Securus

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Identifying Risk

Challenging pupils to rethink high-risk online behaviour, such as giving out personal details in chat rooms and social networking sites like Bebo and MySpace, is a key issue for schools and parents. Even with internet safety guidelines instilled regularly through the curriculum, some teenagers do still choose to ignore warnings, believing ‘it will never happen to me'.

Latest government CEOP statistics show 1 in 12 children have met someone offline who they initially engaged with online and 31% of young people have received unwanted sexual comment online or by text message.

Ensuring Protection

At this school, Securus has been installed on school computers to provide a comprehensive safety net which alerts staff to unacceptable behaviour in any PC application, with screenshot evidence of key words and phrases. Securus is essential to screen behaviour in order to plug any gaps in web blocking and filtering. Pupils are aware that any breaches of the school's Acceptable Use Policy are monitored and reported to staff.

If a potentially dangerous situation arises, alerts are sent to senior staff, in line with Every Child Matters requirements. Securus searches continuously for key words and phrases, identifying any potential threats or undesirable behaviour (even if text is subsequently deleted) including:

• predator grooming
• pornography
• cyber bullying
• racism
• swearing and abusive language
• cries for help
• drugs
• gambling
• suicidal messages
• terrorism
• weapons
• hacking

Improving Classroom Management

Staff can now take control of off-task activity with accurate screenshots as tangible evidence to use as a basis for discussion with pupils and parents, whilst removing possible denials, confrontation and disruption from the classroom.

Transforming Behaviour

Whilst the virtual world has much to offer, we are under no illusions about the fact that able pupils frequently try to bypass restrictions on any school network. In conjunction with pupil education programmes and campaigns such as the government's Thinkuknow website, Securus underpins e-safety and acts as an early warning system for pastoral care and behaviour management. When combined with appropriate individual disciplinary follow-up, Securus creates a strong deterrent effect against PC misuse, leading to focus on-task, improved behaviour and a safer learning environment.

Securus is now protecting over half a million children in over 400 schools nationwide.

www.securus-software.com info@securus-software.com 01932 255480