy intervention in schools. Dr Bodman has experience teaching in primary schools as a SENCO and literacy coordinator, and working in learning support in secondary schools. Here, she discusses the need for early intervention for children struggling with reading in KS1… By the end of primary school, the gulf between good readers and those who struggle is well-established. In 2018, nearly 20,000 11-year olds had reading levels too low to be entered for the National Reading Test, or took the test but did not achieve any score. Why does early intervention matter? Early intervention programmes can show long-term gains and increase academic achievement, improve life chances and generate significant economic benefits, as recent independent research reports by Professor Jane Hurry and Dr Lisa Fridkin of the UCL Institute of Education and by Pro-Bono Economics demonstrate. Children aged five and six who had Reading Recovery (RR), a school-based literacy programme for the lowest achieving children, were found 10 years on to be more than twice as likely to achieve five or more good GCSEs including English and mathematics, and less likely to leave school with no qualifications or intensive special needs support, in comparison to those pupils who were not on the programme. How can schools make a difference? When supporting pupils with literacy difficulties, schools should choose an intervention that has; 1. Sound research evidence of impact Investing in intervention means that you want to be assured of results in your school. Interventions with research evidence showing similar impact in a range of school contexts are the most likely to yield good results. 2. 1-to-1 teacher/pupil ratio Evidence shows that for the very lowest attaining pupils, individual instruction is highly effective. This matters as early interventions need to provide more than twice the normal rate of progress. 3. Continuing professional development Training and sustained support are vital for the success of interventions for the very lowest attaining pupils. Ongoing professional development that offers teachers support and challenge will maintain fidelity to the programme and raise pupil outcomes. By investing in early intervention that works, schools give pupils the best chance of reaching age-expected attainment and staying there. Why Reading Recovery works RR is an effective intervention – with daily targeted 30 minutes lessons, your lowest-attaining literacy learners could progress fast. More than eight in ten pupils in Reading Recovery catch up with their classroom peers in 12-20 weeks. Teachers follow an accredited year-long training programme, learning how to use research-informed techniques and procedures. They work with children whilst training, and are supported locally by accredited Teacher Leaders. Find out more about Reading Recovery on the website. Follow on Twitter: @ILC_IOE #ReadingRecovery Recent research reports can be viewed here: home.kpmg
Wands Ready! Hull Selected As A Finalist
A national poll for fans to decide the future tour locations for the magnificent ‘Wizarding World Wands supporting Lumos’ installation which illuminated the City of London last autumn, has revealed eight finalists, including Hull. Birmingham, Dublin, Kingston upon Hull, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Reading, and Stoke on Trent will now form the final poll for fans to determine which four locations will host the installation next. The final ‘Wands Ready’ voting process opens today and will continue through the summer, closing at 5pm on 26th August. The final four locations will host the installation in the lead up to the release of the third Fantastic Beasts film, beginning with the city with the most overall votes. The four tour locations will be announced on 31st August 2019. Standing fifteen feet tall and set within concrete bases, the nine wands – bringing to life those belonging to some of the most beloved characters in the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films – illuminate each night, performing a light show to music from the Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter films They were created in support of ‘Lumos’, whose mission is to end the institutionalisation of children around the world. To vote for your town or city and for further information visit: www.fantasticbeasts.co.uk/wandsready About Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald will be released on 4K Ultra HD, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on 18th March. The film will be available to own on digital download from 9th March. The 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray include an extended cut of the film with more than seven minutes of deleted scenes added, available as a bonus disc Also featured is an audio introduction by director David Yates and over an hour of fantastic special features. A two-film box set featuring both Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald will be released on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD Warner Bros. Pictures’ Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald features an ensemble cast led by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, with Jude Law and Johnny Depp. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald was directed by David Yates, from a screenplay by J.K. Rowling. The film was produced by David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. Tim Lewis, Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Danny Cohen served as executive producers About The Wizarding World More than two decades ago, a young Harry Potter was whisked onto Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross Station, and readers everywhere were swept along with him into a magical universe, created by J.K. Rowling. In the years since, the seven Harry Potter bestsellers have inspired eight blockbuster movies, an award-winning stage play, and, more recently, the start of the Fantastic Beasts five-film series. People of all ages have been enthralled by these extraordinary adventures, set within an expanding universe, inspired by the vision of J.K. Rowling. For today’s growing worldwide fan community, and for generations to come, the Wizarding World welcomes everyone to explore more of this magical universe — past, present and future. The Wizarding World also provides fans with an instant, trusted kite-mark of quality and authenticity. About Lumos Children belong in families, not orphanages. Lumos has a bold mission: to have children worldwide out of institutions and in loving family care by 2050. Lumos demonstrates the dramatic harm to children caused by institutionalisation and the proven benefits of the alternatives: community and family care. Lumos tackles the root causes of family separation – poverty, trafficking and discrimination – and reunites families. Lumos speaks up on behalf of the eight million children trapped in orphanages and other institutions worldwide to transform their care, so every child can thrive in families and communities. 80% of these hidden children are not orphans and could stay with their families, with the right support. Named after the light-giving spell in Harry Potter, Lumos was founded in 2005. Find out more www.wearelumos.org
Educational technology company, LGFL works with police to block piracy sites
Not-for-profit LGfL is first educational technology company and internet service provider to work with City of London police to block known piracy sites. LGfL DigiSafe, safeguarding arm of not-for-profit internet service provider LGfL, is proud to announce that it is the first educational technology company and internet service provider to work with City of London Police to block all websites on the Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit’s (PIPCU) Infringing Website List. The Infringing Website List (IWL) documents known piracy sites, which will now be blocked to LGfL’s 3,000 member schools across the UK. As well as preventing students from accessing inappropriate material, this move means that schools do not need to fear legal repercussions due to pirated material being accessed from the school site. The PIPCU is a specialist unit within the City of London Police funded by the UK Government Intellectual Property Office. The unit is dedicated to tackling serious and organised intellectual property crime with a particular focus on offences committed using an online technology platform. Together with a number of organisations, including the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB UK) the PIPCU established the Infringing Website List to make it easier for individuals and organisations to exclude known, illegal sites from ad buying, selling or trading as well as to block websites included on the list. LGfL DigiSafe is LGfL’s strategic response to the complex challenges faced by schools: a Centre of Excellence dedicated to engaging and collaborating with teachers and safeguarding leads as part of its service offering. Committed to protecting children and teachers, LGfL DigiSafe considers it its duty to work with stakeholders such as the PIPCU to allow schools to enjoy the internet without risk. Online Safety and Safeguarding Manager at LGfL DigiSafe, Mark Bentley commented on the partnership, “LGfL DigiSafe is committed to partnering with relevant stakeholders in order to achieve our mission of saving schools money and keeping children safe. By working with City of London police to block its List of Infringing Websites to our community of over two million students we not only prevent children accessing inappropriate material but also provide reassurance to senior leaders that this illegal activity cannot be committed on the school site, meaning headteachers do not need to fear liability for copyright infringements”. Detective Constable Steve Salway of the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) said, “The Infringing Website List (IWL) is the first of its kind to be developed by law enforcement and we are pleased that LGfL DigiSafe has taken it on. The online safety of school children is of paramount importance and our IWL is able to prevent them from viewing inappropriate material. It will also put a stop to them accessing copyright infringing content, leaving London schools with extra peace of mind. “PIPCU is at the forefront of combating digital piracy. As part of our Operation Creative, City of London Police Detectives work with content owners and internet service providers to disrupt this criminal activity online. The disruption of internet infrastructure has seen over 1,800 illegal websites cease to operate, protecting UK consumers along with the preservation of the UK Creative industry.” For more information on LGfL DigiSafe (the first educational technology company and internet service provider) including a complete range of resources for online safety and safeguarding please visit onlinesafety.lgfl.net To find out more about the PIPCU and the Infringing Websites List please visit iabuk.com/policy/infringing-website-list-iwl