We are pleased to announce that we are working with Smoothwall to offer our education clients innovative internet security and web filtering solutions to make the internet a safe place for children to learn and explore.
Smoothwall’s web filtering capability is world class due to the real-time, content aware analysis, and is combined with next generation firewall for enterprise grade protection. Using real-time anti-malware and spam protection from globally recognized technology partners offers the complete package in terms of internet security.
Charlie Baynes, Managing Director, Medhurst Communications Ltd said, “We’re delighted to be working with Smoothwall and adding their innovative web security products to our education IT solutions. With this partnership, we can help you expand your safeguarding to online protection, making sure you are taking appropriate measures to keep children safe from harmful content online.”
Head of Channel Sales at Smoothwall, Michael Miller, commented on the new partnership. “We’re pleased and excited about this new partnership we have in place with Medhurst – this opportunity will enable us to work with a business that cares and prioritises the needs of their customers, encourages safer web security and provides excellent support.”
The Smoothwall web security solutions include:
– SWG – Secure Web Gateway
A powerful web filtering solution designed to tackle the issues of acceptable web usage, productivity loss, web-borne malware, and mobile device integration.
– UTM – Unified Threat Management
Simplify your network security with UTM. Combining our market-leading web filter with perimeter firewall, application control, VPN, IPS and email security.
In May 2016, the Department for Education released its revised statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and colleges, ‘Keeping children safe in education’, replacing ‘Keeping children safe in education’ July 2015. The document issued under section 175 of the Education Act 2002, the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 and the Non-Maintained Special Schools (England) Regulations 2015, outlines that schools and colleges must have regard to ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
This revised guidance will commence as of 5th September 2016 and should be read and followed by all governing bodies of maintained schools and proprietors of independent schools, who will need to ensure that ALL staff in their school read at least part one of the guidance.
The Department for Education states that it is essential for children to be safeguarded from potentially harmful and inappropriate online material, such as abuse, substance misuse, bullying and radicalisation. Governing bodies and proprietors must therefore now not only ensure they have the most appropriate ‘web filtering’ in place but also the appropriate ‘monitoring’ in place.
In collaboration with Smoothwall, we have a whitepaper available to demystify the facts around online safety and take a closer look at how Smoothwall can help schools with regard to appropriate filtering and appropriate monitoring, which is featured heavily as part of the new legislation. Contact the Medhurst Education team on 01489 563000 or via email on education@medhurst-it.com for your copy of ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’.
More information on Smoothwall and its web security products can be found here