Internet Filtering

Keeping pupils and staff safe whilst they are using the school’s broadband provision is essential. Because no one wants a filter that gets in the way of teaching and learning we designed Protex internet web filter specifically for schools. Protex intelligently filters out the bad ‘stuff’ and provides an age-appropriate web experience without being overzealous!

We have over 20 years experience of providing safe, filtered internet to schools and academies of all sizes. From the smallest of nursery schools to the largest multi-academy trusts, from specialist schools to whole local authorities, Protex Web Content Filtering keeps pupils and staff safe!

Benefits of Protex Web Content Filtering:

Helps you comply with the DfE Filtering and monitoring standards for filtering.

An ‘Appropriate’ filter for your school – Fully compliant with DfE’s KCSiE recommendations and NEN filtering guidance

Protex web content filtering complies with the Safer Internet Centre’s definition of an ‘appropriate filtering system‘ as referenced in the DfE’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’.

The definitions in appropriate filtering have recently been updated. We have published a list of the substantive changes colour-coded to indicate where the responsibility for compliance lies.

Green – It’s a technical feature of E2BN Protex, and it helps you comply with UKSIC’s Appropriate Filtering definitions.

Blue – A task for the school to carry out around policies, documentation, training or checks

Yellow – An additional filtering feature that applies to off-site devices. You might not have any devices that are taken off-site, in which case, this feature is not relevant. However, if you do have off-site devices that need to be filtered, you may need to upgrade your filtering solution.

We are:

• a member of Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) 
• signed up to Counter-Terrorism Internet Referral Unit list (CTIRU) 
• blocking access to illegal content including child sexual abuse material (CSAM) 

See our appropriate filtering certificate

We also follow NEN guidance on best practise on educational filtering.

Keeping school pupils and staff safe online

In addition to blocking known inappropriate web pages, our school internet filtering solution also analyses web page content. It then identifies and blocks pages and sites that whilst not on the blocked URL list, contain inappropriate materials. This reduces the risk of over-blocking and protects pupils from unseemly items occasionally occurring on otherwise acceptable sites.

Real-time updates

All block or unblock changes are applied in real-time thus ensuring that there is minimum impact on teaching. If you ask us to block a site, it will be inaccessible immediately. If you request us to unblocked a site, we’ll review the site and respond appropriately. Usually we unblock sites in less than 4 hours.

Dynamic filtering

Protex web content filtering carries out real-time checking of all non-trusted content, including https pages. Protex also checks and blocks inappropriate file types where required. For example, the default pupil profiles prevent pupils from downloading executable files, reducing the risk of unauthorised software installation. It also blocks malware and phishing sites.

Search term filtering

Protex filters the words and phrases that are used in searches. This prevents users from even seeing the search results, as well as preventing access to the site, for particular banned words and phrases.

All devices using your connection will have filtering applied

You’ll only need one filtering solution even if you use a mixed environment of iPads, Windows and Mac devices and Chromebooks. Protex protects all devices that are using the school broadband connection, regardless of the operating system.

Web filtering that is easy to use and saves you time

Fully managed service with optional local control

You won’t need to do anything because we monitor the service and manage list updates. Protex web content filtering is a fully managed service. If you want some specific changes to a filtering profile or want to block or unblock a particular website we’ll do that for you. But if you want someone within your school to manage the filtering, we’ll happily provide training and ongoing phone and email support.

Authenticated Access

Filter profiles can be linked to your own Active Directory. This enables you to track the internet activity of specific individuals by username. An additional benefit is that this increases the degree of granularity and means that you can fine-tune the filtering experience of sub-groups of users or even individuals.

A school internet filtering system designed for you

We set up your web filtering system to your specific requirements

Protex web filtering comes completely ready to protect your pupils and staff from inappropriate web content. For most schools, academies and MATs, this is exactly what they need. However, we know that some schools have very specific web filtering requirements and we will happily modify our standard profiles or create bespoke profiles for you.

Flexible filtering profiles

We provide multiple level filtering profiles for all your different user groups such as year groups, guests and teachers. Time scheduled alternate profiles can also be set so a more liberal profile that allows access to some online games might be deployed at breaks and lunchtimes.

Helping you understand your users

Comprehensive reporting

Sometimes it is important to know who is accessing or trying to access blocked sites, therefore, our user-friendly interface allows you to view a range of daily and weekly reports that we generate for you overnight. You can view reports such as: the top 100 sites visited, the top denied sites, or how often a particular resource is being used. If you can’t find a report you need, we will create it for you, or show you how to do it yourself.

Find out more about Protex Web Content Filtering

Give us a call on 01462 833300 or use the contact us form and we’ll get back you.