Who is responible for school websites?

[UKSBD]

Is there any governing body or regulations concerning school websites?

It's crazy just how many hacked school websites there appear to be, is there anywhere these should be reported to?

 

[ryedale]

We work with a lot of schools. . Most host with us which means their sites get looked after and protected and there's no problem.

Those that don't though almost never look after them properly, let them get out of date with security updates etc which leads to the inevitable hacking and then they've let their back-up strategy lapse and so on.

It's always someone else's job which is why they get neglected.

 

[paulears]

Course not! Just notify the school - practical all schools use their IT department to run the web site and most of their IT departments are short staffed and spend all their time fire fighting! In most cases, the kids can access pretty well everything - I do occasional supply teaching and have no IT privileges so cannot access many of the web sites I need - asking the kids always gets me to websites on their blocked list - the IT people being reactive, not proactive.

 

[hussainsheikh]

I believe the local councils may be contacted to report such cases as many local councils do support ICT through the company owned or run by the councils themselves. I believe you are based in Warwickshire and can try contacting the Warwickshire Council as I believe they do have their own ICT team which support local schools.

 

[paulears]

Why not just use the contact info on the site? If they outsource ICT, then the link is to these people, so why search for somebody else details and have them forward it?

 

[Nochexman]

Is there any governing body or regulations concerning school websites?

I'm a school Governer (and more people should try it) and the statutory guidance I am aware of is here https://www.gov.uk/what-maintained-schools-must-publish-online

If you are aware that a school website has been hacked the first thing to do is to report it to the school. The school should do something about it. If you wish to take the matter further there is a link here https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school

If you thinking about offering your services, then most schools will be delighted to hear your offer. But be aware that school funding is tight right now.

Remember that the school itself should be your first port of call.

 

[UKSBD]

I'm a school Governer (and more people should try it) and the statutory guidance I am aware of is here https://www.gov.uk/what-maintained-schools-must-publish-online

If you are aware that a school website has been hacked the first thing to do is to report it to the school. The school should do something about it. If you wish to take the matter further there is a link here https://www.gov.uk/complain-about-school

If you thinking about offering your services, then most schools will be delighted to hear your offer. But be aware that school funding is tight right now.

Remember that the school itself should be your first port of call.

Thanks, but from what I can see, reporting hacked school websites to the individual schools would be a full time job though.

What about if they are .sch.uk websites?
Is there someone who has overall responsibility of these?

 

[Nochexman]

Thanks, but from what I can see, reporting hacked school websites to the individual schools would be a full time job though.

Welcome to the Internet!

"What about if they are .sch.uk websites? Is there someone who has overall responsibility of these?"

Nope.

Would be interested to understand what outcome you are trying to achieve here? The Internet used to be known as the wild wild west - not sure that too much has dramatically changed over the last ten years.

 

[UKSBD]

Just amazed that no one has any responsibility for this and it isn't easier to report them.

Can understand it for independents on .co.uk, .org, .org.uk domains etc. but when it is on .sch.uk domains you would think someone has responsibilty.

You just have to look at cardiff.sch.uk to see how bad it is

 

[Nochexman]

You just have to look at cardiff.sch.uk to see how bad it is

Have you tried reporting it to the school? It is their responsibility.

Why would you think it might be someone else's responsibility?

 

[Jeff FV]

Many (most?) schools are now autonomous bodies, this was one of the main outcomes of the academy programme and so will now have sole responsibility for their own website.

For those schools that have remained under LEA control it is possible that their website will be administered by the LEA, but I doubt it.

As others have said, report it to the school.

FWIW, Indpendent Schools can, and do, use ,sch.uk if they wish.

 

[catshill]

As someone who works in schools promoting the use of technology, e-safety and occasionally designing their websites, I concur with the above advice that these days schools are autonomous bodies who are responsible for their own websites amongst other things.