New Government “Kids Online Safety” Website Launches to Support Families 

To mark Safer Internet Day, the Government is launching a brand‑new Kids Online Safety website on 16 February 2026, designed to help families feel more confident in guiding their children’s online experiences.

This new resource has been shaped around the real concerns shared by families across the UK, helping to make everyday conversations about online behaviour simpler, more confident and more meaningful.

What the New Website Offers 

The new platform brings together accessible, practical guidance for parents and carers, including: 

Simple conversation starters: Ideas to help families talk openly about what children encounter online, encouraging them to ask questions such as “Who shared this?” and “Why might this have been posted?” 

Age‑appropriate guidance: Support for each stage of a child’s development, helping families adapt to changing online risks and habits. 

Parental controls: Clear, easy‑to-follow information on how to set up parental controls across devices, platforms and apps. 

Trusted resources: Signposting to respected charities and safety organisations for specialist advice and support where needed. 

Key Topics You Can Explore on the New Website 

Parents and carers can access expert guidance on a wide range of helpful topics, including: 

• Understanding critical thinking 

• Finding the right questions to ask 

• Looking at social media together 

• Having weekly ‘content chats’ with children 

• Spotting emotional triggers in online content 

• Considering who posted something – and why 

• Identifying misleading or false information 

• Checking reliable sources together 

• Talking about algorithms and how they shape online experiences 

Supporting the Online Safety Act 

Throughout 2026, the Kids Online Safety website will continue to grow, with additional resources and tools added to support the Online Safety Act and wider government work to build a safer digital world for children. 

Share with Your School Community

We encourage schools and safeguarding leads to share the Kids Online Safety website with parents and carers. It’s a valuable, trusted resource designed to help families build confident, age‑appropriate conversations about staying safe online.  

Explore these topics and more here:

A Practical Response to Schools Week’s Article: “Do You Know What Your Pupils are Viewing on School Technology.”

By Schools Broadband

The recent Schools Week article on the DfE’s Technology in Schools Survey 2024–25 raises issues that school and trust leaders rightly take seriously. Though as education becomes increasingly digital, expectations around safeguarding, accountability and risk management are rising just as fast.

At Schools Broadband, we recognise both the huge benefits of educational technology and the very real concerns voiced by parents, regulators and the media. However, the question is no longer whether schools should use technology, but how they can do so safely, proportionately and in line with statutory guidance.

What the DfE expects and why it matters

The DfE is clear. Schools and trusts are expected to have effective filtering and monitoring in place, as set out across: Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), The Filtering and Monitoring Standards for Schools and Colleges and The DfE Broadband Standards.

Crucially, the DfE does not treat filtering and monitoring as interchangeable. They serve different purposes and both are required. The Broadband Standards reinforce that schools must ensure internet access is safe, reliable and resilient; that safeguarding controls apply across school networks and solutions are appropriate for education and centrally manageable.

The Schools Week article highlights a gap that we see frequently in practice: filtering without effective monitoring.

Filtering and monitoring: what’s the difference?

Filtering is preventative. It blocks access to harmful or inappropriate content that should never be accessible on a school device or network such as: Pornography and explicit material; Extremism and radicalisation content; Gambling, self-harm and violence; Malware and unsafe websites.

Monitoring, by contrast, is observational and responsive. It identifies what risks may be emerging that staff need to know about such as: What users are actually searching for or viewing; Concerning patterns of behaviour over time; Safeguarding indicators that filtering alone cannot predict; Attempts to bypass controls or use devices inappropriately.

The DfE’s concern, echoed in the survey, is well founded. Filtering alone cannot tell you whether it is effective, nor can it identify low-level or cumulative safeguarding risks before harm occurs.

How Schools Broadband supports schools and trusts

Schools Broadband provides both filtering and monitoring as integrated, education-specific services, designed to work together and aligned to DfE guidance.

Education-Specific Filtering. Our filtering solutions are designed specifically for schools and MATs, ensuring consistent protection, whether a trust has five schools or fifty. Filtering is 1) Policy-driven and age-appropriate, 2) Can be centrally managed across trusts 3) is regularly updated to reflect emerging risks.

Active, Intelligent Monitoring. Importantly, monitoring is not about surveillance for its own sake. It is about early intervention, context, and professional judgement, which is exactly what KCSIE expects. That’s why the Schools Broadband monitoring solutions go beyond simple keyword alerts. They are designed to: Highlight concerning trends and behaviours; Support DSLs and safeguarding teams with timely visibility; Reduce noise while prioritising genuine risk and provide audit trails to support inspections and accountability.

Safeguarding Beyond the School Gates

One of the most significant risks highlighted in the Schools Week article, and in real-world incidents, is what happens when school devices leave the school site. And DfE expectations are clear: safeguarding responsibilities do not end at the school gate.

Schools Broadband supports: Filtering and monitoring on school-owned devices, even when used at home; Consistent safeguarding policies regardless of location and protection against the assumption that home networks are “safe enough.”

This is particularly critical for 1:1 device schemes; vulnerable learners; remote learning and homework and Trusts seeking consistency across varied home environments.

Affordability, Consistency and Review

The survey rightly points to financial pressure as a factor in safeguarding gaps; however, Schools Broadband was founded on the principle that cost should not be a barrier to compliance or safety. By combining connectivity, filtering and monitoring into a single education-focused service, we help schools and trusts to:

• Simplify procurement
• Reduce supplier sprawl
• Achieve better value for money
• Maintain consistent standards across all schools

Equally important is review. The DfE does not expect schools to “set and forget” safeguarding technology. Our services are designed to support regular policy review; Trust-wide oversight and evidence for Ofsted and safeguarding audits.

A Realistic Future

Calls to remove technology from schools entirely are understandable, but unrealistic. Digital tools are now embedded in teaching, assessment, inclusion and operations. The answer is not less technology, but better governance, better systems and better visibility.

The Schools Week article is right to urge schools to reflect urgently. The following are useful checks for schools and MATs to carry out right now.

• Ensure both filtering and monitoring are in place
• Confirm they apply on-site and off-site
• Review effectiveness regularly, not just after incidents
• Align systems, policies and staff training
• Choose solutions designed specifically for education, not adapted from the consumer or enterprise world

At Schools Broadband, we believe safeguarding should be robust, proportionate and practical, supporting schools to protect pupils, reassure parents and meet statutory expectations with confidence.

Speak to us today for guidance on your school’s online safeguarding. info@schoolsbroadband.co.uk | 01133 222 333 or visit us on stand SH61 at Bett 21-23 Jan 2026

Temporary Roaming Restrictions in Russia

Mobile phone customers travelling to Russia will experience temporary restrictions and limited mobile services due to newly introduced local regulatory requirements. The restrictions have been implemented by Russian operators for regulatory and national security reasons starting October 2025. This applies to all SIMs roaming in Russia, regardless of the originating network or provider.

What’s changing?

• Data and SMS services will be unavailable for a 24-hour period starting from the moment a user’s SIM first connects to a Russian network.
  
  
•  After this period, services will resume as normal.
  
  
• If a user’s SIM remains inactive for more than three consecutive days, the restriction will be reapplied upon reconnection.
  
  
• Voice calls are not affected during this time.

For messaging apps, email, and other online services, customers are advised to use Wi-Fi where available. Remember also to plan ahead for services that rely on SMS, such as two-factor authentication.

Schools Broadband Wins 2025 ISPA Security Award – A record-breaking six times winner – 2014 | 2017 | 2020 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025

We are beyond thrilled to announce that Schools Broadband has been named the winner of the 2025 ISPA Award for Best Network and Data Security. This marks our record-breaking sixth win in the security category and our ninth ISPA award overall since 2014. 

The awards, hosted by the Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA UK) celebrate key organisations shaping the future of the UK’s digital infrastructure, recognising exceptional innovation, resilience, and leadership in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. 

Schools Broadband secured the award thanks to our continued commitment to delivering enterprise-grade safeguarding and cybersecurity solutions across the UK education sector. Today, Schools Broadband protects: 

• 1.5 million+ students and staff 

• 3,500+ schools and colleges 

• 300+ Multi Academy Trusts nationwide 

Schools Broadband’s security stack includes industry-leading filtering, monitoring, cloud-controlled network protection, and DDoS mitigation as standard – even for schools that do not take additional hosted security or filtering products. 

“Safeguarding and security isn’t just part of what we do – it is what we do,” says David Tindall, our CEO. “The award reflects the real, measurable impact our teams make every day in classrooms across the UK. Cyber threats against schools continue to rise, and we’re proud to offer world-leading, enterprise-grade technology that is accessible, affordable, and built for the realities of the education sector.” 

Award-Winning Innovation that Reflects Today’s Cyber Climate in Schools 

Schools and Multi Academy Trusts are experiencing unprecedented cyber-security pressures, with ransomware, data breaches, and social engineering attacks increasing in both frequency and sophistication. Meanwhile, the DfE’s digital standards and KCSiE requirements have placed increased responsibility on leaders to demonstrate robust filtering, monitoring, and network protection.

Schools Broadband’s cloud-first approach directly addresses these challenges. By eliminating the need for costly on-site infrastructure and providing Trust-wide centralised management, the service empowers schools and MATs, large and small, to meet and exceed national standards while keeping networks resilient and learners safe.

This achievement further cements Schools Broadband’s reputation as one of the UK’s most trusted specialist ISPs for education, consistently leading innovation in security, safeguarding, and cloud-managed connectivity.

Visit our Network Security page for more details.
Call 01133 222 333 or email info@schoolsbroadband.co.uk. 
We’re always happy to help.

Martyn’s Law introduces new requirements for public premises, including schools, to ensure they have robust procedures in place to protect staff, pupils, and visitors in the unlikely event of an attack.

Schools will need to:

• Nominate a responsible person for security preparedness.
• Notify the Security Industry Authority (SIA) of their premises and responsibilities.
• Develop and demonstrate plans for evacuation, lockdown, and emergency communication.

The Act applies on two levels:

• Standard Tier: For premises with capacities between 100–799 people (most primary schools).
• Enhanced Tier: For sites with 800+ capacity (typically secondary schools and larger MAT campuses).

The focus for both tiers is on planning, communication, and staff awareness, ensuring everyone knows what to do and how to stay informed in a crisis.

Speak to us for more information. 01133 222 333 #1. 

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) 2025 Updates

The Department for Education published its Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSiE) 2025 guidance close to the end of the summer 2024 term. Whilst most of the changes were minor, the late publication of the document allows little time for schools to prepare, as the standards came into force on 1st September 2025.

New-style Ofsted inspections also resume this November, where Ofsted will implement new report cards and a five-point grading scale; this will include a stand-alone safeguarding judgement in which schools will be expected to provide clear, demonstrable evidence that their digital safeguarding policies are both effective and compliant with statutory requirements.

To help schools prepare, Schools Broadband has created a free digital guide to online safeguarding standards which includes requirements for KCSiE 2025 updates.

We’ve outlined key checks that Ofsted inspectors have historically looked for during previous inspections. While the framework may be evolving, these established areas of scrutiny remain essential indicators of compliance and will guide the types of evidence schools should begin gathering, in anticipation of the new inspection format later this year.

Under KCSiE guidance, schools are expected to carry out an annual review of all safeguarding standards, including filtering, monitoring, staff training and wider safeguarding systems. It’s also important to note that monitoring is now required alongside filtering.

Need Support?

If you need advice about online safety and security for your school, please contact us. We help over 3,000 schools protect over one million students online every single day. Contact us for more information. Call 01133 222 333 or click here to get in touch.

Why Schools Must Prioritise Edge Protection in the Face of Rising Cyber Threats

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recently issued a stark warning about the scale of malicious cyber activity linked to commercial organisations in China. According to the advisory, campaigns are targeting critical sectors worldwide such as government and telecommunications, including the UK. 

The report highlights how the threat actors have achieved considerable success by exploiting common and publicly known vulnerabilities, rather than relying on advanced malware or undiscovered weaknesses. In many cases, such attacks could have been prevented by timely patching and robust endpoint defences. 

Lessons for the Education Sector 

While much of the focus of the NCSC advisory is on national infrastructure, the lessons apply equally to the education sector. Schools and Multi Academy Trusts are attractive targets for cyber criminals. The exploitation of unpatched devices or insecure endpoints is a common gateway for malicious activity, and with safeguarding responsibilities at the forefront, schools and Multi Academy Trusts cannot afford to ignore the risks.

Why Edge Protection Matters

Edge devices, such as laptops and tablets used by staff and students are often the weakest link in a school’s cyber security chain. If left unprotected, they provide attackers with a direct route into networks, putting sensitive data and safeguarding systems at risk.

This is why endpoint and edge protection must be a core part of a school’s cyber security strategy. Schools Broadband’s Endpoint Protection service provides advanced, AI-driven threat detection and response at the device level. Unlike traditional anti-virus solutions, it can identify unusual behaviour, block attacks in real time, and give IT teams centralised visibility across all devices on the network.

When combined with our safeguarding filtering and monitoring services, endpoint protection offers a layered approach to school security. It not only helps prevent disruption from cyber-attacks but also ensures compliance with statutory safeguarding requirements such as KCSiE.

Proactive Defence is Essential

As Dr Richard Horne, Chief Executive of the NCSC, emphasised: “It is crucial organisations heed this international warning about the threat posed by cyber actors who have been exploiting publicly known, therefore fixable, vulnerabilities.” For schools, this means staying ahead of threats with proactive monitoring, timely patching, and comprehensive endpoint security. 

Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and more persistent. By strengthening protection at the edge, schools can dramatically reduce their exposure and safeguard both their data and their duty of care to pupils. 

Talk Straight has been named a finalist in the Best Customer Data and Network Security category at the 2025 ISPA Awards.

This recognition marks yet another milestone in our ongoing mission to deliver cutting-edge, enterprise-grade cyber security and safeguarding solutions for the UK education sector. With a record-breaking 50 organisations competing across 17 categories this year, we’re proud to be one of just five finalists shortlisted in this critical area.

Steve Leighton, Chair of ISPA UK, noted: “The Awards showcase the strength and innovations that are driving our industry forward.”

This isn’t our first time in the ISPA spotlight. In fact, we’ve already taken home an impressive eight ISPA Awards, including:

• Six wins for Best Security and Cloud Services (we’re the reigning 2024 champions!)
• One win for Best Customer Solution
• One win for Best Marketing Campaign

Our consistent performance reflects our commitment to innovation, quality, and, most importantly, to keeping our schools and their students safe.

What Makes This Category Special

The Best Customer Data and Network Security award celebrates ISPs that go beyond the standard, those who are truly raising the bar in protecting customer data and networks. The judges are looking for innovations in cyber security, strong customer education, proactive online safety initiatives, and demonstrable impact.

What Sets Talk Straight Apart

Here’s a glimpse from the final paragraph of our 2025 award submission, capturing what makes our approach unique and what sets Talk Straight apart.

“We are immensely proud how much our innovative platform is democratising access to world-leading, enterprise-grade safeguarding and security for schools. Offering powerful technologies, yet eliminating the need for costly on-site infrastructure, our solution delivers unmatched visibility, control, and protection across entire school estates. Designed for scalability and affordability, our service allows Trusts to centrally manage safeguarding and network security without complexity or expense. All schools, regardless of size or budget, can now meet and even exceed DfE, KCSiE standards, so that even the smallest schools can protect their networks and safeguard their students with the best technology in the world — technology that would otherwise be out of financial reach.”

The winners will be announced on Thursday 13th November 2025 – Keep your fingers crossed for Team Talk Straight!

To all our customers, partners, and team members, thank you for your continued trust, collaboration, and support. We’re proud to keep leading the way in delivering security and safeguarding solutions that truly make a difference.

We’re proud to share that Fortinet has once again been recognised as a Leader in the 2025 Gartner® Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Wired and Wireless LAN Infrastructure, a prestigious industry benchmark that evaluates vendors based on their ability to execute and completeness of vision.