Anyone know anything about Sparklebox being blocked?

[PamT]

It is software used in schools and there seems to be some secret reason why it is being blocked from use in schools. Searches on the www just say that it is the links to social networking sites, but there seems to be a hint that there could be something more sinister.

Any ideas? Please PM me if it is a sensitive matter.

[ineedcoffee]

Never heard of it, neither has ds (amazingly..)

[moogyboobles]

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/yorkshire-humberside-grid-learning-yhgfl/44415-sparklebox.html
found this after seeing what people were twittering if that helps.
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Documentary Wedding Photographer in Essex

[minnow]

Having been involved with educational sites in my previous job, the issues highlighted by Traceyś link seem more administrative errors than anything sinister.

a) no certificate - certificates expire after 1yr and people forget to renew them until they expire

b) link to social networking site - we had a number of full time editors monitoring links to other sites etc and yet now and again we managed to link to a site which passed all our satety checks but still had an unsafe link it in (even google was unsafe for our security policy, blogs, facebook etc). We removed any links like this asap but it was a surprisingly easy to make a mistake. And sometimes after it had all been checked an unsafe link was added later....

c) 3rd issue just sounds dumb - they should have a size of download near the download link - this again sounds like an admin error.

I have never heard of this particular site - sparklebox - and I am not saying that there is not a serious problem with it - but I would hope if the concerns are limited to those listed they should be easily fixed and if they put some better checks in place it should probably be fairly safe from now on..,..
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a fulltime working mum
dd, 9, and ds, 10

[little_me]

What a shame!
I use a Sparklebox a LOT - for school stuff but also for stuff for home.
I bet you home edders would find a tonne of useful stuff on there.
Basically its a nice chap who was a teacher but quit to do Sparklebox full time. He makes teaching resources which you can download for free. There is all sorts on there - flashcards, pictures, templates, words etc etc
Worth a look:
www.sparklebox.co.uk
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Em
Mummy to 3 boys and 1 baby girl

[PamT]

Those reasons are all widely available on the net but there are hints that there is something more to it than that, but the people who seem to know aren't willing to divulge it publicly.

DH works in schools IT and his manager refuses to say why it has been blocked. DH thinks it is a great site but he usually uninstalls the toolbar that comes with it.

[little_me]

Oooooh! Just been looking on the TESforums (which is where Sparklebox originated from) an there seems to have been rumours for years.

The official line is that LEAs are unhappy with the chat facilities and links to twitter that are on the site, and although kids themselves don't use Sparklebox, the logo is on all the resources and there is concern that parents will see the logo and think this is an approved safe site and let the kids access it from home.

There are also some awful rumours which are not been voiced and just been hinted at circulating.
These could just be malicious tittle tattle arising from the specualtion about the LEA ban or it could be true.
The rumours apparently though have been circulating for a couple of years since some LEAs started blocking it yet nothing formal has ever happened to the site or founder.

Here is a thread if anyone is interested:
http://community.tes.co.uk/forums/t/356720.aspx?PageIndex=1
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Em
Mummy to 3 boys and 1 baby girl

[littlepurplegoth]

Hmmm

LPG wonders if its actually down to the existance of BECTA and Microsoft resources that are similar but cost lots of money? Can't have a private individual involved in education can we? (for those that don't know, Graham Badman who is rather anti private individuals in educatinon, and is a known opponent of sparklebox, is paid chair of BECTA and negotiated the Microsoft 'deal' as well....)

ETA - interesting given above that the original 'issue' alighted in the SW and indeed with somerset... where a certain man has a daughter working and a contract to deal with IT in education through their own company as well as it being a reference authority for becta...

[little_me]

interesting - I didn't know that!
Poor Mr Sparkle if that is the case.
I have only ever 'known' him as another person on a forum, but he seems to work very hard and bends over backwards to help other teachers.
Before he launched the site as it is now he was always making things on request for people so I was pleased for him when he was able to start making a living from it.
If the rumours (CP related) are completely unfounded and have just risen from idle speculation after LEAs blocked him for political reasons then that is a shocking shame.
I feel torn as to what to do. I have always used his resources, would love to continue to do so on and I have no clear information as to why I shouldn't. But then on the other hand there are people on forums saying they know why (but can't say) teachers should have absolutely nothing more to do with him.
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Em
Mummy to 3 boys and 1 baby girl

[Bookworm]

I have also heard the roomers on CP issues but if they were true surely someone who have said something concrete, if not it's just all a bit odd but then again even if they were true I can't see how his resources can be a issue

[Spottysocks]

[Roxy]

I use Sparklebox a little bit, didn't notice any problems this evening and never heard any rumours. I shall certainly follow the innocent until proven guilty line. If people 'know' something then they should tell the police, otherwise they should shut up. Grr, that makes me very angry.

And yes, Badman is in bed with people involved with online learning.

Roxy
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"The quickest, easiest way to produce something beautiful and lasting is to risk making something horribly crappy" Chris Baty

[Kia Kaha]

FWIW I asked in both the infants and junior schools today after reading this thread and none of the staff I asked had heard anything. The Junior teacher I asked is in charge of IT/computer suite etc and she hadn't heard anything and its not blocked in our area (Kent). The Infant teacher was most perturbed at the thought, she looked around the classroom and said "If the room is bare when you come next week you'll know why" ! as most of her displays are built on Sparklebox resources. Junior teacher says she will investigate so should she find anything I'll report back

[Flopsybunny]

The Badman/BECTA thing popped into my head too.

[Tomsmum]

We had a letter round saying that the school no longer recommended it - but as we didn't use it any how I can't remember why..
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Claire