London – March 2015
Egress Software Technologies today announces the adoption of its email and file encryption services by Stanhope Primary School. As part of an information security initiative across the London Borough of Ealing, the school uses Egress Protect and Egress Secure File Sharing and Collaboration to communicate sensitive pupil data securely with a range of external third parties, including local authorities, Ofsted and parents.
Jatinder Dhaliwal, Senior School Business Manager for Stanhope Primary School, explains: "Schools are responsible not only for pupils' education, but for their emotional and physical wellbeing as well. This involves working with an extensive network of external third parties made up of government departments and bodies, as well as health and social care providers, and parents and guardians. In addition, schools are required to supply sensitive information to governing bodies in order to facilitate performance assessments."
Increasingly, schools are taking advantage of the cost and efficiency benefits of electronic communication mechanisms, such as email and file transfer, to share confidential pupil data, including contact details, national curriculum assessment results, attendance information, characteristics (such as ethnicity group), special educational needs, and any relevant medical information. Recognising the need to encrypt and control this information in line with the data protection regulations, Stanhope Primary School adopted Egress Protect and Egress Secure File Sharing and Collaboration.
Dhaliwal continues: "Under the Data Protection Act, the ICO can fine schools up to £500,000 for a data breach, while in Ofsted's 'Inspecting e-safety', schools are advised to use encryption when sharing confidential information. As staff at Stanhope Primary School had previously used Switch to communicate with our local authority, the London Borough of Ealing, we chose Switch as a secure yet simple-to-use mechanism to ensure compliance.
"Both Egress Protect and Egress Secure File Sharing and Collaboration integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Outlook to provide one-click solutions, meaning the school’s staff do not need to learn how to use a new system. In addition, as the services offer real-time audit and control functionality, the school can maintain visibility over shared information at all times and even, if necessary, restrict access for individual recipients."
Kelly McCann, UK Sales Manager at Egress, comments: "By adopting Egress Protect and Egress Secure File Sharing and Collaboration, Stanhope Primary School have demonstrated their commitment to safeguarding their pupils in accordance with data protection regulations. This comes as part of work we are doing alongside local authorities to increase awareness of the need for data protection in schools as part of providing all-round care for students. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Stanhope Primary School, as well as with multiple other schools throughout London and the rest of the UK, to ensure that pupil’s data can be shared securely."
About Stanhope Primary School
Stanhope Primary School is a large primary school located in the centre of Greenford, which is in the London borough of Ealing.
At Stanhope Primary School we believe in educating the whole child in a safe, stimulating and caring environment which acknowledges that all children are unique and contribute to their community. By embracing diversity in an environment which promotes mutual respect, we aim for children to develop independence and confidence in learning so that every child can achieve the best that they can, fostering an enjoyment of learning.
