School ICT News Bulletin No. 319 - 15/02/2024 Published by ICT Solutions eBulletin Items Important Information: A reminder to send your cease notification to Capita Powering off core network equipment over the February half-term period Important Information: New Capita certificate available Cyber security and introduction to Cyber Choices session for UK Education Staff Cyber Security Awareness Session for UK School Governors 1. Important Information: A reminder to send your cease notification to Capita As you will be aware, Norfolk County Council (NCC) are exiting from services currently provided by Capita on 31^st March 2024 and have provided them with Notice to Terminate. Capita understand that there were 215 schools who had internet access via the current service agreement. There are still some schools yet to inform us so we are highlighting what you will need to do to meet the notice deadline of 15^th February 2024 and to reiterate the consequences of not migrating from the current supplier to a new one. There is no option to extend past 31^st March 2024. We require you to notify Capita and ICT Solutions of your intention to cease (please note you are required to provide at least 45 days’ notice, hence the deadline of 15^th February), the following information will be required: Name of School Address of School Contact details for cease queries Proposed cease date – will now be 31/03/2024 Cease notices should be sent to Kay Batty – Kay.batty@capita.com and ICT Solutions educonnectivity@norfolk.gov.uk If a cease notice has not been received by close of play on 15^th February 2024, Capita will automatically cease the circuit on 31^st March 2024, in line with contractual obligations between Norfolk County Council and Capita. If you have any queries please contact Kay Batty – Kay.batty@capita.com and/or ICT Solutions educonnectivity@norfolk.gov.uk 2. Powering off core network equipment over the February half-term period We would like to ask schools to refrain from turning off the power to the core networking equipment over the forthcoming half-term holiday period. Core networking equipment includes routers, switches and servers, often in a wall or floor cabinet. These devices are monitored by ourselves and Capita/Rydal/Schools Broadband and turning off the power results in false alarms. This could potentially result in your school incurring a charge for an engineer visit. If there is no alternative to powering off the communications cabinet and core equipment, because of planned work, for example, please advise us in advance. For more information: Please contact the Service Desk on 01603 475603 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk 3. Important Information: New Capita certificate available Only applicable for those sites who will be using the Capita network from 19/02/2024 At present, SSL inspection is carried out for Norfolk schools and on each device a certificate is installed to ensure this takes place. The one currently in use expires 18/02/2024, which will necessitate a new certificate needing to be deployed to all devices. If you have a basic or enhanced support contract with ICT Solutions, we will deploy this automatically for you. As long as machines are switched on and connected to the network, they should receive it. However, for those sites who do not have our support, you will need to download the new certificate. It can be found and downloaded from here - https://ssl-filtering.updata.net/ The important thing is not to delete the existing certificate in place. Failure to install the new certificate will result in users receiving “your connection is not private” messages for every website that they visit from 19/02/2024 onwards. For more information, please contact the Service Desk on 01603 475603 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk 4. Cyber security and introduction to Cyber Choices session for UK Education Staff Next session is March 19th 2024 This one hour webinar is designed and delivered by a former teacher to highlight basic cyber security advice that will help individuals improve their personal cyber security and by extension that of their school. The session will : Highlight current trends and provide actionable steps that attendees can take. Highlight nationally approved resources like those created for the education sector by the National Cyber Security Centre. Introduce the National Crime Agency's Cyber Choices Programme. Highlight free local and national Police resources that can support the school further in this area. This event is free and you can book your ticket via - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ersou/1041685. In one session alone last year there were over 195 attendees! 5. Cyber Security Awareness Session for UK School Governors Next session is May 22nd 2024 This two-hour webinar is designed to bring governors up to speed around threats facing individuals and schools as well as highlighting more strategic areas that school management / governors should be aware of. The session will : Highlight current trends against individuals and the education sector and provide actionable steps that attendees can take. Raise awareness of the school's duties around cyber security. Inform the attendees around the questions to ask to ensure schools are fulfilling their duties. Highlight free local and national Police resources that can support the school further in this area. The event is free and you can book your ticket via - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ersou/1045976.

School ICT News Bulletin No. 319 - 15/02/2024

Published by ICT Solutions

eBulletin Items

Important Information: A reminder to send your cease notification to Capita
Powering off core network equipment over the February half-term period
Important Information: New Capita certificate available
Cyber security and introduction to Cyber Choices session for UK Education Staff
Cyber Security Awareness Session for UK School Governors

1. Important Information: A reminder to send your cease notification to Capita

As you will be aware, Norfolk County Council (NCC) are exiting from services currently provided by Capita on 31^st March 2024 and have provided them with Notice to Terminate. Capita understand that there were 215 schools who had internet access via the current service agreement. There are still some schools yet to inform us so we are highlighting what you will need to do to meet the notice deadline of 15^th February 2024 and to reiterate the consequences of not migrating from the current supplier to a new one. There is no option to extend past 31^st March 2024.

We require you to notify Capita and ICT Solutions of your intention to cease (please note you are required to provide at least 45 days’ notice, hence the deadline of 15^th February), the following information will be required:

Name of School
Address of School
Contact details for cease queries
Proposed cease date – will now be 31/03/2024

Cease notices should be sent to Kay Batty – Kay.batty@capita.com and ICT Solutions educonnectivity@norfolk.gov.uk

If a cease notice has not been received by close of play on 15^th February 2024, Capita will automatically cease the circuit on 31^st March 2024, in line with contractual obligations between Norfolk County Council and Capita.

If you have any queries please contact Kay Batty – Kay.batty@capita.com and/or ICT Solutions educonnectivity@norfolk.gov.uk

2. Powering off core network equipment over the February half-term period

We would like to ask schools to refrain from turning off the power to the core networking equipment over the forthcoming half-term holiday period. Core networking equipment includes routers, switches and servers, often in a wall or floor cabinet. These devices are monitored by ourselves and Capita/Rydal/Schools Broadband and turning off the power results in false alarms. This could potentially result in your school incurring a charge for an engineer visit.

If there is no alternative to powering off the communications cabinet and core equipment, because of planned work, for example, please advise us in advance.

For more information:

Please contact the Service Desk on 01603 475603 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk

3. Important Information: New Capita certificate available

** Only applicable for those sites who will be using the Capita network from 19/02/2024 **

At present, SSL inspection is carried out for Norfolk schools and on each device a certificate is installed to ensure this takes place. The one currently in use expires 18/02/2024, which will necessitate a new certificate needing to be deployed to all devices.

If you have a basic or enhanced support contract with ICT Solutions, we will deploy this automatically for you. As long as machines are switched on and connected to the network, they should receive it. However, for those sites who do not have our support, you will need to download the new certificate. It can be found and downloaded from here - https://ssl-filtering.updata.net/ The important thing is not to delete the existing certificate in place.

Failure to install the new certificate will result in users receiving “your connection is not private” messages for every website that they visit from 19/02/2024 onwards.

For more information, please contact the Service Desk on 01603 475603 or ict@norfolk.gov.uk

4. Cyber security and introduction to Cyber Choices session for UK Education Staff

Next session is March 19th 2024

This one hour webinar is designed and delivered by a former teacher to highlight basic cyber security advice that will help individuals improve their personal cyber security and by extension that of their school.

The session will :

Highlight current trends and provide actionable steps that attendees can take.
Highlight nationally approved resources like those created for the education sector by the National Cyber Security Centre.
Introduce the National Crime Agency's Cyber Choices Programme.
Highlight free local and national Police resources that can support the school further in this area.

This event is free and you can book your ticket via - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ersou/1041685. In one session alone last year there were over 195 attendees!

5. Cyber Security Awareness Session for UK School Governors

Next session is May 22nd 2024

This two-hour webinar is designed to bring governors up to speed around threats facing individuals and schools as well as highlighting more strategic areas that school management / governors should be aware of.